Exposure risk? Sharing cocaine straws.

[peacheskeen]

Hi there! After reading much conflicting information on the internet. I thought I'd reach out and give this forum (amazing what you guys do) a shot. I recently spent a night out with a friend who is newly positive (didn't know at the time) sharing everything from multiple cigarettes to cocaine. I know bad behavior, but it was a one off that I don't plan on repeating etc. etc.

My question is, is there risk of transmission here, especially considering his high viral load at the time? We snorted shared rolled up bills seconds after each other and my nose did bleed, can't speak to his though. I had also been sick leading up to this so there were likely irritations in my throat/nasal passage to begin with. 

Also while I'm here, sharing cigarettes/lipstick regardless of chapped lips shouldn't be an issue, right? My mind tells me an obvious no, but anxiety is a trip.

Thank you in advance for your time.

[Jim Allen]

Nothing you mentioned is an HIV concern.

Jim

[peacheskeen]

Thanks for the quick reply Jim. So there is no risk here? I shouldn't get tested when the appropriate amount of time goes by (I'm in a monogamous relationship and have no other risky behavior)?

[Jim Allen]

No risk, no need to test over this. I'm sorry you are stressing about this but you might as well be asking me if sharing a cup of tea would be an HIV risk. It's not.

I'm in a monogamous relationship

If you have been or are engaging in unprotected intercourse with your partner this would as example meet all the biological conditions needed for acquiring HIV.

Now I don't judge couples that decide to engage in unprotected intercourse, it's often based on trust within a relationship, however, just note this trust or faith does not prevent HIV and any unprotected intercourse is simply accepting a possible risk to you of acquiring HIV.

It would be wrong of me not to point out this obvious HIV risk to you, so test regularly, understand your real risks.   

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid HIV infection:
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, every time, no exceptions. Consider starting PrEP as an additional layer of HIV protection going forward

Keep in mind that some sexual practices which may be described as ‘safe’ in terms of HIV transmission might still pose a risk for transmission of other STI's, so please do get fully tested regularly and at least yearly for all STI's including but not limited to HIV and test more frequently if unprotected intercourse occurs

Also note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms and the only way of knowing is by testing.

More information on HIV Basics, PEP, TaSP and Transmission can be found through the links in my signature to our POZ pages, this includes information on HIV Testing

Kind regards

Jim

Please Note.
As a member of the AM I Infected Forum you are required to only post in this one thread no matter how long between visits or the subject matter. You can find this thread by going to your profile and selecting show own post and it will take you here . It helps us to help you when you keep all your thoughts or questions in one thread and it helps other readers to follow the discussion. Any additional threads will be deleted.

[peacheskeen]

Gotcha, thank you and sorry if this was insensitive at all, I was truly confused about the information re: sharing snorting devices that I have been reading online and couldn't find an example mentioning a bloody nose - hence looking for your expert opinion.

And yes, I agree with you and appreciate the reminder re:trust and usually use condoms and get tested once/twice a year to be safe but as my testing just took place this month I didn't want to put my partner at risk if there was one (which as you say, clearly there is not).

Have a great weekend and thank you again for your help today!

[Jim Allen]

You're welcome.

sorry if this was insensitive at all

Don't worry, you're grand. Take it easy

[peacheskeen]

Oof sorry to be back here but I'm even more confused now. I went to the clinic to get tested to ease my mind as I've started to develop a fever and swollen lymph nodes all over my body, mainly neck and groin, (noting that it was negative but also is way to early for any conclusive results). My tester informed me that my actions, the bloody nose + sharing straw, were in fact a risk but a low one at that.

Truly hate to be a bother here and add to the back and forth, but would you mind elaborating on why this is not a risk in your assessment? Essentially the provider informed me that there could be microscopic blood that would be transmittable for an unknown amount of time taking into consideration my actions and my friends recent positive test results.  Is this in fact possible, although improbable?

I really appreciate your time, effort, and patience with me while I wait for the time to pass to a conclusive result.

[Jim Allen]

Hiya,

I have to be honest and say I have a really hard time believing that a tester said: "microscopic blood " on objects like this would be a risk, shit if I stuck you with a needle myself it would take more. That said I once had a doctor who thought shaking hands was a risk, and another who thought sneezing was how HIV spread it's not if it was we would all be in quarantine and most of the planet infected by now.   

So sadly I do know first hand there are lots of misinformed people but I can't really help you with regards to what others say.

Snorting cocaine and, sharing the straw is not an HIV risk, although theoretically a Hepatitis risk but based on what you posted tiny at that so no panic and, only if there was blood to blood contact-route and a speck of blood would do it either and that's 50-100x times more infectious than HIV but ill presume the bill was not covered in blood. I'll spare you the don't do drugs nonsense, but I will say use your own bill if you can.

Where to start well back to basics ... HIV is extremely difficult to transmit and unbelievably fragile it does not remain infectious outside the human body (such as on surfaces or exposed to air) and it cannot reproduce outside a human host. See once outside the human body the receptors corrode and render it unable to infect.

Ultimately HIV transmission is always a biological event and biologically, four conditions need to be present simultaneously for HIV transmission to occur even in theory: The virus must be present in infectious body fluid from the HIV positive person, it must be present at sufficient levels to cause infection. There must be an effective route of transmission, and it must reach susceptible cells in another person.

All in all, you did not meet the requirements from what you posted for the transmission of HIV

The below is your only HIV risk posted here so far

If you have been or are engaging in unprotected intercourse with your partner this would as example meet all the biological conditions needed for acquiring HIV.

Now I don't judge couples that decide to engage in unprotected intercourse, it's often based on trust within a relationship, however, just note this trust or faith does not prevent HIV and any unprotected intercourse is simply accepting a possible risk to you of acquiring HIV.

It would be wrong of me not to point out this obvious HIV risk to you, so test regularly, understand your real risks.   

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid HIV infection:
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, every time, no exceptions. Consider starting PrEP as an additional layer of HIV protection going forward

Keep in mind that some sexual practices which may be described as ‘safe’ in terms of HIV transmission might still pose a risk for transmission of other STI's, so please do get fully tested regularly and at least yearly for all STI's including but not limited to HIV and test more frequently if unprotected intercourse occurs

Also note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms and the only way of knowing is by testing.

More information on HIV Basics, PEP, TaSP and Transmission can be found through the links in my signature to our POZ pages, this includes information on HIV Testing

Kind regards

Jim

Please Note.
As a member of the AM I Infected Forum you are required to only post in this one thread no matter how long between visits or the subject matter. You can find this thread by going to your profile and selecting show own post and it will take you here . It helps us to help you when you keep all your thoughts or questions in one thread and it helps other readers to follow the discussion. Any additional threads will be deleted.

[peacheskeen]

Thanks Jim – I really appreciate your quick and straightforward reply. As for the tester, this wasn't a doctor by any means and he himself did not seem very confident in the risks of my case, whereas he mentioned he would have been if it was say, injection paraphernalia.

Hence my coming back here, for additional support/advice. Thanks for the answer. Is it safe to assume from your answer that even if the bill was covered in blood before I used it -- it would not longer be HIV infectious because of its exposure to the outside environment rendering it unable to infect?

[Jim Allen]

  You're welcome.

Is it safe to assume from your answer that even if the bill was covered in blood before I used it -- it would not longer be HIV infectious because of its exposure to the outside environment rendering it unable to infect?

Well, the extream case of the guy bleeding half to death might change my position slightly only slightly as there is only so much blood that could cover a bill.  I presume there was no ambulance required or hospitalization so my position remains no HIV risk.

[peacheskeen]

  thank you. Appreciate that you can make me laugh at a time of panic.

Keep doing what you do and want to note how grateful I am for the resource you and your colleagues provide here.

[Jim Allen]

You're welcome

[balmo]

Hi there,

I'm posting on behalf of my partner; she recently did cocaine with a person of unknown status, sharing a dollar bill to snort. At one point they both had bloody noses while continuing to share the bill, is there any possibility of exposure?

Thank you in advance, I am trying to help absolve her of her worry/anxiety.

[Jim Allen]

One and the same person asking questions already answered.

The bill was no HIV risk to you.
Permanent ban for the new account, 28-day ban on the old account.

[Ptrk3]

The HIV is fragile and would not survive in the ambient environment in a viable manner to cause infection by the actions you have described in your post.

Please access this link to learn how the virus is transmitted:

https://www.poz.com/basics/hiv-basics/hiv-transmission-risks