Author Topic: Blood Contact (Read 15549 times)

jaxaus · « **on:** October 10, 2007, 10:49:50 pm »

Hello everyone. 5 months ago I had protected vaginal sex and unprotected oral sex with a woman who is HIV positive. There was also deep kissing and deep fingering, now I know this is not normally a risk, but I had both small cuts on my fingers, and damage behind my nail, as well as eczema on that hand and I read that eczema can provide a method of entry for the virus.

A few weeks after I got a cold, congestion, etc, and had random bloody noses a couple of times. I thought nothing of it at the time, but this is when I heard these could be the first symptoms. I dismissed it, not knowing much about HIV, then I found out the woman was positive. About 12 weeks after the event I got dizziness, headaches, muscle aches, sweaty during the day for no reason, poor appetite and malaise. I went to the doctors at 14 weeks and got a test 99 days after exposure. It was negative. However, recently, I've been getting small pimplish things on my hands, and white spots in my inner lip, these may be Fodyles granules or whatever, but I can see them also, and these are a little bigger and look more red and have larger white spots on the top, kind of like a pimple with a whitehead, they go away after a day or two and dont hurt. Could these be symptoms of early HIV infection? Or would these not appear until later?

My main concerns are, I cant find a conclusive window period that is agreed upon everywhere. Many sites say 6 months, some say if you test negative at 3 you need to retest at 6, and some of these appear to be reputable government sites. Am I in the clear with a negative at 99 days?
I use topical corticosteroids sometimes for eczema, do these delay immune response? Also, I had Shingles a year before this event, and I her this can mean you have a weakened immune system? I have never really had any other problems with getting sick constantly though, and I would say I seem in good health. However, mabye I wouldn't have had detectable antibodies by 3 months because of these? Is that possible?

RapidRod · « **Reply #1 on:** October 10, 2007, 10:55:36 pm »

You were never at risk. 3 months is when you get a conclusive result and you did. It was conclusively negative. You don't need further testing.

jaxaus · « **Reply #2 on:** October 10, 2007, 11:01:56 pm »

Are my concerns of a weak immune system due to the shingles a year before, or the topical steroids irrelevant?

RapidRod · « **Reply #3 on:** October 10, 2007, 11:18:50 pm »

jaxaus · « **Reply #4 on:** October 20, 2007, 10:43:33 am »

If you get ARS at say 15 weeks does this mean this is when you have seroconverted? Assuming it is atcually ARS.

I tested negative at 14 weeks but then a week later I developed ARS like symptoms and still have swollen nodes in my neck and groin (doctor diagnoes them but said they weren't "clinically signifigant")

My questions are

1.) Are ARS and seroconversion linked? As in is ARS caused by seroconversion
2.) If the doctor says my nodes are large, but not signifigant, is this unlike node enlargement due to HIV? Are nodes enlarged due to HIV extra large or fused together? (This iws what doctor said made them signifigant) And are they accompanied by other symptoms?
3.) Assuming the illness at 15 weeks was ARS, does that mean the result at 14 weeks is unreliable? As I hadnt seroconverted yet?

Thanks alot in advance.

Ann · « **Reply #5 on:** October 20, 2007, 11:15:32 am »

Jax,

I've merged your new thread into your original thread - where you should post all your additional thoughts or questions. It helps us to help you when you keep all your additional thoughts or questions in one thread.

If you need help finding your thread when you come here, click on the "Show own posts" link under your name in the left-hand column of any forum page.

Please also read through the Welcome Thread so you can familiarize yourself with our Forum Posting Guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.

Not only did you not have a risk for hiv infection, but even if you did, you have conclusively tested hiv negative. You ARE hiv negative.

Whatever is going on with you has nothing to do with hiv. You do NOT have hiv. You didn't even have a risk for hiv. Keep working with your doctor to find out what, if anything, is wrong with you. We cannot help you with that here.

You ARE hiv negative. Keep using condoms correctly and consistently, no matter who you have anal or vaginal intercourse with and you'll remain hiv negative. It really is that simple.

Ann

Andy Velez · « **Reply #6 on:** October 20, 2007, 11:20:11 am »

It would extremely unlikely for you to have seroconverted at 14 or 15 weeks or whatever late dates you are thinking about.

The average time to seroconversion is 22 days. All but the very, very smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks after an exposure to the HIV virus.

Despite what you have read elsewhere fingering would not have put you at risk for transmission, your skin condition included as well as any nicks, cuts, bruises or such. If you had HIV+ blood pouring into a newly opened wound I would say, ok, that's a possible risk. But that obviously wasn't the case.

None of your other concerns such as shingles, use of a steroid cream or such would have skewered the accuracy of your HIV test.

The CDC is very conservative about testing and has for sometime advocated 13 weeks as a valid testing point. The only exceptions are for those situations which involved IV drug use or a severely compromised immune system from treatment for cancer or the like. And before you hop on to "severely compromised immune system," let me tell you that if that was the case with you there wouldn't be any doubt what was happening. When that occurs everything is pretty much collapsing.

Bottom line? You have reliably tested negative for HIV. If you are still having physical problems that are concernng you that is something to discuss with your doctor(s). This is NOT and HIV situation. Period. End of story.

jaxaus · « **Reply #7 on:** October 20, 2007, 10:06:16 pm »

Thanks for the replies and the merge.

jaxaus · « **Reply #8 on:** October 26, 2007, 10:31:43 am »

Hi guys, sorry, just one more thing...

If 3 months is the conclusive marker, how come so many places say something like most people will have seroconverted by 3 months but sometimes it takes up to 6 months, or even a year?

Also, I dont expect you to know this, but I'll ask anyway, do you think Australia would have worse HIV testing as there are so few infections here? Like older tests and stuff?

Thanks again for all your help, i'd be really grateful if anyone could reply, but if you don't want to that is fine.

Thanks for your time.

Andy Velez · « **Reply #9 on:** October 26, 2007, 10:42:53 am »

We can't account for what other sites put out. We work very hard at keeping the information we give out here current and accurate.

Anyone who talks of HIV infection not showing up beyond six months doesn't know what they are talking about. Period.

Up to six months is only a consideration under very limited circumstances -- specifically if intravenous drug use is involved or the person has a severely compromised immune system from a catastrophic illness such as cancer treatment. Otherwise 13 weeks is a solid and reliable testing point.

jaxaus · « **Reply #10 on:** October 26, 2007, 10:25:12 pm »

Thanks, so a retest at 6 months aint neccesary for me?

RapidRod · « **Reply #11 on:** October 27, 2007, 04:56:55 am »

A 6 month test is NOT necessary. 13 weeks is conclusive.

jaxaus · « **Reply #12 on:** October 28, 2007, 06:14:53 am »

Hi again. One more thing (yet again, sorry

) I'm just trying to get better educated on HIV, so I dont have to deal with this kind of stress in furture, and if one of you could answer it would be a great help. I don't want to look at other sites as the info is too vague, out of date, or just plain wrong and unreliable.

So, is ARS (when it is ACTUALLY ARS) directly correlated with Seroconversion? Say, if a person has ARS at 3 weeks, will they test positive at 3 weeks? Or is ARS something else, that has nothing to do with Seroconversion?

Also, after the ARS symptoms, is their no symptoms until alot later? Or is there lots of little signs as symptoms soon after ARS, like within a year of exposure?

Anyways, thanks for helping me deal with my anxieties.

Thanks again.

RapidRod · « **Reply #13 on:** October 28, 2007, 08:06:18 am »

No, you have to give the body time enough to build up enough antibodies for the tests to detect.

jaxaus · « **Reply #14 on:** October 28, 2007, 08:09:41 am »

But the ARS is when the body is strating to produce the antibodies? Or is it unrelated?

Ann · « **Reply #15 on:** October 28, 2007, 09:01:10 am »

Jax,

ARS is indeed what some people experience in reaction to the body producing hiv antibodies. Some people notice no indication of antibody production at all and this is why a lack of symptoms doesn't mean you're in the clear.

If a person tests during the illness, they can test negative, indeterminate or positive. However, by the time that illness has run its course, most people would be indeterminate or positive.

The illness, if it happens at all, usually happens between weeks two and four. Most people who have actually been infected will test positive by week six. A six week negative must be confirmed at three months.

Hiv affects everyone differently - some people notice symptoms in the first year but many go for years with no idea anything's wrong. This is why regular testing for sexually active people is important - looking at the symptoms or the lack of symptoms will tell you absolutely nothing about your hiv status.

Not only did you not have a risk - and yes, I know the woman was hiv positive - but you've also tested hiv negative 99 days after your incident. If you were a transmission fluke, you'd know by now. You're not.

You ARE hiv negative.

Ann

jaxaus · « **Reply #16 on:** October 28, 2007, 09:40:05 am »

Ok, thanks.

It's just my illness, that I viewed as being somwhat consistant with ARS happened about 3-4 days before I tested and continued a couple of days afterwards. I guess it wasn't ARS afterall, since it was 13 1/2 weeks after the incident.

Sorry if I sound like a bit of a nut, its just that when I found out she was positive, I replayed the scenario over and over in my mind, thinking of ways I could've been infected, i.e. fingering with cuts etc. However, even though I didn't roll my foreskin back (im uncircumsiced) as i've now found out you're supposed too (which I never have) I know the condom remained in place as I still had it on in the shower later and it was on fine.

I guess my "immuno suppresed" theory was based mainly on my occasional use of topical steroids, which I udnersatnd slow immune reaction, but i've been told this wouldn't have any effect by 2 doctors.

Anyways, thanks for your help,I understand you're not here to "hold hands" and I will try to move on.

Ann · « **Reply #17 on:** October 28, 2007, 10:31:29 am »

jax,

I'm hiv positive and my uncut, construction worker partner is still hiv negative after being together over eight years. Condoms prevent hiv infection and you're not going to become infected through cuts and scrapes on your hands.

You did not have a risk. Your test results show that you ARE hiv negative. Keep using condoms and you'll stay that way.

Ann

jaxaus · « **Reply #18 on:** October 29, 2007, 12:32:17 am »

Thanks Ann, Andy, RRod, etc. I'll try and put this behind me, and you have helped a great deal.

P.S Ann, you could make a fortune marketing the benefits of condoms

jaxaus · « **Reply #19 on:** October 30, 2007, 05:07:46 am »

Hi again, sorry, just a question for Matty the Damned since I saw in another thread he was an aussie, and is knowledgeable about HIV.

Are the tests used in Australia as good as in the US and other countries? Also, I saw your link the to 12 week conclusive testing period in Australia, so in Australia they do not recommend repeat testing at 6 months as per (some) reports from the CDC in the US? I'm interested because most of the stuff i've read is from a US perspective.

If you know, it would be great if you could help me out

.

Also, a question for anyone, what is general lymphandopathy(sp?) all your nodes enlarged? And when they are enlarged is their anything different to a normal enlarged node from a garder variety infection? For example, when a doctor was feeling them would he notice them as being "clinically signifigant?

Thanks.

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #20 on:** October 30, 2007, 05:23:35 am »

Are the tests used in Australia as good as in the US and other countries? Also, I saw your link the to 12 week conclusive testing period in Australia, so in Australia they do not recommend repeat testing at 6 months as per (some) reports from the CDC in the US? I'm interested because most of the stuff i've read is from a US perspective.

Bloody oath I'm an Aussie and, quite frankly, you're being a bit of a drongo.

Aussie clinics use the latest tests and our window period is 12 weeks. You didn't have a risk and you don't need to test, so stop carrying on like a galah and read the advice you've already been given.

Fair dinkum cuz, you're letting the side down. We've had a shit-house year with the Rugby, Christ knows what's gonna happen with the cricket now that Piggy Warne is a bad memory so give me some hope.

You didn't have a risk, you don't need to test, get on with your life, you goose.

Cheers,

MtD

jaxaus · « **Reply #21 on:** October 30, 2007, 05:41:16 am »

Thanks mate, btw, i'm nicking your sig.

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #22 on:** October 30, 2007, 05:53:54 am »

That'd be right. Bogan.

MtD

jaxaus · « **Reply #23 on:** November 02, 2007, 08:00:02 am »

Sorry again

, im sure you'd hoped you'd seen the back of me for good but I just have to ask one more thing, are little red like spots, kind of like small pimples or rash bumps (only isolated and only 1 in a spot at a time) in any way caused by HIV? If you could be bothered answering me, it would be great (though I understand if you dont want to, and I understand a time out is probably warranted)

Sorry, i'm seeing my GP soon and will as for a referral to a counselor/mental health professional.

Andy Velez · « **Reply #24 on:** November 02, 2007, 08:45:22 am »

You already know the answer about this. You are HIV negative. Period. End of story.

You also know we're not going to indulge you in a response every time you come up with yet another "symptom" of a virus you do not have.

Get yourself some professional help to deal with this issue. We can't deal with it appropriately here.

jaxaus · « **Reply #25 on:** November 15, 2007, 08:11:56 am »

Hi again guys, I took a whole range of blood tests as I am going overseas to the US next year, and took a full STD panel, and of course my HIV was negative 6 1/2 months after exposure. Now I can well and truly let this go. Thanks again for all your help, Andy, RapidRod, Matty and Ann, you truly are great people who spend their time helping worry warts like me out of the goodness of your hearts.

This site is a great resource and you should be extremely proud of the work you do here! THANKS

jaxaus · « **Reply #26 on:** February 18, 2008, 02:21:53 am »

Hi, I recently had sex with a girl, I was wearing a condom, and it remained intact, however, when I pulled out it was covered with blood, now this wouldnt normally worry me, because of the condom, but my penis fell and landed on my left hip, and i had shaved there the night before, and there was some red bumps, also, I have eczema and there was some eczema a little lower and a part where I had scratched it a few days before, so there was some little scabbie like things, just below the blood.

Am I at risk from this? Could the blood have got in my cuts or through where I had shaved? I asked her her status, she said she was negative, and had tested a month ago, and hadnt been with a guy since, she says she gets tested regularly because of some cervical problem she has, endometriosis or something, and she gets tests done for that and STD tests at the same time.

What do you guys think?

Matty the Damned · « **Reply #27 on:** February 18, 2008, 02:27:44 am »

Please keep all your additional thoughts, questions and comments in your original thread. This helps us to follow your story and give you the most accurate advice.

If you can't find you original thread click on the red link I've provided above. Alternatively you can click on the "show own posts" link in the left hand column of any forums page.

Your questions will not be answered until you return to your original thread.

MtD

anniebc · « **Reply #28 on:** February 18, 2008, 02:48:28 am »

I have merged your threads so please keep your question in this thread from now on...thank you for your cooperation.

You had protected sex and from what you have described you did not put yourself at risk for HIV.

Jan

jaxaus · « **Reply #29 on:** February 18, 2008, 03:22:45 am »

Sorry, I looked for my old thread, but I couldnt find it, I didnt notice the show own threads thing, my bad. I'm sure I look like one of those nuts that comes running here every time they have sex... but I'm not that worried this time, after what I learned from my last "exposure", im just curious as to whether this is even worth worrying about.

The actual sex doesnt worry me at all, its just when the bloody condom fell on my hip where there was red shaving bumps, little several day old scratches that where a little scabby and some eczema. But even though I got blood on damaged skin its ok? I heard that eczema/cut skin was a risk when exposed to blood, because the barrier was compromised or whatever. I washed it off real fast, but I guess that doesnt mean much. I guess what I mean is, can blood get into your system that easily? Is an infection of this kind common? Getting blood on you where you have a cut or something?

Ann · « **Reply #30 on:** February 18, 2008, 03:34:39 am »

jax,

No, it wasn't a risk. If you'd both cut arteries and bled into each other's bodies, then you might have to worry. You don't have to worry about your shaving bumps coming into contact with a little bit of menstrual blood.

Ann

Forums Index

Welcome

Welcome to Do I Have HIV?

Author Topic: Blood Contact (Read 15549 times)