POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: koko on September 11, 2006, 01:37:23 am
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HI, i am a healthcare profession, one day i worked with my patient and told out her IV, one small drop of blood accidentiall splash into my eye...i went to wash immediately twice....I didn't know about the pt's status if the pt has any infectious disease such as HIV ....it has been 6 weeks already and i just got tested today...I have developed some psychological problem that I always keep thinking i am hiv positive and my result will be positive...i cannot stand it anymore....i want to know my status and i am afraid to know it....so complicated...I had tried many rapid hiv test and they came out all negative, but i am not so sure how accurate those test can be....can anyone help me? i am very psychologically exhausted now....
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Hi, I can understand how you feel, I am only 23, although I don't know if i am positive yet, those feelings and thoughts already make me overwhelming...however, the first hiv case was found in 1981, there were only 20 years from the past and the medical technology has improving significantly. So we always have hope.
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Koko,
The chances of you having contracted HIV from this incident, even if your patient was positive, are zero. HIV just isn't transmitted in this way. Please read our Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) to learn more about how HIV is and is not transmitted.
That said, I'm quite surprised that a healthcare worker should have a less than impressive understanding of the modes of transmission for diseases like HIV. Perhaps you might talk to your employer about education for you and your colleagues in this area. Similarly, if you're having anxiety problems as a result of this, can your employer or trade union arrange some counselling for you?
One other thing. I notice that you've posted in the I Just Tested Poz forum. That forum is for HIV positive members only. Since you're not HIV positive, you should restrict your posting to this thread here in Am I Infected?, ok?
MtD
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thanks for the reply, i am new to this area, not very sure about the rule...hope you dont mind@_@
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It's ok Koko. Just keep your comments, questions and thoughts in this thread and you'll be fine.
MtD
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Koko,
I've moved the post you made in another forum into your thread here. Please keep all your additional thoughts or questions in this thread only. Make sure you read the whole Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0), links and posting guidelines included.
I agree with Matty. One little drop of blood splashed into your eye is not going to result in hiv infection. Expect your test result to be negative.
Ann
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I know it sounds rudicious, but I still worry about the early incident of contact blood in the hospital setting. now it is approximately 40 or more days from that incidents, and i went to test 3 times and they are negative....my last test is 9/20, however, today i have developed a little bit sore thoat, a little of flu like symptoms., but i dont have fever or swollen lymph node...and i read online that blood contact mucous membrane is about 0.1% of chance of getting hiv, and there is 2 or 3 documented cases have been reported since 1985 i guess. I still worry so much...Ann, do you think I am infected? thanks
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Since you work in the health care field, see your infectious disease doctor or advisor. No one here plays the guessing game.
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Ann writes back and tells you not to worry and you write back and ask her again if she thinks you're infected. Uh, are you actually reading and paying attention to what the responses you are getting?
You're basing all of your fears on the what if assumption the person was HIV+. No reason to think that of course, there you go. On top of that thus far you have tested negative. The average time to seroconversion is 22 days. All but the very smallest number who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks after an exposure to the virus.
So with your negative results so far there is every reason to expect that you will continue to test negative.
Re-test at 13 weeks just for your peace of mind. And yes, I expect you will test negative again.
If you are having problems dealing with this there should be some structure in your hospital for employees to deal with this concern. Discuss it with your supervisor.
Cheers,
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thanks Andy, I know the risks, but sometimes it is good to have someone to reassure, I feel more calm after hear from you, thank you
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You're welcome. I am glad you found the exchanges to be helpful.
Cheers,