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HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: AmIatrisk32 on March 06, 2007, 05:52:55 am

Title: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 06, 2007, 05:52:55 am
Hi

I am new to this forum and though I had got a lot of information from other posts (for which I am very thankful to you guys) I still need some reassurance

The following is the situation

I visited a sex worker in frankfurt. I was given a condom by the sw and she performed oral sex on me. I did not have sex with her.

However I did finger her a bit, but i did not insert my finger into the vagina. It was more of the surface rubbing and all. However after doing that I took off the condom with my own hands.

Later once home after 30-35 minutes I remember touching the surface of my penis after withdrawing the foreskin with my hands. I had not washed my hands then. Further I have some red spots on the surface of my penis from a fungal infection which sometimes reappears

I immediately (within 3-4 minutes) had bath and cleaned my penis with a disinfectant soap.

I am just worried that at any point during the entire incident was I at risk of getting the virus. I am really very scared. Further the entire aspect of going to a sw makes me feel sick.

It has been 4 days since the incident. Should I be going ahead with a check in 6 or 12 weeks ?

Thanks

SR
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on March 06, 2007, 06:35:40 am
You were never at risk.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 06, 2007, 07:35:25 am
Hi thanks for your response,

What I was worried about is that can it be possible that the virus was on my hands after the fingering and when i touched my penis to take off the condom or when i touched the surface of the penis (on withdrawing the foreskin) which has signs of candida fungal the virus infected me ?

Additionally can you let me know how long can the virus sustain itself in air (that is on my hands)

Sorry for all these repeated questions and thanks for your pateince in replying the same

Regards

SR
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Andy Velez on March 06, 2007, 08:36:59 am
SR, HIV is a fragile virus and needs a very receptive environment to remain viable and be transmitted. None of the actions which you have described provide the means for transmission. The essential risk is unprotected intercourse whether vaginal or anal.

Please read the lesson on Transmission. You'll find a link to it in the Welcome thread which opens this section. You'll get all the basic information you need there and it will help spare you worrying needlessly as you are now.

Cheers, 
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 06, 2007, 08:51:56 am
thanks for all your help. I have been so worried for the last 4 days that I havent been able to sleep. I should have never done what i did and i have learnt from this time.

Nothing is worth taking this risk.

This has helped me cool down a bit, just to be doubly sure I will go ahead and take the test after three months and before i have sex with my partner again. I feel so horrible about doing all this.

Thanks a lot for all your help.

Regards



Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Ann on March 06, 2007, 10:05:09 am
AmI,

You can fret all you want over this incident, but you were not at any risk and you certainly don't need to test over it.

I am wondering though about your activities with your regular partner. Have you two tested together before you stopped using condoms?

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results. Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.

Ann
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 06, 2007, 10:14:23 am
I and my regular partner have been using condoms except for few incidents one year back.

My regular partner is the only partner I have ever had sex with until this incident. For her I am the second partner, but she told me that she had always used a condom in the past.

This is the first time I have had any sexual contact with any other person [in this case the sex worker] and I have given the details of the incident above.

Currently I am feeling both the fear of HIV infection and the shame of taking this step.

SR
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Ann on March 06, 2007, 10:27:01 am
SR,

Feelings of guilt or fear have no bearing on risk factors. You did not have a risk in what you did with the sex worker. If you did, we'd tell you, believe me.

Please keep using those condoms until such time as you and your partner are fully monogamous and have had a full sexual health care check up together.

Ann
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 07, 2007, 05:51:19 am
Hi Thanks for all your responses.

Today is the 5th day since the incident. I think i have very low fever for the last two days and a headache with it. Do i need to worry ?
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 07, 2007, 08:03:27 am
any thoughts on my previous post ??
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on March 07, 2007, 08:22:28 am
No, you don't need to worry.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Andy Velez on March 07, 2007, 08:40:33 am
SR, do you need to worry (about HIV related to this incident)? NO!

Is guilt or shame about your having gone to a sex worker what's driving this totally unwarranted fear about HIV transmission? Just asking...

As far as HIV is concerned it's not about whom you are with, whether a civilian or a professional. It's what you do. And nothing you did put you at risk for HIV.

Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 07, 2007, 09:11:41 am
Quote

"Is guilt or shame about your having gone to a sex worker what's driving this totally unwarranted fear about HIV transmission? Just asking..."


Andy ,

I seriously dont know what it is and what I should do.

I think it's both the things that are bothering me. But from whatever everyone of you is telling me I am relaxed about the HIV part (Atleast I think I am). About the other part I think I need to do something on my own

Thanks a lot once again !

SR
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Andy Velez on March 07, 2007, 09:23:40 am
You're welcome.

Talking with a counselor or other such professional might help you with sorting out some of the feelings you're having.

Happily, this is not an HIV situation.

Cheers,

Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 12, 2007, 11:27:17 am
Hi Andy, Ann and Rapid,

Hope u all are fine.

I am not. I am going absolutely crazy. I keep getting these strange thoughts.

Plus I keep getting these so called early symptoms to HIV infection. Atleast i think i am getting them. Sometimes i feel that my fingers are paining, Sometimes i feel like scratching on my back, then I take off my shirt to see if i have any rashes but there arent any. Sometimes i feel i have pain in one part of the body sometimes in another

I dont know whether these symptoms are real or my mind is playing games.

If these are true events do i need to actually worry ? Is there any risk at all. Even if this lady was HIV+, even then there is no risk ?

A test requires three months. I think i will go crazy by then

SR
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: ACinKC on March 12, 2007, 11:29:39 am
You arent going crazy.  You ARE overly worried about this incident however.  None of the things you described are symptoms of HIV infection.

Not to mention you were NEVER at risk.  Your mind is playing some tricks on you.  Try focusing on something other than HIV.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 12, 2007, 11:33:40 am
even if i assume the lady was HIV+ ?
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 12, 2007, 12:32:31 pm
any thoughts andy, ann, rapid ??

thanks for all your help and support

SR
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on March 12, 2007, 12:44:41 pm
It wouldn't matter if she was HIV+. You were still not at risk.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 13, 2007, 03:58:04 am
Today I have a painless blister on one cheek inside my mouth and my tongue has some blisters... (something like pimples, but pink in color)...

Now isn't this another sign ?

I know i am bothering you guys so much but i am relating everything
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on March 13, 2007, 06:06:01 am
You didn't have a risk and whatever is going on with you has nothing to do with HIV. See your doctor for your concerns. They are unrelated to HIV.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 13, 2007, 08:17:42 am
so can stress cause all this ?? including the blisters kind of things on my tongue ?
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Andy Velez on March 13, 2007, 09:29:21 am
We cannot diagnose the source of your various physical occurences.

What we can tell you with assurance is that they have nothing to do with HIV. No matter what your mind says to the contrary, this is NOT an HIV situation. Period.

Go see your doctor for the blisters and such. Just because you don't know what's causing such things doesn't by default mean it's about HIV. In all the years to come are you going to assume that everything that happens to your body has to do with HIV?
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 19, 2007, 05:13:38 am
I know that I've been repeatedly been told the same thing but these things are bothering me.

the red spots on the back of my tongue are still there. And the back of my tongue around these spots has a white coat.

I wanted to know are these by any means any of the ARS symptoms ?

Also I wanted to know that since during the window period the virus concentrations are so high in bodily fluids that a person is highly infectious why cannot virus particles be detected in fluids such as semen for conslusive testing?

its been 17 days now. I want to go in for the test but that happens only after 67 days
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on March 19, 2007, 05:33:46 am
No they are not symptoms of ARS.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 19, 2007, 05:45:55 am
thanks rapid, feeling a bit better after a horrible weekend during which i checked my tongue around 100 times a day............

what about the second part of my query, the one on testing ? Is there no test that can check for presence of the virus in semen say after a couple of weeks of an instance ?

SR
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on March 19, 2007, 06:34:10 am
You don't need to test to begin with and the answer is no. Your blood would be the first and quickest place for antibodies to show up and then they will be detectable at 6 weeks.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 22, 2007, 06:52:20 am
Hi Again,

it has been 20 days since that day.

I know all my intelligence and education tells me that HIV is not transmitted in the events that I described. And despite being a guy educated in science I just cant come to terms with it.

the reason is that everything that happens to me makes me feel it is related to hiv. Now for the last three days I have been sweating in the nite, so much so that when i wake up in the morning i feel as if i have sweat a lot. For the last two days the joint in my left hand index finger has also been paining.

everything makes me think that these events are connected. Everynite i repeat to myself the words, "nothing i did puts me at risk" but things dont change. I am just petrified

these so called symptoms keep coming up.

can i be so unlucky ?


Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: ACinKC on March 22, 2007, 09:36:22 am
The answer is NO.  You arent that unlucky.  I know it is hard to accept but you are negative.  Night sweats and finger pains arent specifically related to HIV in any way.  I urge you to seek the help of a mental health professional to ease your fears and help you move on with your life.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 27, 2007, 10:21:10 am
Just another question..

is the formation of pus (yellowish green liquid tht one sees inside pimples) on the side of the nails a sign of ARS ? is it ?

Regards

SR

Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on March 27, 2007, 10:24:29 am
NO! You didn't have a risk to begin with. If you want to learn about HIV go the lesson sections found in the "Welcome" thread and read.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 27, 2007, 10:36:51 am
Rapid I know that how you would consider I am taking things and probably you would also get irritated that I come up every 5 days with something new.

But by now I have literally drowned in the fear of hiv that I am actually imagining that i definetely have it.

See the thing is that i am not imagining the things that are happening to me. I actually have a white tongue with red dots, i mean I can see it. I had pains in my body for a couple of days. I had headaches, night sweats and now this pus on my finger..

i have everything that i can possibly imagine. I sleep everynite trying to say to my self atleast 100 times that  "this is not the way hiv is transmitted", and "i dont have hiv" but i just cant relax with all these things happening.

I take timeouts from this forum on my own for 3-4 days but then again something new happens...

i want to be convinced and i guess a test will prove that, but thats another 60 days away.

Thanks and really sorry for bothering you again and again. I thing i will now try to take a time off for a couple of weeks on my own.

SR
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on April 26, 2007, 10:41:20 am
Hi Rapid, Ann and Andy,

I have tried like hell to get these thoughts out of my mind. I have not visited this site and other HIV related websites for nearly a month so that I dont think about HIV infection but in vain. My mind so much worried about HIV that I think about HIV nearly every hour of my day

I am still going mad. I went to a doctor and discussed my fears a month back. he too said that he beleived that i was a no risk but recommended that if i want i can test (but at three months). That day the doctor also observed that my BP was high

Well these things that one calls sympotms keep on appearing off and on. So in the last month or so i have had sweats at night (but the probably europe is getting very warm), i have also had a rash around the anus region. I have had rashes in that area in the past as well and probably because i am also suffering from ealry stages of piles for the last 6 months, the rashes may have appeared. And these rashes cause burning sensation on touch.

Are such rashes typical of ARS rashes ?

I have also been having headaches for the last three weeks.

tell me something about ARS symptoms, if at all they appear do they last for as long as 7 weeks ? because i have been experiencing things from since the 1st week of the incident i described earlier. And do ARS symptoms occur with the 1st week itself ? Do they all happen together or over period of time one after the other ?

I am scared shit. Can I do a test now ? Its will be exactly 8 weeks tomorrow

SR

Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: ACinKC on April 26, 2007, 11:40:44 am
ARS symptoms come on all at once and leave all at once and generally last no longer than 1 weeks or so.  They most commonly occur 2-4 weeks post exposure.  They do not present themselves over a long period of time and nor do they show up in a consecutive manner over several weeks as you have described.  Also, ARS rashes are on the torso, not your ass.

An 8 week test is a GREAT indicator of a 13 week result as all but a rare FEW will develop antibodies by week 6.

But you have been TOLD ALL OF THIS.  You did not have a risk.  So test whenever you like.  It shall be negative.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Andy Velez on April 26, 2007, 12:20:27 pm
You have repeatedly been told this is not an HIV situation.

Whatever we say really doesn't seem to matter since you continue to credit your unfounded fears.

 I suggest you see a therapist or other mental health professional to get help with your concerns.

We've done what we can do for you here.

Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on May 21, 2007, 09:31:27 am
Hi Everyone,

Today is day 81. I am returning to my home country in another 5 days and am sure to meet my girlfriend on the day after which i arrive.

I know you all have assesed me as no risk but I just did not want her to be infected because of me. I therefore went in for a test today.

Results would be in tommorrow morning. The test was an ELISA test. (that's all i could make out as everything else was in German) Could these results be considered conclusive ?

Thanks
SR
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on May 21, 2007, 09:41:20 am
What part of, YOU DIDN'T HAVE A RISK, don't you understand?
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on May 21, 2007, 09:50:32 am
I understand your clear message.
My question is that for a person with a considerable risk can a 81 day test be conclusive.
I will keep you guys informed about the results tomorrow.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: ACinKC on May 21, 2007, 09:59:19 am
For a person who has CONSIDERABLE risk (read that as NOT YOU) 13 weeks would be conclusive in the US.

For you, 81 is way conclusive.  You didnt have a risk.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on May 22, 2007, 05:21:32 am
Thanks for your help as always.

Negative

Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on May 23, 2007, 05:55:50 pm
Hey need some information from the experts purely for my knowledge

Can you pls tell me if this thought is correct

If a man or woman has an exposure and develops ARS like symptoms in two - three weeks (let us assume he actually does have some symptoms) that means the body has recognized the virus and started fighting it by developing antibodies.

That means having ARS should neccesary mean antibodies have been created and they should be detected in a test about 2-3 weeks after the symptoms appeared ?

is this true ? and can we can also infer that if the result gave a negative result then the symptoms were relating to something else happening in the body which should be investigated ?

SR

Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on May 23, 2007, 08:27:34 pm
NO it is not true, that being the reason for the 13 week test. You have to give the body enough time to build up antibodies for the tests to detect. Forget any thought of symptoms, symptoms don't mean squat when it comes to diagnosing HIV. I never had symptoms so that throws your theory out the window.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Ann on May 24, 2007, 06:21:21 am
SR,

Quote
If a man or woman has an exposure and develops ARS like symptoms in two - three weeks (let us assume he actually does have some symptoms) that means the body has recognized the virus and started fighting it by developing antibodies.

That is potentially correct. However, the onset of symptoms may simply be a coincidence and the person could just be ill with something totally unrelated. And as Rodney said, many people have no symptoms at all yet are in the process of developing antibodies.

Quote
That means having ARS should neccesary mean antibodies have been created and they should be detected in a test about 2-3 weeks after the symptoms appeared ?

ARS is caused by the body's reaction to the creation of antibodies, not the virus itself. Typically, a test within a few days of actual ARS symptoms will return "inconclusive" results. Most people will test positive by two weeks after the onset of true ARS symptoms.

But it is VERY important to remember that not everyone has ANY noticeable symptoms. Symptoms or even the lack of symptoms mean nothing when it comes to diagnosing hiv.

Quote
can we can also infer that if the result gave a negative result then the symptoms were relating to something else happening in the body which should be investigated ?


Well, yeah, it's pretty obvious, isn't it? If a person experienced symptoms but tested hiv negative at the conclusive time of three months after a true risk, then something else was going on.

You are conclusively hiv negative. As you have been told, you didn't even have a risk and you can totally trust your result.

Make sure you always use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse and you will remain hiv negative.

Ann
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on September 18, 2007, 05:35:40 am
Hi been over six months.

I think I had been over this by now but thought started appearing in my mind yet again.

By the way I had a test done at 95 days too. Was negative too

But over the last couple of weeks I have been having some infections and other problems that has led me to think whether my immune system has weakened because of HIV

I have had three instance of single mouth ulcers having developed in my mouth
I have had a fungal infection on my penis (the part under the foreskin)

Other than this I have been having constant headaches for nearly a month now.

Can any of these things indicate anything related to HIV, probably late systems of late seroconversion.

Plus I not had sex for nearly 6 months now. Also I have been loosing loads of weight. But i'm sure that's because of extremely heavy exercise and diet control


Regards
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Ann on September 18, 2007, 06:21:36 am
Am,

How on earth could anything that's going on with you have the slightest connection to hiv? You DO NOT HAVE hiv!

Not only have you tested conclusively hiv negative, but you NEVER HAD A RISK IN THE FIRST PLACE!

If you cannot move past this, you might want to seek counseling to enable you to do so. We cannot help you with that here and you will not be allowed to use this forum to wring your hands over your no-risk event followed by negative test results.

You ARE hiv negative. Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently and you'll stay that way.

Ann
Title: Hand job risk ?
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on November 03, 2007, 07:21:44 am
Hi Ann, rapid and everyone else

A very small question.

Is there any risk in getting a hand job at the end of of a thai body massage. The massage lady had all her clothes on at all times ( ifcourse was 100% naked). She gave me a massage with the baby oil and ended it up massaging my penis and giving me a hand job at the end of which I ejaculated.

Any risk at all ?

Thanks
Title: Re: Hand job risk ?
Post by: Matty the Damned on November 03, 2007, 07:54:51 am
Please keep all your additional thoughts, questions and comments in your original thread. (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=9925) 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
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on November 03, 2007, 07:59:20 am
new incident, unrelated to the previous one
--------------------------------------------------------------


Hi Ann, rapid and everyone else

A very small question.

Is there any risk in getting a hand job at the end of of a thai body massage. The massage lady had all her clothes on at all times ( ifcourse was 100% naked). She gave me a massage with the baby oil and ended it up massaging my penis and giving me a hand job at the end of which I ejaculated.

Any risk at all ?

Thanks
Title: Re: Hand job risk ?
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on November 03, 2007, 08:00:05 am
done that matty.

sorry

can you pls reply in my original thread now
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on November 03, 2007, 08:24:52 am
No, there no risk of contracting HIV from a handjob.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Andy Velez on November 03, 2007, 09:21:01 am
OK, I've merged your threads. Please follow our rules and keep all of your postings in this same thread.

As far as your concern, being masturbated at the end of a massage is absolutely not in any way  risk for transmission. You've been coming here long enough to know that. Masturbation whether by someone or mutual is not a risk for HIV transmission.

 
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: AmIatrisk32 on March 24, 2008, 10:00:19 am
Hello again,

My jitters have started again. I wanted to know if I tested negative after 95 days is there even a teeny weeny probability that I may have HIV ?

I recently observed very hard lumps behind my ears. As I have read these appear to by swollen lymph nodes.... and now I am bloody worried and shit scared. Should i go in for another test ?

The date of the incident was 2nd March 2007

*by the way I had a scorpion bite on wednesday for which I had been given very strong injections. This or something else may be reason for the swelling but  i am shit scared
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: RapidRod on March 24, 2008, 10:24:26 am
NO, your negative result is conclusive.
Title: Re: Worried about Potential Risk
Post by: Andy Velez on March 24, 2008, 03:44:52 pm
Your jitters have absolutely nothing to do with HIV. You are HIV negative. Give it up and get on with your life. Really.