Author Topic: HIV Risk - Please help me!!! (Read 6463 times)

SOScared7890 · « **on:** March 15, 2009, 09:10:25 pm »

I was at the store the other day to buy laundry detergent. When I got home with it several hours later, I noticed a reddish-brown smear on the bottle. I hadn't noticed this when I took it off the shelf. Say, if by chance, the smear was HIV infected blood, is there ANY WAY that I could've been infected if I had gotten it on my hand when I picked it up off of the store shelf, and then gotten it into my eye or mouth (mucous membranes, which as I understand it, are means of transmission) if I rubbed my face? I don't recall seeing anyone in the aisle with me at the time, but what if someone had an open, bloody cut on their hand, touched the bottle, gotten blood on it, and had JUST walked away and out of the aisle JUST as I picked it up? Say, all of this happened within a matter of seconds (from the time they got blood on the bottle to it getting on me and then me rubbing my eyes or touching my mouth)? I know this may sound far-fetched, but I need to know if there is even the slightest possibilty that this was a transmission risk.

Thank you.

RapidRod · « **Reply #1 on:** March 15, 2009, 09:30:47 pm »

You were already advised in another forum that you cannot contract HIV in that manner.

Andy Velez · « **Reply #2 on:** March 15, 2009, 09:34:04 pm »

It's beyond farfetched. There isn't a shred of fact for any scientific based concern about HIV in your incident. Nothing whatsoever. You need to read our lesson about transmission to get the basics.

This epidemic is going to around for a longtime to come and no one can afford to be so unknowing.

Bottom line you have no cause to be concerned this time.

SOScared7890 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 15, 2009, 10:03:01 pm »

So even if it was absolutely fresh blood, seconds-old, smeared on the bottle, and then I somehow got it into my eye or mouth or nose, that STILL wouldn't be considered a risk? Pardon my ignorance - I do not know much about this topic, and have read some scary stuff on the internet. Thank you again.

Robert · « **Reply #4 on:** March 16, 2009, 01:07:20 am »

the virus is extremely fragile. Once it's exposed to the air, it's gone. It takes only a millesecond of exposure for the virus to go bad, regardless of how much blood there is.

robt

Andy Velez · « **Reply #5 on:** March 16, 2009, 08:30:08 am »

No, no variation of what you have reported would put this kind of incident into the risky category.

You need to stop surfing the net on this subject because I can promise you will find lots of misinformation there that will feed your worst fears, all to no good purpose.

SOScared7890 · « **Reply #6 on:** March 16, 2009, 11:29:23 am »

So there's not even a theoretical risk? I am so, so sorry for my persistence. I am just scared out of my mind and have a really bad cold (+ fever) that started 4-5 days after this incident, and I'm terrified it might my symptomatic of being infected with HIV. Thanks again for all of your insight.

Andy Velez · « **Reply #7 on:** March 16, 2009, 12:52:12 pm »

How many ways are there to tell you there was absolutely no risk, no, not even "theoretically" in relation to this incident.

You need to give it up and get on with your life. There's not a shred of any sensible basis for your concern. See your doctor if you have symptoms you're concerned about. And if you can't give up worrying about HIV then I suggest you see a counselor or other professional to discuss the matter because frankly you're worrying is totally cuckoo in this case. Really.

SOScared7890 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 16, 2009, 08:39:32 pm »

My apologies for being a nuisance. I just can't get it out of my head that I will somehow be the 1st one, 1st one, 1st one, in the history of the epidemic, to acquire HIV in this way. I guess it's either sickly flattering, or in your words Andy, "cuckoo"

RapidRod · « **Reply #9 on:** March 16, 2009, 10:10:56 pm »

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

SOScared7890 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 25, 2009, 07:22:52 am »

Hi again. I am so sorry to come back here after being warned, but I am freaking out! Approximately 16 days since my "incident" and I have a sore throat...I know you're not supposed to diagnose from symptoms, but this just seems far too coincidental. I keep trying to tell myself that there was no risk from the sullied laundry detergent bottle, but again, I keep seeing contradictory information on the internet. I was told on another site that I posted on that just like a healthcare worker, I am at risk because I MAY have gotten the blood into my eye or mouth - what the heck??? I thought healthcare workers were at risk because they could potentially get huge splashes of blood in their face; my "incident" would've been a fairly small amount, I believe. What should I do??? I'm certain I'll get another warning or be completely banned, and I certainly don't want that - I just need a reality check and possibly some additional reassurance. Thanks in advance for everything you guys do on this website.

SOScared7890 · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2009, 07:30:11 am »

Oh, and this other site said that my transmission risk would also depend on the "viral load" of the person who bled on the bottle - what does that even mean? Does that increase the risk?

Andy Velez · « **Reply #12 on:** March 25, 2009, 07:56:02 am »

OK. I was about to give you a Time Out when I realized you hadn't been officially warned about coming back here again with this totally non-risk situation.

So consider yourself warned. No more hand holding here about this incident. If you return with more of the same you're going to get a 28 day Time Out.

Your problem isn't HIV. Get yourself some professional help if you can't give up on this one. There's nothing more we can tell you about this incident.

SOScared7890 · « **Reply #13 on:** March 25, 2009, 08:53:54 am »

I apologize for being a bother. It's just that when you get different information from one site to the next, it can be exhausting attempting to sort it all out. I realize that's not anyone's problem but my own; I just wish the information out there was more consistent.

Thank you for your time.

Andy Velez · « **Reply #14 on:** March 25, 2009, 09:04:20 am »

We're very, very careful here about the information we give out.

I can also tell you that without a doubt if you continue to search on the web you are absolutely going to find misinformation to feed your worst fears. And all without any basis in HIV science. But that's up to you to get off of that counter productive electronic ride about your non-risk situation.

RapidRod · « **Reply #15 on:** March 25, 2009, 09:24:58 am »

SOScared7890 aka CAM273 what were you told in the Drs Forum on MedHelp and in the Community Forum on MedHelp? Mar 20th 2009..

"With all due respect, normally we simply delete questions such as yours as they have no basis in reality and have no education value to our readers. You will get a single brief answer.

There is no way whatsoever that you could have gotten HIV from the smear you saw in the laundry detergent IF it was blood and IF the person who was bleeding had HIV. HIV is simply not spread by inanimate objects. There is universal agreement about scientists on this." " Time for you to either move on or, if you cannot, to seek the advice of a counselor or other mental health professional who can help you to do so. EWH "

SOScared7890 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 25, 2009, 09:46:13 am »

I DO trust this site as well as MedHelp - but then I venture onto to certain other sites or into other forums, and am told what I was told here and on MedHelp is not true. Again, not your problem, but it is maddening and frightening to have to decipher fact from fiction. It makes you feel like you're going crazy. I found this site and MedHelp on a fluke - I didn't know they existed, and had I not come across them, I would be worse off than I am now.

Thanks to you, RapidRod, and Andy for the advice.

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Author Topic: HIV Risk - Please help me!!! (Read 6463 times)