POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: worriedalot on November 14, 2010, 11:23:11 am
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Hi, I hope you can advise. I am extremely worried about a lap dance incident in the last week (Tuesday). I went to a strip club and had a "touch dance" with a stripper about three times. I squeezed her breasts and nipples during the routine. She mentioned to me in talking that she still has some milk (her daughter is six years old). I am concerned that maybe I got some breast milk or nipple secretions on my hands during the dance.
I had a cut on one of my fingers that definitely came into contact with her nipples. What worries me as well is that during one of the performances i rubbed my right eye with my fingers. I had something in my eye (later turned out to be en eyelash) and was messing about with my eye lid and eye trying to sort it out. I am worried that if I had any breast milk on my fingers that I might have got this in my eye or rubbed it on the mucous membranes of my eye/eyelid during the dance. What is my risk? I am extremely worried never mind the guilt I am feeling now looking at my wife and two kids.
During the routine she also touched herself "down there" and i also held her hand after the routine and was rubbing my damn eye again. Is there a risk that any vaginal fluid could have got onto my hand and into my eye and could that be a risk?
If a stripper dances on your lap and your clothes get wet where she has rubbed herself (i.e. her private parts) could that be a risk for transmission?
I appreciate your help and quick response. The anxiety and worry is killing me. Since that evening i have had a sore throat and aches and pains all over. I am worried that I have swollen glands (it feels like it).
I am too scared to touch my wife now in case i have stood a risk of contracting hiv. I could really kick myself.
worriedalot
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Worried,
You're worrying for nothing. Nothing you describe is a risk for hiv infection.
Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus that is primarily transmitted INSIDE the human body where the virus never leaves the confines of the two bodies. Once hiv is outside the body, small changes in temperature, and pH and moisture levels all quickly damage the virus and render it unable to infect. In all the situations you mention, if there were hiv present it was exposed to the environment and therefore no longer viable and able to infect.
Hiv infected breast milk is only a danger to infants who rely on breast milk as their sole source of sustenance. Even then, transmission is not guaranteed as hiv is not present in huge quantities in breast milk.
The vaginal fluid that has been found to contain infectious levels of hiv is found deep within the vagina and is a thick mucus that covers and protects the cervix. The vaginal fluids that are produced for lubrication come from two glands (Bartholin's) found at the opening of the vagina. These fluids have not been shown to be any more infectious than sweat or tears - and sweat and tears are NOT infectious.
You can touch your wife as much as you want as you have not been at risk. You do not need to test.
Ann
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Hi Ann, thank you for your reply. That gives me some peace of mind. Just a question though if breast milk can contain hiv and comes into contact with a cut or mucous membrane of the eye why is that not a risk? Doctors and nurses take a lot of care to ensure that blood for example does not splash into their eyes or get on ther hands? What is the difference?
If i got breast milk on my finger that went straight to my eye by touching or rubbing my eye is that time outside the body enough to render the virus harmless?
Once again thanks for the help. I have been really worried. Would just appreciate your thoughts on the above?!
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Andy/Ann any response to my last post? I will not come back again and again asking the same questions I just want to clear this one up. Regards.
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No risk.
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The risk from the breast milk of an infected woman is only relevant to a less than 6 months old infant. That is because the infant's own immune system hasn't kicked in yet. But HIV+ milk is not a risk to an adult.
You are worrying needlessly. It's time for you to let go these concerns and get on with your life.
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Andy i appreciate the answers. Thanks for the help. This will be my last post and I just want to confirm that if the breast milk got onto the cut on my finger or in my eye by rubbing my eye with that finger I have nothing to worry about? I might sound paranoid right now but that is just the state of my mind. Your final answer on this will help?! Kind Regards and thank you for the forum.
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Not a risk.
HIV is unable to reproduce outside its living host (unlike many bacteria or fungi, which may do so under suitable conditions), except under laboratory conditions, therefore, it does not spread or maintain infectiousness outside its host.
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I repeat, NO RISK. Period.