Possible HIV risk?

[AnxiousParanoid]

Hello guys.

Some time ago I fooled around with two different chicks in a short span of time (a few days). Before you judge or advise me that this is risky behavior that should be avoided, I'll assure you this is not at all my usual MO. I'm not a very sexually active person, this was completely atypical.

So, on with the story.

With the first girl, I fingered her (quite deeply, if it makes a difference, and with several fingers) and shortly after that (maybe a few seconds? I can't say for sure) I "accidentally" touched my own penis while masturbating briefly.

When I realized the slip-up (I'm not sure if this is usually a route for infection, but I imagined "better safe than sorry"), I stopped touching myself immediately. That's all I did with this girl. I was so freaked out that I couldn't bring myself to do anything else. We kissed, she touched my penis a little bit, and that's it.

A few days later, I hooked up with a different girl. She attempted to perform unprotected oral sex on me (she actually did have her mouth around my penis for a brief instant, maybe a second or two), and I stopped her right away. As you can see I'm the extremely paranoid type.

That is all the sexual contact we had.

About three weeks after these encounters I got checked for everything. It all turned up clean, with the exception of a high white blood cell count. I've since read that this can be an early sign of HIV infection, so I've been going up the walls with anxiety.

I was already aware that a test being done so soon after contact wouldn't be worth much, but I decided to do it anyway. I guessed it would at least eliminate the possibility of other STDs, which are (as I understand) easier to catch.

For the last few weeks I've been watching out for the so-called "early HIV symptoms", like swollen lymph nodes and othe flu-like symptoms. I'm going in again for another blood test, even though I've heard that to get a definitive negative HIV result I'd have to wait six months from the moment of infection.

So here's my question: realistically speaking, could I have contracted HIV from the contact I described?

I hear receiving felatio isn't considered a real risk for HIV. What about touching a girl's genitals and then touching my own shortly after?

That is what concerns me the most right now. I seem to recall her vaginal fluids being mostly dry from my hand when I touched myself (as we all know the natural lubrication of the vagina dries up pretty quickly once exposed to the air), but I'm still nervous about this whole thing.

Am I worrying for no reason or are these random muscle pains I've been feeling in the last few days a reason for concern...?

Also, and I'm not sure if this can be atributed to me poking and proding them constantly, but I fear I may have some swollen/tender lymphnodes. Particularly, one on my forearm, one behind my leg -- close to the right buttock -- and one behing my left knee and one near my left wrist. A few days ago I thought the lymph nodes under my chin (the ones that line the jaw) were tender, too.

I'm not even sure if what I'm touching really is a lymphnode, to be honest. Or if it's even swollen. And I keep proding them so much after finding them, for all I know I could be irritating them.

So bottom line, these are my reasons to be worried:

- High white blood cell count 3 or so weeks after possible exposure;
- Possible swelling of lymph nodes.

As I said, I'm going again for tests at the 2 month mark (which is now), then the 3 month mark, and finally the 6 month mark. It's just that living with these "symptoms" and the constant worrying about them has reduce my life to abject misery. I have serious anxiety issues and this has been making my life hell.

I've gone to two doctors when I thought I had swollen/tender lymph nodes on my jawline, but they both said there was nothing abnormal. Now I think I have one behind my left ear. I'm on my way to request a new blood test so I'll ask the doctor to check that as well.

Thanks for your time.

Edit: I should also add I've had some episodes of diarrhea throughout the last 2 months, but it seems to only happen shortly after eating fast food so I'm tempted to disregard that "symptom".

[RapidRod]

Nothing that you described was a risk of HIV transmission.

[AnxiousParanoid]

Hi RapidRod, thank you for your time and your reply. How can you be so sure that this is absolutely not a route for transmission? I don't recall any cuts or sores on my fingers, but I can't be 100% sure. What about hang nails?

What concerns me the most is touching myself after getting her vaginal secretions on my fingers, too...

[Andy Velez]

The only confirmed risks for the sexual transmission of HIV are unprotected vaginal and anal intercourse. As long as condoms are used consistently for those activities you will be well protected.

Nothing you are concerned about would have put you at risk for HIV. It's a fragile virus and is not passed in those ways that you are worrying about.

Period.

[AnxiousParanoid]

The only confirmed risks for the sexual transmission of HIV are unprotected vaginal and anal intercourse. As long as condoms are used consistently for those activities you will be well protected.

Nothing you are concerned about would have put you at risk for HIV. It's a fragile virus and is not passed in those ways that you are worrying about.

Period.

Thank you for your reply, Andy.

I'm just a very anxious person and the idea that the virus could've been passed to me this way has been driving me insane. I'll still get tested at 3 months (gotta wait 3 more weeks) just for my own peace of mind.

Incidentally, I went to the doctor (for a fitfh time about this issue I think), explained the whole story, and requested an HIV test. He flat out told me he wouldn't require one because I need to "break out of this paranoid cycle".

He wasn't rude or anything -- far from it, in fact. He may have been the kindest, most sympathetic doctor I've seen in the last two months, and I pretty much seen all of the local docs --, but he was adamant that what I require is psychological help, not a blood test looking for HIV antibodies...

[jkinatl2]

I absolutely agree with your doctor. Under no circumstances is fingering, or touching vsgindl juices and then touching your penis an HIV risk.  HIV us simply too fragile and requires extremely soecjfic cells to latch onto. The only verified routes for sexual transmission are unprotected cagibsl and anal sex.

[AnxiousParanoid]

I absolutely agree with your doctor. Under no circumstances is fingering, or touching vsgindl juices and then touching your penis an HIV risk.  HIV us simply too fragile and requires extremely soecjfic cells to latch onto. The only verified routes for sexual transmission are unprotected cagibsl and anal sex.

Thank you for your reply, jkinatl2. I'd still like to get tested, I know myself and I won't rest at ease until I see a negative result on an HIV test, unfortunately.

It's been 2 months and 13 days. The first time I got tested was roughly 3 weeks after contact. When would you recommend I get tested again?

[jkinatl2]

Thank you for your reply, jkinatl2. I'd still like to get tested, I know myself and I won't rest at ease until I see a negative result on an HIV test, unfortunately.

It's been 2 months and 13 days. The first time I got tested was roughly 3 weeks after contact. When would you recommend I get tested again?

Well, the snarky answer is: Any time for the non-risk that you encountered.

Had you had a legitimate risk, the current window period is three months.

And not to belabor a point, but if HIV was transmitted through fingering, strip clubs would be health hazards and HIV would be a predominantly heterosexual and lesbian disease in the US.

[AnxiousParanoid]

Well, the snarky answer is: Any time for the non-risk that you encountered.

Had you had a legitimate risk, the current window period is three months.

And not to belabor a point, but if HIV was transmitted through fingering, strip clubs would be health hazards and HIV would be a predominantly heterosexual and lesbian disease in the US.

Thanks for your replies, jkinatl2. They definitely help me put my mind at ease.

Just to make something clear, I'm not worried that the virus would've gotten into my body through my fingers; I'm not THAT paranoid. My concern is the part when I touched my own genitals shortly after fingering this girl. And by "shortly" I mean "possibly seconds after".

[Andy Velez]

Yes, and even with that further clarification the answer is that you were not at risk. HIV is simply not passed in that manner.

You are worrying needlessly. Really.