Anxiety over blood draw for hiv testing

[lesat]

Dear Medhelp communities,

I have been consistently learning good advice in the communities and feel really grateful. So thank you guys first.

My question is about my last HIV testing. It came back as negative. But I am still anxious about the blood draw process. The nurse was using a vacutainer tube to collect my blood. After I was done the blood draw and went home, I start to be super anxious about my blood sample. I was worrying if the vacutainer tube can be re-opened or mixed in with other stuff by someone else after it collects my blood but before the lab actually processes it. (The hospital gave my results the next day after I went for blood draw, so I don't know what could happen in between). I was thinking it could be because the blood was drying or other reasons that make the HIV undetectable.

Thanks in advance for everyone sharing their thoughts.

[anxiety860]

You really are fine. You tested negative twice and if anything did happen during the process of them testing your blood they would simply call you back in to take another sample. You need to trust the results and the doctors who went to many years of school doing your test. Have you done anything to address your anxiety?

[lesat]

I have been paranoid about the HIV for no reason for a long time. I tested last month as a routine check and the result came negative. I tested again and it is also negative. But I always worry about the blood draw process. Last time I was worrying about the reused needle. This time I saw the nurse opening a new needle and a new vacutainer. But I started to worry about my blood sample after the collection. I really worry about the vacutainer tube popped open or something similar that could compromise the result.

[jockojohnson]

what was your risk ?when was your exposure?