>> HIV EXPOSURE WITH A TWIST<<<

[shsm]

Dear Drs, I really admire the work you do and all the help you provide people. i also admire your "no nonsence" answers
4 days ago I visited a massage parlour. I have had hemaroids which have only bled very slightly in the past (the last occasion was probably about 2 days before I went to the parlour)
When I got to the massage parlour i got naked with the massage girl and we shared a bath which had soap and bath foam in it, there was NO sexual contact just back and neck massage with soap and then the masseuse used a flannel to clean my back. Then we got out the bath and I dried my self with a towel provided by the parlour. I then had an all over body massage (using baby oil) with a hand job on the massage bed. The masseuse remained naked while giving me a massage. 20 mins after leaving the parlour i noticed that I had discomfort passing water (burning feeling during and after) i have had no discharge though.

the pain passing water has calmed down alot but not fully gone, I have also had an itching feeling on my legs/arms/hands and have been waking up in the middle of the night feeling all anxious.I have also been feeling light headed, experienced nausea, poor appetite, and fatigued, sore throat and neck and sore tip of tongue. Doc I’m a mess!

I have read many posts by you both to other people regarding hand jobs, massages and all seem very very low risk activities but I AM VERY WORRIED about possible contact through any possible small abrasions on my skin or my hemaroids that may have been slightly inflamed or bleeding, (I’m not sure if they were) I just please need to see a response from you. So my questions are to you sir's,

1, IF my hemaroids were bleeding slightly without my knowledge, could this be open to infection from her potential vaginal fluid/bodily secretions (if any) through the bath water?

2, could any HIV/STI from either the masseuse or previous users of the parlour be caught through using the facilities, i.e towels, massage oil bottle, etc. so for example, as the masseuse would of used these things during my visit, is there any chance possible HIV/STI from these items could it be passed to me through the hand job?

3, The masseuse DID NOT masturbate herself during my visit but if she touched her vagina briefly and then proceeded with my happy ending, could this of cause a high chance of me getting HIV?

4, are my symptoms suggestive of ARS after just three days?

5, is a hiv test warrented?

many regards

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Relax. Your hemorrhoids are not a signficant "twist" and do not modify the standard answer to the questions you ask.

1. HIV cannot be transmitted through water, to hemorrhoids or any other skin lesion or open sore.

2. If HIV and other STDs could be transmitted this way, they would be 100 times more common than they are -- and would not be classfied as STDs.  As the name suggests, you have to have sex to transmit them.

3. No risk here, regardless of where her hands had been.

4. ARS cannot cause symptoms as soon as 3 days, and in any case your symptoms don't suggest ARS.  If they continue or you remain concerned, of course seek professional care.

5. No STD or HIV testing is necessary on account of these events.

Bottom line (no pun intended):  Your fears have no basis.  Don't worry about it.

Thanks for the thanks about the forum.  Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[shsm]

thanks doctor, thats all i needed to know, i feel very relieved with your response.. can put this all behind me.

kind regards

[shsm]

Hi doc,

my water works symptoms are still lingering after my visit to the parlour, like i say, they started 20 mins after the handjob, they include burning after passing water, urine frequency but No discharge.. obviously if these persist i will go to my doctor but could this water problem be due to uti picked up at parlour or a skin to skin std?

also for extra piece of mind i am contemplating hiv test at 4 weeks, would this be accurate enough with my low risk experience.

[shsm]

ohh sorry i forgot to mention, im from the UK, If i went for HIV test, 4 weeks post exposure, would that test be as accurate as the ones you guys have in the US?

Im not sure what type of hiv tests are used in the UK.

[shsm]

i just cant seem to get the thought of any potential fluids coming in contact with me through the hand job...

the massuse used her own towel to dry herself and her vagina after the bath so she would of had her hand near her genitals at least once before i massage and handjob.

jope this thread doesnt take up too much of your time

regards

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I see no way you could have acquired a urethral or urinary tract infection from the events you describe.  Nonsexually transmitted UTIs are rare in healthy younger men without anatomic anomalies of the lower urinary tract, but if you're over age 40 (when prostate problems become common), that could predispose to UTI.

HIV tests are equally accurate on both sides of the Atlantic; largely, the identical tests are used.

Collectively, the UK genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics are among the best and most comprehensive STD/HIV clinics in the world, and they have expertise for non-sexually transmitted GU problems as well.  Take advantage of that and visit your nearest GUM clinic for expert care for all the issues you have raised.

[shsm]

i am 24 and have had this burning problem before, my doc reffered me to urologist whom did blood work (kidney/liver function, a kub ultrasound, urine flow rate, x-rays and ct-scan. all was normal. i have also had various urine tests with no bacteria found... my current symptoms could well possibly be related to the previous problems i had with burning/frequency

due to my anxious state after the massage incident i thought the worst (hiv/std)

with the adition of my last posts... (with knowing now that the massuse having her hands with the towel to dry her genitals after bath) change your my risk or your original post, i have also continued to have flu symptoms for 5 days, which started 3 days post exposure (lymph node pain in neck, cough, red spot on tongue, sore throat, neck ache, malise, sinus pain, head ache water problems as outlined above)

to be blunt doc, i respect you straight to the point attitude.

1, have i got HIV from what happened at the parlour?
2, with my exposure, would a 4 week hiv test be definative?

i respect your time is needed with other posts and will not be talink up any more of your time.

Regards

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

What exactly in my previous replies was not "straight to the point"?  I said without qualification that my opinion is that you could not have caught HIV from the events you described above, that your symptoms do not suggest a new HIV infection, and that you do not need HIV testing to prove it.  The additional information dodesn't change anything. Re-read my advice about visiting a GUM clinic.

That has to end this thread.  I won't have any further comments.

[shsm]

thank you doc, i apologise if i have been runing over things.

like you said yourself, if a human is in an anxious state that they tend to over analize things, especially if there is feelings of guilt and cultural or religious beliefs involved aswel

anyways doc i wont be continuing this thread. enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for your comments

regards

[shsm]

hi doc,

i have had a hiv dna test at 10 days post exposure, clear std screen at 7 days post exposure. the hiv/std tests came back negative. how accurate are the hiv dna tests? is it right that they only check for hiv type 1?

i have remained concerned as i have had a flu like illness and as mentioned in this site on numerous amount of occasions that symptoms dont mean anything but its difficult for me to completly forget about hiv. i had what was similar to a flu like illness, (swollen tonsils, coughing, sinus pain, sores on tongue) these have cleared up... well sort of but now i seem to be left with body aches, pain in neck, under arm pits and groin, these area also feels lumpy. if these symptoms were hiv related would the hiv dna test of picked this up?

im really confused and am contemplating having an antibody and p24 test at the 4 week mark. giving my low risk exposure could i count the results i get at 4weeks as definative?

[joggen]

You didn't need testing in the first place. People don't get infected by the exposures you describe. If you didn't have penetrative sex then you shouldn't even be thinking about HIV. HIV does not survive outside its host. It is a sexually transmitted disease that is very inefficiently transmitted. You need to get the idea out of your head that casual contact can somehow transmit it like the common cold.

Your best course of action is to realize that you never has a risk in the first place and stop wasting your time, energy, and resources on this.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You may not keep returning with every anxiety-provoked little "yes but" or "what if" question that comes to mind.  joggen is correct.  Re-read my initial reply.  Do not post anything more on this thread, or I will immediatley delete the entire thread without further comment. Please do not start a new thread either; it also would be deleted without response and you'll be out $15.00.