Aa
I'm Sorry :/
Hey everyone,
I'm sorry for posting something regarding something I already asked about, but this is really important to me and is causing me a lot of anxiety. I will not persist with this once I get some opinions/advice. I recently posted about this:
I'm in nursing school and during clinical, a patient's IV was pulled out by a nurse tech and some of his blood got on my hand. I washed my hands with soap and water about 20-30 seconds after this. The patient's HIV status is unknown, but I do know he was a 67 year old man who was recovering from a CABG surgery (open heart surgery). I had a hangnail on my thumb, but it was not bleeding and I do not recall any cuts/sores on my hands.
I've been told that this wasn't a risky exposure and was fine with accepting that. However, now, 5 weeks after this happened, I am experiencing sore throat, slightly swollen lymph nodes in the neck, have had several bouts of diarrhea, and have had a severe headache for days now. It won't go away no matter what I do. I am now extremely concerned that this is ARS and that I have somehow contracted HIV from this patient! Does anyone have any advice for me? It is still too soon for me to be tested conclusively and I just do not know what to do! Is testing recommended by you all? I am so unbelievably worried now and I need advice desperately!
I'm sorry for posting something regarding something I already asked about, but this is really important to me and is causing me a lot of anxiety. I will not persist with this once I get some opinions/advice. I recently posted about this:
I'm in nursing school and during clinical, a patient's IV was pulled out by a nurse tech and some of his blood got on my hand. I washed my hands with soap and water about 20-30 seconds after this. The patient's HIV status is unknown, but I do know he was a 67 year old man who was recovering from a CABG surgery (open heart surgery). I had a hangnail on my thumb, but it was not bleeding and I do not recall any cuts/sores on my hands.
I've been told that this wasn't a risky exposure and was fine with accepting that. However, now, 5 weeks after this happened, I am experiencing sore throat, slightly swollen lymph nodes in the neck, have had several bouts of diarrhea, and have had a severe headache for days now. It won't go away no matter what I do. I am now extremely concerned that this is ARS and that I have somehow contracted HIV from this patient! Does anyone have any advice for me? It is still too soon for me to be tested conclusively and I just do not know what to do! Is testing recommended by you all? I am so unbelievably worried now and I need advice desperately!
Even if that were possible (very unlikely) cuts immediately start to heal from within and no amount of virus would have been able to penetrate. I am certain you would have noticed a recent cut especially after you had washed the area after.
you would have KNOWN if you had a cut on your hand. you are letting your anxiety control your thoughts.
kindly move on...you have been assessed as not being at risk for contracting hiv from what you have described.
kindly move on...you have been assessed as not being at risk for contracting hiv from what you have described.
I am worried that I possibly had a cut or open sore on my hand that I overlooked in the heat of everything. His blood could have gotten into it or into my hangnail.
so you tell me. what do you think your point of entry was? how is it that you think that his blood could have infected you?
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the HIV Prevention Community
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
