I'm worried

[bobo2005]

Dr. HHH

I have searched through your site and found a lot of helpful information and it did help me relax so thank you for being honest and knowledgeable about these issues.  Well the reason I’m searching around on here and finally asking a question is because my girlfriend is now getting life insurance policy which she needed a blood test and all.  It’s taking forever for them to respond back to tell her if she got the insurance or not.  She had it done about 2 and a half weeks ago and the following week I think the blood work came back and she looked it up on line and it said that all work is approved and the policy is waiting for approval.  Now I figured if something was wrong on that test they would have told her by now but again it’s making me go nuts that I hear stories that they may not tell you till weeks later.  So here is my story that is making me scared about this insurance stuff.  Back in the winter of 2002, I went to an Asian massage parlor being as dumb as I was I had sex with the girl.  It was protected but again when I was done I notice that there were some fluids at the bottom of the shaft right after the condom.  I know the condom did not break so I felt good about that and I also know that the Asian girl really seemed to know how to put it on because I had having trouble getting hard so she put the tip of the penis in the condom and made it hard with her mouth.  When I was done I notice that some of her fluids were below the condom.  As you always said, symptoms are not the reliable signs to look for with HIV, so that being said I have not notice anything, maybe had a cold every now and then and the same for my girlfriend.  But other than that we have both been very healthy and no signs of anything at all.  

So my questions are,
1.  Do you think life insurance policies take awhile because of the paper work and getting it written up or do you think they may have not even looked at the test done yet?  I know dumb question…don’t answer it if you feel its out of your area of knowledge.  

2.  I know I was safe but I wanted to know what are the odds of HIV getting into your body from contact with the lower part of the penis?

3.  Do you think my chances of catching HIV is pretty much zero because it will most likely happen through the tip of the penis if not cuts and sores on the shaft?

4.  As much as symptoms are not a useful way for knowing about HIV. I read about girls have abnormal pep smears when they go to the gynecologist ( I think I spelled that right).  Well mine has been pretty normal with that.  

Thanks again for all you have done.  I hope I’m good and safe.  And yes I know about your method of 1 in a 1000 chance to catch HIV…but that is unprotected right?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I would think insurance policies do any required lab tests as soon as they receive the specimens; it's more expensive to store specimens and test them later.  If she had HIV, it's a fair bet they would have told herr by now.  The odds you caught HIV during the events you describe indeed are "pretty much zero"; the 1 in 1000 risk for transmission by vaginal sex is for unrprotected sex.  Your partner's negative pap smears are useless in predicting HIV, however.

If you're worried, get tested.  But I see no cause at all for worry about HIV.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[ralphrepo]

Pardon me, but this sounds more like the questioner is feeling guilty about potentially infecting himself and then his girlfriend. For all intents and purposes, she could have been sleeping with the 6th Fleet, and had infected herself even before she met you.

The insurance people probably have the results of the test in their system, but like any beauracracy, is dragging with issuing the policy.

As for body fluids at the base of the penile shaft, I quite agree with the Doc that there is almost zero chance of HIV transmission. However other STDs can be transmitted in this way.

Ralph

[bobo2005]

Hi ya all,
I just wanted to know what you meant by that last note...do you mean the insurance people have the test results in their computers and would have told her by now if she had HIV??? or do you mean they have not seen them yet and have yet to look at them...I would kinda hope that they would have gotten a call from the blood testing people about HIV showing up...they will not issue a policy if HIV shows up i bet...SO i'm hoping you are telling me that they would know and have told her by now but as of anything they are taking awhile to issue the policy.
Thanks again, Adam

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I meant they would tell her within a day of learning her test was positive.  But this is only a nonprofessional guess based on common sense.  I have zero first hand knowledge of insurance companies' policies.

HHH, MD

[bobo2005]

Well i think everything is good...my girlfriend says they approved her policy...so thanks for all your help...It sure helped me to chill a little during the wait time...You give hope to people who need it...Never stop...it brings light when nothing else will...have a good one...thanks again Dr. HHH