Nurse girl please help (HIV anxiety)

[AD1358]

Hello NurseGirl,

I have read your journals and this is the first time I am posting a question to you directly. In one of your replies in the following thread

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorder-OCD-/Had-a-cut-and-didnt-know/show/1750035

You said that

"1.)  There has to be viable infectious material...blood, semen, etc.  In order for that fluid to remain infectious and viable, it can NOT be exposed to the elements.  The moment it is exposed to the elements, that outer shell starts breaking down, rendering it useless.  The EXACT period of time the entire viral particle takes to become inactive is not important, as you seem to think..because again, it becomes damaged and the "dying" process of the virus begins immediately.  The virus does not have to be 100% "dead' for it not to be infectious.  THIS IS WHY TRANSMISSION HAS TO TAKE PLACE INSIDE THE BODY, NO EXCEPTIONS  2.)  There has to be ENOUGH infectious fluid to cause infection.  A drop, two drops, 20 drops of a fluid is not enough, even in a REAL risk situation, like unprotected sex.  3.)  There has to be a vulnerable tissue, or an entry point that will allow the virus access to the bloodstream, which HAS TO HAPPEN for transmission to occur."

I know that I am obsessing about an indicent that happened in the washroom of my office day before yesterday. As I was leaving the washroom I began to obsess that I might have seen something dark red/black on the door handle that was about the size of 3 dimes. I was in a hurry to get out of the washroom as I fear blood on door handles on washrooms for some reason. I was in the washroom for over a minute washing hands with no one else entering or leaving the washroom during that time. I know that my fears are irrational but I need your comments.

Your point 2 says that you need enough viable fluid for transmission and even 20 drops is not enough. Can you explain this point a bit more. I have a 1 year old son a great wife and a great job but am cursed with OCD. I feel like taking stress leave as I have been obsessing about HIV since Decmeber 2012 and its tyring me out. I have been seeing a psychatrist, taking medicenes but I get some relief and then I have another scenrio build up.

Thanks is Advance. God Bless You  

[AD1358]

So even if I had touched a bit of this hypothetical blood and rubbed my eyes and cleaned my nose or cleaned my ears their would be no risk .. right ?

[Vance2335]

I would suggest a little more more therapy or maybe a different medication.

Blood is not a risk, is what she is basically saying. You need to be cut wide open and getting blood poured into your wide open gash for a possible risk.

Posting in the HIV forum is for real risk assestment, not "what if". More questions/thoughts like this should be posted in the HIV anxiety forum.