needle stitch

hey,

again i had a situation that really scares me. i went to a playground to play with my litle nephew and i think i got scratched by a drug needle that was lying around there. i saw the needle when we left and afterwards i had a little scratch that wasn't bleeding on my index finger. i'm not sure if it cme from the needle, because my hands were in the sand during playing and that is where teh needle was lying. at no time i felt any stitch but i'm not sure where the scratch comes froms. does anone have experience if i would have noticed if i had been injured by a needle or can this happen unnoticed? if i scratched myself and it wasn't blleding (just upper layer of the skin was scratched) how high is the risk?
thanks guys

[LIZZIE LOU]

hiv is not transmitted through scratches...PERIOD !

[goleos]

but it was a drug needle and the virus can survive within the needle. the only good thing is that i think it didn't penetrate through the skin but was only a scratch...
how high do you think is the risk ?

[LIZZIE LOU]

hiv is not transmitted through scratches...doesnt matter what kind of needle it was.

[goleos]

What if it also pricked a little into my skin???
Teak can you also comment on his please?


Thank

[Teak]

* Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusively negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to action by MedHelp. Conclusively negative results or a no-risk situation will be based upon the criteria established by MedHelp’s doctors. Action will be taken as follows:
    * After excessive posting, a warning will be issued by MedHelp
    * Continuing to post regarding the negative result / no risk situation will result in a 3 day suspension
    * Continuing to post upon your return will result in a permanent ban.

[goleos]

all i wanted to know was the risk if a needle stiched into my skin???

[goleos]

what i don't understand is why people working in a hospital do have a risk if they prcik themselves while a needle laying around somewhere should be of no risk? and dr. handsfield also writes in his replies that being stiched by a needle is a risk.
thanks for your reply

[RainLover71]

Because in a health care setting they are stuck instantly the majority of the time while the virus is still active and infectious,a syringe just laying around on the street or park has already become inactive and can,t infect you because the tip of the syringe has been exposed to air.The only risk might be Hep C because it can survive much longer outside its host.

[goleos]

but the problem is that its a hollow needle and the virus can survive very long within the needle. so is it still not different than cutting myself for example somewhere in the supermarket on a sharp piece where someone else shortly before cut himself?

[zamzam4]

Just to add to what getitright has said, It's actually very rare for a doctor/nurse etc.. in a healthcare setting to become infected through a needle stick. This is determined by the fact that within a hospital/doctor setting needle stick injuries are very common, but needle stick related hiv infections aren't, I believe it is something like 55 known HIV related needle stick infections in the 25 years of the epidemic (somebody else my wish to verify this figure)

When needle stick injuries happen in a medical setting, it is usually seconds after the needle has been in a patient and usually involves alot of blood not simply that on an needle tip. A needle you've come into contact with that has been lying around the park isn't going to be a risk because hiv does not remain viable outside the human body and it also needs to be injected DEEP into a vein.

The reason why HIV transmission via shared needles for drug users is much much more common is because when a person is injecting, they must find a vein. In order to make sure they've got a vein, they draw some blood into the syringe. This means traces of blood end up inside the syringe, to be pushed directly into the bloodstream and body of the next person who uses the syringe.  Drug users are impatient and want their hit immediately and so do not wait.  The key word here in both the healthcare setting and drug users is IMMEDIATE.

So you see, the scratch or prick that you think you encountered in the park simply will not transfer HIV to you.  There are many many years of scientific study which will back this up.  You seriously have nothing to worry about.  NOTHING.

[goleos]

but why does then dr hook say that it is a risk?

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/needle-stick/show/1338672

[goleos]

or here:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/Accidental-needle-injury/show/983619

[goleos]

ok. my last question:

its just contradicting to me why the both doctors say something different than the people are saying here

[RainLover71]

That poster you mentioned on the expert doctors forum was advised to test only for PEACE OF MIND,thats it.You never has a risk and you have been told now several times.

[goleos]

no, here he says that the risk is low but not zero and that such needle pricks aer worriesome:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/needle-stick/show/1338672

[goleos]

gettyright please help me.
here he says that the risk is low but not zero and that such needle pricks aer worriesome:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/needle-stick/show/1338672

[RainLover71]

Its up to you who you want to believe.We have advised you as best we could on this forum yet your having doubts.What more can we tell you.

[goleos]

fortunately no sympthoms yet...

[goleos]

hi
i was told hat a needle stick of a drug needle that i had two weeks ago is no risk. the needle was lying around on a playground for at least 30 min. everybody on the hiv forum told me low to no risk. i know the virus can survive in the syringe but this is not a matter in my case because i didn't inject the contenct of the syringe. also the outside of the top of needle which was stuck in my finger is no risk, but cant the virus survive inside the upper part of  the needle and cause infection in my case? thanks

[Teak]

* Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusively negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to action by MedHelp. Conclusively negative results or a no-risk situation will be based upon the criteria established by MedHelp’s doctors. Action will be taken as follows:
    * After excessive posting, a warning will be issued by MedHelp
    * Continuing to post regarding the negative result / no risk situation will result in a 3 day suspension
    * Continuing to post upon your return will result in a permanent ban.

[LIZZIE LOU]

go back and re-read your original post above and then read the one you just posted.   you have gone from a needle being on the playground, you having a scratch but not feeling a stick...to a needle stick of a drug needle.

you are letting your anxiety get the best of you.

you had a SCRATCH...you had NO RISK

now move along...we arent going to keep repeating ourselves to feed your anxiety.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

[goleos]

no i had a prick that also scratched with a drug needle. thats what i said also in the first post above. my only concern is the blood inside the upper part of the needle. without this, all this would be like a normal cut or prick somewhere on a sharp part in the environment and i woldn't worry about it.
please

[LIZZIE LOU]

i went to a playground to play with my litle nephew and i think i got scratched by a drug needle that was lying around there. i saw the needle when we left and afterwards i had a little scratch that wasn't bleeding on my index finger. i'm not sure if it cme from the needle, because my hands were in the sand during playing and that is where teh needle was lying. at no time i felt any stitch but i'm not sure where the scratch comes froms.

SCRATCH MENTIONED 3 TIMES ! ! !

[goleos]

ok. what i meant was pricked and then the needle scratched. i'm so woried about the blood in the top of the needle.

[LIZZIE LOU]

you have been assessed repeatedly as not having a risk.   what you do with this information is totally up to you.

there is really nothing more that we can tell you - other than repeating ourselves...and that is getting old !

kindly move along

[RainLover71]

Go straight to the OCD community and don,t look back.This a classic case of OCD not HIV.

[goleos]

yes i will go there. but what i don't understand is why you guys don't reply to my question regarding the blood inside the upper part of the needle that could have entered my bloodstream. probably because you forgot that and it is a risk...

[LIZZIE LOU]

we have read EVERY word you've written ! ! !

now move along

[goleos]

why dont you simply answer if the blood inside the needle is a risk. iand if yes why and if not then why not??? than i go to hiv fears forum

[Emily_MHModerator]

This thread is closed.  A scratch from a needle is no risk, whether or not there was blood in the upper part of the needle.  (If it was in the upper part, it wouldn't be on your skin, which touched the bottom part, correct?)

Emily

******************************  CLOSED THREAD  *******************************
                                 NO MORE POSTS, PLEASE

[Emily_MHModerator]

Please note that this thread is closed.  Please do not post to it again.

Emily