paranoid girl about hiv

Dear Doc,

About a week ago I had sex with a friend. I always practice safe sex and make guys wear condoms. At first he didnt want to wear one, So I made him go get one. He had one on the whole time we had sex. I checked the condom and I saw alot of sperm was in it. I even tied a knot in the end and squeezed the condom and i didnt see any leaks. My question is, If there was alot of sperm in the condom, does that mean I am safe? Also, Can I get hiv from french kissing? I have 2 small blisters on the side of my mouth and they pop and then come back. I am just worried i am having a early hiv symptom. Or am I just being paranoid? The guy isnt circumsized, so that scared me even more because i hear its higher risk with a uncircumsized guy? I have been totally freaking out and thinking I need testing. Your help and advice will be very appreciated.I have been worried to death.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Please try to calm down.  You are doing exactly the right things to prevent getting HIV and other STDs.  Please keep insisting on condoms.

Condoms do prevent HIV transmission.  When used throughout sex, if they do not break they make the chance of getting HIV, if your partner has HIV (and most people do not) about a one in a million occurrence.  When condoms fail, they break wide open, they just don't leak a little so if a condom failed  you could tell by looking an do not need to test them in the way you describe.

HIV is not transmitted by kissing of any sort including french kissing.

Congratulations on doing the right thing to protect yourself from HIV and other STDs.  Keep it up and don't worry.  On the other hand, we do recommend periodic STD "screening (testing in the absence of symptoms) for anyone who has had multiple partners over a period of less than a year.  As a matter of personal protection, we recommend annual testing for anyone who has had two or more sex partners in the past year (we consider this to be health maintenance- we also recommend you have regular Pap smears and get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly).

Hope this helps.  EWH

[Butterflygurl85]

Thank you for your help. Sorry it took me so long to reply. I am still kinda paranoid and dont understand why. I think I will just get tested at 3 months and move on. I am pretty sure it will be negative.