Needs helpful advice

[Needspeaceomind]

Hello I am a 21 year old living in las Vegas. At 19 I dated a girl(19) for about a month we were exclusive and as far as I(and she) new she did not have any STD's and she was my first sexual partner. The only thing is I don't know if she had ever been tested... Anyways we were dumb and for about two and a half weeks we did engage in unprotected sex. Now two years latter I have an acne break out on my stomach and at the tip of my pubes and I freak out thinking what if she had HIV! For a month now I have been scared to death that I received HIV from the girl I lost my virginity to at 19.... The worst part is I am a 3 year psychology major that knows I am thinking irrationaly, plus the fact I know she is alive and well.... Someone told me HIV in my age group is very low and I know that vaginal intercourse is not high risk, I just hope I am being OCD and do not have HIV. Just looking for some peace of mind.

[Needspeaceomind]

Negative!!! Ty Dr.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

As I said, from an objective standpoint, you do not need to be tested.  But my guess is you're going to continue to worry about it unless and until you have had a negative HIV test.  But you're the decider, not me.  I won't have anything more to say about it.

[Needspeaceomind]

I keep thinking I should go get tested.... But I feel I should not give into my anxiety. Some statistics in las Vegas 3500 total HIV, of that only 86 heterosexual men, and on top of that in my age group at the time (13-19) only 78 people. So with that I guess maybe 5-10 if any heterosexual men my age caught it in Vegas probably in higher risk situations than mine.... Should I just shut up and get tested, or just shut up and save my $25 because I don't HIV?

[Needspeaceomind]

Thank you, I do believe it has and will help I have a personality were sometime I just need a "snap out of it"! I believe these fears arrived, because the relationship ended on a sour note and I somewhat fear this woman entering my life again. I am transferring to The U of Washington in the spring moving to Seattle and I think I just wanted to make sure all that happend in Vegas stayed here you could say. I do feel better already and if  you  believe the risk was so low a test is not worth my stress and money lol then I believe I can get through this and enjoy my moves in life.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Your self analysis and your friends both are correct.  "[I know] I am thinking irrationaly":  Agreed.  "Someone told me HIV in my age group is very low...."  Also correct.  In the US, well under 1 in 1,000 persons have HIV and most of those are obviously at high risk (gay men, injection drug users, etc).  At age 19 and without those risk factors, the chance your partner had HIV is virtually zero.  "I know that vaginal intercourse is not high risk."  Yup.  Estimated average once for every 1,000-2,000 unprotected events.

"I just hope I am being OCD..."  Probably -- although that's your diagnosis, not mine. "...and do not have HIV."  You do not.

As for your acne, I share at the wonderment (from the person who responded on the community forum) that you would link acne with HIV.  There is no relationship.

"Just looking for some peace of mind."  I hope this response has helped.  However, as a psych major you probably understand that anxiety disorders usually do not respond well to reasoned analysis or professional reassurance.  If my opinion helps you get over your concerns, that's great.  If not, just have an HIV test.  There is no chance it will be positive, but perhaps it will help get you past these pretty much irrational fears.  And if you find yourself brooding over this even after a negative test, perhaps you will recognize yourself that professional attention may be necessary.

Feel free to post your result if you get tested.  Other than that, I won't have any other comments or advice.

Regards--  HHH, MD