Risk Assesment and Need for testing

[neomansmith]

I have posted this question in the regular forms but felt like i needed a doctors opinion. I have taken an appointment to get tested for HIV and now i am getting extremely nervous on the possible outcome. i was wondering if i can get your opinion on my risks. Here is a list:

October 2006 - protected oral and intercourse with a sex worker in germany
Feb 2007 - unprotected oral (receiving) at a massage parlor
March 2007 - unprotected oral (receiving/giving) with a man of unknown status
March 2007 - unprotected oral (receiving) from a man of unknown status
April 2007 - unprotected oral (receiving/giving) with a man of unknown status and also tried anal with a condom but there was intercourse due to the pain
June 2007 - protected oral and intercourse with a sex worker
March 2008 - protected oral and intercourse at massage parlor


Since my last encounter I have not been sick or experienced any symptoms that are typically mentioned on the forums. I am hoping that i will get a negative result.

[neomansmith]

Just got test at Planned parent hood and it came out to be negative. Thank you so much for the support.

[neomansmith]

Thank you for the reassurance. i hope you are right, and i can move on with my life.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I have read your earlier interactions on the HIV Prevention community site and agree with what has been said.  You do not know if your partners had HIV or not and, on a statistical basis they probably did not.  Furthermore, there is virtually no risk for HIV from condom protected sex.  As for oral sex, the quoted figure for HIV risk, if one has oral sex with an infected partner is less than 1 in 10,000 and, in my estimation that is too high. Some experts state there is no risk at all from oral sex.  Neither of us on this site have ever seen or reading the medical literature of a convincing instance in which HIV was passed by oral sex.  Thus, from a medical perspective there is no reason for you to be concerned about HIV.

Having said that, I also note that you plan to get tested. Good idea.  We recommend annual testing for STDs and HIV 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 get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly).   You qualify. In addition, as I detect a certain amount of anxiety in your questions, the results of testing will give you definitive evidence that you did not get HIV  from the exposures you  have described.

I hope this is helpful to you.  Take care.  EWH