Risk assesment

[docop64]

Dear Drs,

In early March I visited a brothel / strip bar in Tokyo.  I got drunk and made a terrible mistake with a Russian female (decided after she was likely a prostitute).  I fingered her, performed cunnilingus and analingus unprotected.  I had a healing scrape / cut on my finger and her fluids contacted it.

I've been extremely anxious about my potential risk of HIV from this encounter.  I've had a number of the "symptoms" that are listed all over the Internet.  I've lost about 20lbs, but I've also not been eating very well and stressing like crazy.  I've never had a temperature higher than mid-99's and that is in the late afternoon when I think ones temps are usually higher.  Sometimes my face and upper back will feel "sunburned".

At 6 weeks I had Hiv 1/2 WB test that came back negative.  At 50 days I had DNA PCR test that also came back negative.  I'm still stressing over every little thing I feel or see on my body.

Can you ***** my risk of exposure?  Can stress and anxiety cause the physical things such as muscle aches, nausea sometimes, "sunburn feel", tingling in hands and feet sometimes?

Thank you for your advice.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to hear it.  Take care.  EWH

[docop64]

Thank you very much for your reply and for this forum.  You are right about the information on the Internet.  I plan to see a therapist regarding my guilt and anxieties over this act of stupidity on my part.

Best regards.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum. In preparing to answer your questions I looked at your earlier interactions with Teak and Lizzie Lou on the HIV Prevention Community site.  I agree with their assessments and advice.  Thus, what I am about to say is a repeat of their comments.

The activities you describe are no risk for HIV, even if your partner had HIV, which is unlikely.  HIV is not spread through masturbation of a partner (even if you had a cut on your finger) nor through oral sex of any way.  This statement is proven by you test results which, take together, absolutely prove that you did not get HIV form the activities you describe.

Your situation, like that of many of our clients represents a great example of the power of the internet not only to inform but also to mislead.  While there is much useful information available on the internet, much of it is also taken out of context or a bit unbalanced and some of it is just plain wrong.  This incorrect information, in turn, tends to feed anxiety, often causing or contributing to the kinds of symptoms you have mentioned.  

Bottom line, you do not have HIV.  It is time for you to move beyond the guilt and/or anxiety you are experiencing related to this exposure.  EWH