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HIV Concern in Dormitory
Hi Doctors
You had reassured me the last time I posted a question, which was last December. I hope you can help me alleviate a recent concern, please. At first glance, it sounds ridiculous and you might not want to entertain but as with most anxious incidents, it is difficult to shake off these worries until you receive an expert opinion on this matter. It is also affecting my studies. Thank you for reading my message and I appreciate your advice.
I masturbate about once a week. Never had sex before. Yesterday, after I masturbated, I went to bathe to clean myself, and used my towel to wipe my penis. After finishing my bath, I went back into my room. Minutes later, I noticed some liquid on the tip of my penis (pee-hole). I read that this could be seminal liquid, and I know you cannot get HIV/STD if you masturbate on your own. But I panicked because I had already bathed and wiped everything thoroughly so how could there still be liquid on my penis? So I began to worry and thought about what could have happened. Before I went into the shower, someone else was there immediately before me. I hung my towel on a hook and then took a bath. So I am wondering whether my towel might have come in contact with some fresh seminal liquid left over on the hook through the previous person's clothes. Minutes after I bathed, I used the towel to wipe my penis. And by doing that, the seminal liquid was now on my pee-hole. So it got me worried because that liquid could have got into my pee-hole, and if HIV-infected, I could be at risk for HIV. All the info on the Internet about infectious liquids coming into contact with mucus membranes got me very worried as this incident could be like that.
1. Am I at risk for HIV? And so, is it recommended to have a HIV test?
2. Or am I just being paranoid that this could just be some post-ejaculation fluid?
3. What would you have done if you were in this situation? Would you worry or let it go?
---Concerned Student
You had reassured me the last time I posted a question, which was last December. I hope you can help me alleviate a recent concern, please. At first glance, it sounds ridiculous and you might not want to entertain but as with most anxious incidents, it is difficult to shake off these worries until you receive an expert opinion on this matter. It is also affecting my studies. Thank you for reading my message and I appreciate your advice.
I masturbate about once a week. Never had sex before. Yesterday, after I masturbated, I went to bathe to clean myself, and used my towel to wipe my penis. After finishing my bath, I went back into my room. Minutes later, I noticed some liquid on the tip of my penis (pee-hole). I read that this could be seminal liquid, and I know you cannot get HIV/STD if you masturbate on your own. But I panicked because I had already bathed and wiped everything thoroughly so how could there still be liquid on my penis? So I began to worry and thought about what could have happened. Before I went into the shower, someone else was there immediately before me. I hung my towel on a hook and then took a bath. So I am wondering whether my towel might have come in contact with some fresh seminal liquid left over on the hook through the previous person's clothes. Minutes after I bathed, I used the towel to wipe my penis. And by doing that, the seminal liquid was now on my pee-hole. So it got me worried because that liquid could have got into my pee-hole, and if HIV-infected, I could be at risk for HIV. All the info on the Internet about infectious liquids coming into contact with mucus membranes got me very worried as this incident could be like that.
1. Am I at risk for HIV? And so, is it recommended to have a HIV test?
2. Or am I just being paranoid that this could just be some post-ejaculation fluid?
3. What would you have done if you were in this situation? Would you worry or let it go?
---Concerned Student
Ok, thanks.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
As we discussed on the STD forum 6 months ago, the name STD tells the story. Not counting sharing of blood, HIV is not transmitted without sex, and that means sex with another person.
1) No risk, no need for testing.
2) "Paranoid" is your word, not mine -- but if the shoe fits, wear it. There is no realistic chance another person's genital secretions were on the towl.
3) What would I do? Run, not walk, to my mental health provider to try to get better control of the mental health problem that led me to ask such questions.
Get a grip. End of story, no follow-up comments or description. And no new questions like this or the one on the STD forum. If you do, it will be deleted without reply and without refund of your posting fee. Please seek the mental health care you obviously need; I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.
HHH, MD
1) No risk, no need for testing.
2) "Paranoid" is your word, not mine -- but if the shoe fits, wear it. There is no realistic chance another person's genital secretions were on the towl.
3) What would I do? Run, not walk, to my mental health provider to try to get better control of the mental health problem that led me to ask such questions.
Get a grip. End of story, no follow-up comments or description. And no new questions like this or the one on the STD forum. If you do, it will be deleted without reply and without refund of your posting fee. Please seek the mental health care you obviously need; I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.
HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the HIV - Prevention Forum
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Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
