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First HIV test in 5 years. Should I be worried?

I'm a 30 year old heterosexual, non IV drug using, male who last underwent an HIV test in March 2013 (it was non-reactive). Since that time, I have had 11 encounters with 'escorts' which involved protected vaginal sex. In most of these encounters, I was careful to check the condom myself to see if it was intact post the activity. In a few instances, I asked the escort who confirmed that it was fine.
While there were a couple of encounters where due to a loss of hardness, the condom probably shifted up half an inch from the base of my shaft, in all cases, my urethra was covered.
I'll be undergoing an HIV test soon, and have been worried sick recently about whether I put myself at risk through my actions (plus also feeling guilty about not getting tested in 5 years). I therefore, had a few questions based on some scenarios that I ran in my head.

Q1: For encounters where I didn't check the condom myself, if no condom break was seen or felt, can I be sure it was intact at the end of an activity? Or can there be tears in the condom that are big enough to let vaginal fluids in while not being noticeable.

Q2: For encounters where I did check the condom, I did so by performing a water test. Is there a risk that I could have exposed myself to the virus while performing these water tests?

Q3: 4 days prior to one of the occasions, I had cut myself on the penis shaft while trimming my pubic hair. While I'm confident that the cut had healed (or at least scabbed), this was one of those incidents where my due to a loss in hardness, the condom shifted up half an inch. In this case, the area of the cut was covered but the condom ring had moved up pretty close to it. Any risk from this particular incident?
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3191940 tn?1447268717
COMMUNITY LEADER
Let's cut to the conclusion first: You have absolutely nothing to worry about and your test will be negative.

1) When a condom fails in a manner sufficient to allow HIV transmission, there is no doubt that the condom has failed.  It will be noticeably ripped or blown-out and will be difficult to remove.

2) No, you can't be exposed to HIV from encountering fluids outside of the body.  HIV transmission only happens, sexually, INSIDE the body - when an unprotected penis is inside a vagina or anus.

3) No cause for concern.  As long as the head of your penis remained covered, you aren't at risk.  If you had a wound of the magnitude that would allow HIV transmission, there is zero chance you'd be having sex.

Relax about the test.  Collect your negative result and move on with confidence that you don't have HIV and never put yourself at risk.
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Thank you for your response. I appreciate users like you taking out the time to educate folks like us about HIV. I'd like to end this thread by asking one last question (that I should have included in my first post itself).

Q4: Is there a risk of contracting the virus from pubic hair at the base of the shaft? While the sex was protected, I'm concerned if the virus can get close to hair follicles that I might have scratched (thus causing them to possibly break?)
Absolutely zero risk.  Sexually, the only way to contract HIV is by having unprotected, penetrative anal or vaginal sex.  You can't get HIV from minor scratches or cuts, or through hair follicles.   No unprotected penetration = no risk.  Also, don't share intravenous drug needles, but you probably aren't doing that for a multitude of reasons.   If you don't do either of those, you'll never have to worry about HIV.
Thanks again for your response.
Hi CurfewX, I finally booked an appointment at a nearby STD clinic, and will be going there for testing in the next couple of days. I will admit, however, that I am really scared about the prospect of testing, and getting bad news. Over the past couple of days, I have been just doing research on Google, and had a question regarding a scenario I didn't think about. I have never been tested for Herpes. I never felt the need to get tested for it, because I never saw symptoms that mandated it. However, the more I think about it, the more it sounds like a stupid decision because Herpes is one of those STDs that can be asymptomatic. Plus having it doubles your chance for HIV.

I therefore had a question. In the off-chance i also have HSV, and that too at the base of the penis (where it usually starts in males), could I have put myself at risk of HIV? I'm talking about those encounters in which I mentioned my condom shifting. While I have never had sores/blisters in that area, I'm scared that an asymptomatic site could've been a risk for transmission.

Would appreciate your thoughts here.
No.  Just plain no.  Get your negative HIV test and forget about all of this.  Stop searching the internet for evidence that you got HIV from your protected encounters.
Hi CurfewX, I finally went for the test today. It'll at least be a couple of days before I get the results, so now begins the harrowing wait .
I'm sorry to bother you, but my mind has been replaying scenarios over and over again.
I'd therefore like to ask you this: Regarding my third question in the original post, I forgot to mention that I am an uncircumcised male, and the cut I acquired was through a scissors mishap when I was trimming my pubic hair. Would these facts alter your original advice?
NO.  There is NO information you could add that would make your encounters a risk for HIV.  None.
Thanks for your reply. I'll keep you posted on the result.
Everyone here except you knows you are negative and are wasting your time testing. You probably shouldn't even bother collecting your negative result, and instead should think about talking to your doctor to try to accept the science.
Thank you CurfewX and AnxiousNoMore. My test result for an HIV AG/AB 4th Gen test came back Negative. My last encounter (of the 11 I mentioned) was on the 11th of May, so approximately 10 weeks. Can I consider this as conclusive or do I need a follow up test?
Everyone here except you knows you are negative and are wasting your time testing.
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