Reassurance Please - be compassionate

[Worrywart333]

I have never done this before.  I am alone and scared.  I really don't have anyone else to get this reassurance from so I am hoping that you compassionate people will be able to set my mind at ease.  

My only possible exposure was unprotected oral sex with a male (I don't know his history - stupid I know)  We were in a relationship  - it was not casual.  But he is out of the picture now- I don't speak with him at all.  My last possible exposure to him was 6 months ago (25 weeks).  I tested negative at 24 weeks and 5 days.  If any of you knowledgeable people - could please reassure me that I can trust my negative result (EIA) at this approximate 6 month time frame - I would very much appreciate it.  I just really need to know - can I really put all this behind me and move on (ie. no need for any further testing)?  Some internet sites make you feel like you can never really be sure - even years down the road.  Not even the CDC representative would reassure me.  I know some of you are very knowledgeable and counsel people in this area - so I could use the reassurance/ compassion/ advice.  

I have had no other exposures at all since the above mentioned...please advise me.

Thanks

[aak001]

Congratulations and i wish the best in your life ;)

[Worrywart333]

Thank you for responding to my post.  You are the one I was most hoping would tell me that I could trust my (almost) 6 month negative test result and move on.  I just have great respect for you and your knowledge.  I know it sounds silly - but again - I just wanted "permission" from a knowledgeable person - that I could accept these results as conclusive.  I waited over 24  weeks to test - then got mixed information regrading whether 6 months was actually 24 weeks or 26 weeks.  I even called the CDC - and they would not reassure me that I had waited the requisite time and didn't need to retest.

This mixed information was the source of my anxiety - and I really didn't know where to turn to get the reassurance that I did not need to retest and could consider my nearly 25 week test as conclusive.  I appreciate your response.

Thanks Teak - you do great work here.

[Teak]

If you don't know anything about HIV don't be answering any questions on this forum. The poster did not have a risk of contracting HIV.                                                            

[HSci34]

No problem, but please, do not fight this anxiety alone.  It can be very debilitating and it is best if you get some help from a therapist or someone with experience in dealing with this.  You are going to be just fine, there is absolutely nothing to worry about.

[Worrywart333]

Thank you again.  You have no idea how much weight you both have taken off my shoulders.  Like I said, I have been suffering with this possible exposure anxiety in silence.  I just needed to hear from other people (educated people) that I was alright to accept this result (celebrate it) and move on.  You both have helped me to give myself the freedom to do so.  I really did just need to be reassured by others so that I could move on.  

I am grateful to you...thank you for your understanding

[snippets69]

HS said it all.

The risk didn't even warrant testing, but with the test you know certainly now that you don't have HIV.

[Worrywart333]

Thank you very much for your comments and reassurance.  I think I just needed to hear it from someone else.  

I guess I should also have said - I am a woman - this happened with a male...and there was no ejaculation...

I agree about the anxiety...I just needed to hear the reassurance from someone other than myself...

[HSci34]

Hi,

First, your exposure was unprotected oral sex.  I don't know if you are a male who has sex with men, or if you are a female in a heterosexual relationship, but regardless - the risk of contracting HIV from unprotected oral sex is very, very low.  The CDC estimates it to be at around 1 in 10 000 exposures to an HIV infected individual.  This is equivalent to giving oral sex once a day for 27 years, and still maybe not even becoming infected.  This estimate, also, is probably an overestimate as there have been no really good cases of HIV being transmitted orally.  This doesn't mean that it doesn't happen, but just that it's an extremely rare occurrence.

Now to the meat of the question.  There is absolutely, unequivocally, NO WAY you caught HIV from this.  Your test at 24 weeks is conclusive.  I actually did not even realize it was 24 weeks, I thought you had written 24 days, but seeing that it's been 24 weeks - yes, you may move on.  You can't have HIV, plain and simple.  At least not from the oral exposures you are freaking out about.

Now, in addition to that, if you are really still struggling and scared, then you probably need to get some help from a mental health counselor who can talk with you about your anxiety.  Truly, you have nothing to be worrying about.  Even if you had the riskiest possible exposure, your test at 24 weeks is the solid gold that is needed to show - NO, you do not have HIV.

Hope this helps, and I hope you heed my advice regarding counseling for anxiety.