Received a blowjob about 4 weeks ago and concerned about hiv

[Lotsofanxiety1983]

Hi there, hoping you can help ease my anxiety. I stupidly let a man I met on Grindr give me a blowjob. I was the insertive partner (he sucked me) and it lasted for maybe 1 minute or less. I did not reciprocate. I tracked him down a few days later and he stated that he was clean and had tests done a month ago. Still, i can’t help but worry.

10 days after this incident I noticed a small pea sized lump in my cheek above my jawline. Its been there for two weeks now. I can’t help but worry it’s related to HIV. I plan to get tested at 6 weeks but what are the chances of contractcing hiv from this encounter? Please help me

Thank you in advanced

[GuitarRox]

You don't need to test again.  Your doctor sounds like he is not very educated on HIV.  Oral sex is not a risk.  You took a needless test and his recommendation for you to take another is a worry about his level of HIV knowledge as a physician.  No risk, so no your result will not change.  (and you don't need a test.)

[Lotsofanxiety1983]

Thank you!

[MaginDC]

You can breathe easy.  

Here's the short answer on STI's for oral sex in general, and HIV in particular:  oral sex is generally pretty safe - not 100% safe for STI's, but safe enough that you don't really need to worry about it.  For a number of reasons, STI's just don't transmit easily that way.  Among STI's, the one you're most likely to acquire through oral sex is gonorrhea, but, unless you're showing symptoms (discharge, pain during urination) within a few days, you don't have much to worry about.  Other STI's (herpes, syphilis) can be transmitted by oral sex, but, unless you could see an obvious sore or lesion, you don't have much to worry about.  

As for HIV transmission, there is some risk to the receptive partner (the person giving the blow job) if the insertive partner (the person receiving the blowjob) were HIV positive (about 1 in 2500).  For the person receiving the blowjob, however, the odds are almost zero that you could have caught anything, even if the partner were HIV positive.  

So, long answer short, sleep easy.  You have no chance of catching HIV from this encounter.  

[Lotsofanxiety1983]

Thank you so much! As for the lump in my cheek, that’s most likely unrelated to any STIs?

[AnxiousNoMore]

You had no HIV risk and a test will be a waste of time.  Likely your symptoms are in your imagination from fear that you are dying - which you aren't. This is not a diagnostic forum and you can't have HIV, so if you are convinced the lump is real and a problem, see doc or your dentist because oral cancers move quickly.

HIV is instantly inactivated in air and also in saliva which means it is effectively dead so it can't infect from touching, external rubbing or oral activities. It doesn't matter if you and they were actively bleeding or had cuts at the time either because the HIV is effectively dead.  
Only adult risks are the following:
1. unprotected penetrating vaginal
2. unprotected penetrating anal sex
3. sharing needles that you inject with. Knowing these 3 are all you need to know to protect yourself against HIV. Your situation is a long way from any of these 3.
Even with blood, lactation, cuts, rashes, burns, etc the air or the saliva does not allow inactivated virus to infect from touching, external rubbing or oral activities. The above HIV science is 40 years old and very well established so there is no detail that you can add that will make any of your encounter a risk for HIV.  No one in 40 years of HIV history got HIV from the situation you are concerned about so it is unlikely that it will happen in the next 40 of your lifetime either.

[Lotsofanxiety1983]

Thank you for the reassurance. I have a booked an appointment with my doctor and dentist.

[Lotsofanxiety1983]

I have a follow up question. A few days ago I noticed a sudden small bald batch in my beard. This would have been about 4 weeks after I received that blowjob. Does this sound like it could be syphilis related? It is right near the bump on my jawline. I know hairloss can be a sign of secondary syphilis but would it shown up in just four weeks without any others symptoms minus the jaw lump? I am seeing a doctor in two days but need some input to try and stay sane. Thank you!

[Kirstie_MHModerator]

This forum is only for questions about HIV.  You can ask syphilis questions in our STDs forum: https://www.medhelp.org/forums/STDs---STIs/show/98

[Lotsofanxiety1983]

Thank you! Last question I promise. Although it was stated I dont need hiv testing from this encounter, I still plan on getting tested tomorrow at 5 weeks for my sanity. Are tests at 5 weeks considered conclusive?

[zell_lin]

If u plan to get tested at 5weeks its best you have the 4th generation test which include p24 antigen and antibody,that test usually are conclusive 28 days later after the exposure.

[Lotsofanxiety1983]

Hi there, one follow up question post results. I had tests done for everything including the 4th gen test at 5 weeks. Thankfully everything came back clean!  My doctor is recommending that I still get tested for hiv at 3 months just to be sure but I don’t need to test for anything else.

Should I be concerned or is my 5 week test a good indicator I’m in the clear and this 3 month test is more of a formality?