Aa
please help me
I was in the emergency room for chest pains they connected an iv to me to draw and test my blood. A different nurse came past to remove the iv from me she opened two gauze pads and one alcohol pad. And laid it down on her medical table where she places blood samples as far as other needles and things on top of her cart / portable medical station. I noticed there were drops of wet blood on the top of the table where she had placed my gaze pad so I’m wondering.
If the gaze had got some of the blood on it and she didn’t notice and placed it on my arm when she removed my needle from my arm should I have to worry those stains didn’t look dry and when I got home I did notice that I did have two blood stains on the gaze so I’m thinking that one is not mine should I go back and try and get some prep or should I not worry about this. I know when blood dries its not harm full but what if its wet. I’m scared and don’t know what to do that’s why I came here to ask professional help.
If the gaze had got some of the blood on it and she didn’t notice and placed it on my arm when she removed my needle from my arm should I have to worry those stains didn’t look dry and when I got home I did notice that I did have two blood stains on the gaze so I’m thinking that one is not mine should I go back and try and get some prep or should I not worry about this. I know when blood dries its not harm full but what if its wet. I’m scared and don’t know what to do that’s why I came here to ask professional help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You're welcome. Take care.
thank you doctor,
I believe you but I suffer from OCD, which is why I asked, I freak out and can't control it sometimes.
I really appreciate your time and response in this matter.
Thank You Again.
I believe you but I suffer from OCD, which is why I asked, I freak out and can't control it sometimes.
I really appreciate your time and response in this matter.
Thank You Again.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The biological reasons why such transmission doesn't happen are complex. Among other things, lots of virus must have contact with susceptible cells for an HIV infeciton to be transmitted -- a lot more than is possible from an event like this.
Beyond that, I will have nothing more to say. The biological reasons are irrelevant: it should be enough to know that nobody in the world ever, anywhere, caught HIV from an event like the one you describe.
Do your best to move on without worry. You're not going to make world medical history by catching HIV from something like this!
Beyond that, I will have nothing more to say. The biological reasons are irrelevant: it should be enough to know that nobody in the world ever, anywhere, caught HIV from an event like the one you describe.
Do your best to move on without worry. You're not going to make world medical history by catching HIV from something like this!
I know the cdc says there has been no outer body exposures and I said that you cannot catch it if the blood dries. I also heard about that even if hiv is out of the body in a wet form its still not transmittable because of something having to do with the proteins, I cannot like I'm freaking bad that's why I paid instead of going to the free forms. I just needed to know why I could not get it an explanation to back up your answer just for my own person sanity.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
In the past 20 years, nobody has caught HIV from having routine health care, certainly not in the US or other industrialized countrires. The procedures the staff used in this case sound normal and would carry absolutely no risk of transmitting HIV or other blood borne infections. It is exceedingly unlikely that one of the blood stains on the gauze came from another patient. But even if it did, and even if that patient had HIV (which probably s/he did not), there would be no risk from this kind of contact.
So don't worry about it. You don't need testing for HIV or anything else, and if you have a regular partner, you can safely continue unprotected sex without worry of transmitting anything.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
In the past 20 years, nobody has caught HIV from having routine health care, certainly not in the US or other industrialized countrires. The procedures the staff used in this case sound normal and would carry absolutely no risk of transmitting HIV or other blood borne infections. It is exceedingly unlikely that one of the blood stains on the gauze came from another patient. But even if it did, and even if that patient had HIV (which probably s/he did not), there would be no risk from this kind of contact.
So don't worry about it. You don't need testing for HIV or anything else, and if you have a regular partner, you can safely continue unprotected sex without worry of transmitting anything.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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