Aa
needle question
i have a needle fear. and a few months ago i was in my doctors office he runs a private practice in a large us city. while waiting for him to come into the exam room i noticed a glass jar with sealed specimen collection tubes and small syringes with needles encased in plastic cases. i took one of the needles them and put it in my jacket pocket.
the syringe was in a plastic case with a screw top lid and red cover over the needle tip but i did not notice a seal i had to break in order to open it. i simply unscrewed the lid and pushed the red cap over the needle to release the device from the plastic case. i googled it and it is a monoject TB syringe with permanent needle attached
i wanted to demystify the needle. hold it, experiment with it and see what the tip would feel like against my skin so i would know if i ever was stuck with one in the environment.
about an hour later i got to my office and did fill it with water and shoot the water out, hold it and just again try to face my fear of needles. i put it away afterwards.
two days later, i pullled it out again to try again. i had it sitting in a glass of water and i left my office to run downstairs for five minutes. my office door was open. i work on a floor in a major building with lots of individual offices.
at one point after i got back from five minutes i had it half filled with water by pulling the plunger and holding it in my hand. i put the tip of my finger on the needle to see if i could force the plunger by pressing on the needle and i pricked the tip of my finger. when pressing my finger a small tiny drop of blood came out.
i am now concerned someone came into my office and used it. if that happened overnight — maintenance folks — air would have killed any blood on the top. but what about during the five minutes i was out and it was in the glass of water?
the next day i could see a very small black mark where the tip of the needle broke the skin? also since it was in the glass of water would that have kept blood in the tip infectious if someone had minutes earlier entered my office and used it?
thank you
the syringe was in a plastic case with a screw top lid and red cover over the needle tip but i did not notice a seal i had to break in order to open it. i simply unscrewed the lid and pushed the red cap over the needle to release the device from the plastic case. i googled it and it is a monoject TB syringe with permanent needle attached
i wanted to demystify the needle. hold it, experiment with it and see what the tip would feel like against my skin so i would know if i ever was stuck with one in the environment.
about an hour later i got to my office and did fill it with water and shoot the water out, hold it and just again try to face my fear of needles. i put it away afterwards.
two days later, i pullled it out again to try again. i had it sitting in a glass of water and i left my office to run downstairs for five minutes. my office door was open. i work on a floor in a major building with lots of individual offices.
at one point after i got back from five minutes i had it half filled with water by pulling the plunger and holding it in my hand. i put the tip of my finger on the needle to see if i could force the plunger by pressing on the needle and i pricked the tip of my finger. when pressing my finger a small tiny drop of blood came out.
i am now concerned someone came into my office and used it. if that happened overnight — maintenance folks — air would have killed any blood on the top. but what about during the five minutes i was out and it was in the glass of water?
the next day i could see a very small black mark where the tip of the needle broke the skin? also since it was in the glass of water would that have kept blood in the tip infectious if someone had minutes earlier entered my office and used it?
thank you
COMMUNITY LEADER
The only risks for HIV in adults are:
1) Having unprotected (no condom) penetrative anal or vaginal sex, OR
2) Sharing IV drug equipment with other IV drug users.
IV stands for "intravenous," and there was no injection into your vein.
The rest of your post just describes irrational fears and paranoia, and your life could be better if you seek professional counseling. It's not normal to have thoughts that someone came in and used a needle for NO REASON.
1) Having unprotected (no condom) penetrative anal or vaginal sex, OR
2) Sharing IV drug equipment with other IV drug users.
IV stands for "intravenous," and there was no injection into your vein.
The rest of your post just describes irrational fears and paranoia, and your life could be better if you seek professional counseling. It's not normal to have thoughts that someone came in and used a needle for NO REASON.
2 Comments
thank you. i think that makes sense. i guess i’m wondering if the water in the cup could have kept hiv infectious. does exposure to water kill hiv in blood the same way air does?
i think i’ve read doctor hook says it does but now i can’t find that statement.
again thanks for the expertise
i think i’ve read doctor hook says it does but now i can’t find that statement.
again thanks for the expertise
I've already outlined the only risks for HIV transmission.
The thoughts of someone coming in to "borrow" a needle are completely irrational, so I'm not going to address this imagined event further.
The thoughts of someone coming in to "borrow" a needle are completely irrational, so I'm not going to address this imagined event further.
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