[Question #13863] HIV Risk Help
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6 days ago
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I am super anxious , Monday I cut myself with scissors on the scrotum trimming the cut bled for maybe a minute, then Tuesday I had sex with a sex worker wore a condom swell and I tested it after and it wasn't leaking. I went to the ER after the encounter and was offered PEP if I wanted it , he gave me the 5 day starter kit and I took it the 5 days im on day 5 now, I do not want to continue taking PEP. But I dont know what to do the prescription is expensive and I feel like im going crazy taking it. Is this exposure safe enough to not worry about PEP. The cut was not actively bleeding or anything and after the encounter I went in the shower and put CeraVe wash on it which has slayylic acid and it didnt burn or anything. I Also asked the sex worker if she has HIV and she said no
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
6 days ago
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Welcome to our Forum. Thanks for your questions. I'll be glad to comment. If you had approached me requesting PEP I would have done my best to talk you out of PEP. The encounter you describe was essentially a no risk event- if there was surface contamination of your cut with your partner's genital secretions, that would NOT put you at risk for HIV. Further, condom protected vaginal sex is virtually no risk as long as the condom does not break (FYI, the "water test" is of no use- when condoms fail, they break wide open leaving no doubt that they failed). From our perspective there was no scientific reason for concern and really no reason for even testing. I see no need to continue the PEP.
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FYI, most commercial sex workers do not have HIV as well. You did well to ask your partner if she was infected and in such situations, most people tell the truth.
I hope this information is helpful. Please don't worry. EWH
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6 days ago
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Okay I will also state the cut was red looking after the shower and near the base of my penis on the scrotum it almost definetly would have came into contact with some fluid , it also healed fully around Thursday(~96 hours), the NP who gave me PEP told me it was my choice to take it or not, you think im fine to stop. Sorry I have terrible anxiety about everything. How can I cope?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
6 days ago
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TakingPEP is always a personal choice, however, as I have already said, comma, there is no scientific rationale for taking it related to the exposure that you describe. EWH.---
