[Question #9361] Possible Exposure To HIV
33 months ago
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So on 10/26/22 exactly 2 Weeks (14 Days) ago now I had sex as a heterosexual male with a female sex worker. I am very nervous this time. I used a condom as usual but I think it was not totally all the way to the base of my crotch. And when I took it off it seemed somewhat bunched together. ❗️She also did NOT smell that good down there when we did (not to be nasty but) the doggystyle position. I don’t know where the smell was coming from but it wasn’t that bad but wasn’t pleasant. I asked her after if she had any std’s and she said no I get medical. ❗️My penis felt a little weird the same day and next day. I have been very nervous and upset every single day since I did this. I don’t know if it’s paranoia and stress but I feel like I had symptoms on the 2nd to 5th day mainly. And to I believe to the 14th day (now). ❗️I felt not a fever but like hot flushing in my hands but mainly legs, some joint pain I believe and slight muscle aches. And when I ate it I felt a weird sensation. I go to a chiropractor for 8 years so feeling pain in my muscles can be normal sometimes but I don’t know I’m assuming it’s paranoia or some other std.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
33 months ago
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Welcome to the Forum and thanks for your questions. I'll be glad to comment.
The likelihood that you were exposed to HIV is low- most people, even most commercial sex workers do not have HIV, the risk from any single unprotected exposure to an untreated HIV infected partner is less than 1 infection in 1000 exposures (in other words, 99.9% of exposures to infected partners do not lead to infection) and you reduced your risk even further by suing a condom (a condom does not need to cover to the base of the penis to prevent HIV, the important thing is that the tip of the penis is covered and the condom is worn throughout the sex act). Further, the symptoms you describe do not suggest HIV. This was a virtually no risk encounter. I would not worry about it and would not feel the need to seek testing.
---I hope that this perspective is helpful. EWH
33 months ago
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Hello thank you for your response. This is my 4th time having sex with a sex worker over the course of 3 months. Every single time was protected. I am only paranoid this exact time because she did not smell good down there (don’t know where). I know that could be linked to potential std’s of course. And though I used a condom, I wasn’t sure if it was properly used this time. When I took it off it seemed somewhat bunched together I believe which means potential sliding I would assume. I even looked at my penis today and I thinkkk I have a very small cut on the very beginning of my foreskin just a little under my tip which is now making me potentially think. Not totally sure but I do remember being slightly irritated after sex. Hopefully it’s not one, but if so it was technically covered.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
33 months ago
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Thanks for the update. I think most of this information was present in your original post. As I said earlier, as long as the condom covered the head of the penis, you were protected. That the condom was "bunched" does not change this and is a common occurrence. Further the possible small cut does not change my assessment either. This was a virtually no risk event. EWH---