Another HIV Concern

[panicked1]

Hi guys,

Had another scare yesterday and this one's really taking its toll on me

I had just applied for a job in town and afterwards I was talking to one of the other candidates. I had noticed he had lots and lots of sores on his hands, many looking quite bloody.

After the interview, him and I talked for a while and he'd told me how his girlfriend is currently in hospital after having been sexually abused. This started alarming me in itself.

As we made our separate ways, we shook hands. I have very very dry hands from overwashing and I have several cuts and breaks in my skin due to this.

I'm now panicking ridiculous amounts - could blood from his sores have gotten into any of the cuts in the back of my hands from this handshake? What is the chance I could have caught HIV? Am I in a situation where I should be taking PEP medication? Please help! :(

[Jonesle]

was he actually bleeding into your open wounds?!
unlikely, HIV just isnt transmitted that easily, i dont even think its 100% if you have intercourse with someone with HIV (i think - i had this fear last year - did a lot of research)
try to calm down, the odds are overwhelmingly stacked in your favour! x

[panicked1]

It's very possible that our wounds touched during our handshake and this is why I'm so scared :(

[Jonesle]

open, bleeding wounds? honestly, dont worry - i mean go to the hospital if your that worried, i think you know its highly unlikely, and i mean HIGHLY unlikely, verging on impossible, this guy doesnt even necessarily have HIV, you've condemned the poor bloke with it.
according to some sites i looked on (and im allowed - im not anxious about it) it had to be open wound on open wound WITH blood, was this the case? HONESTLY?

---------- Post added at 19:52 ---------- Previous post was at 19:51 ----------

ps, this was an uncommon form of transmission - normally sexual or sharing of needles

[Fishmanpa]

Let me try to put this in perspective. Hopefully it'll help.

A stranger shook hands with you. He would have to have open bleeding wounds (and I mean leaving blood on you). He would also have to be HIV positive. You would have to have open bleeding wounds as well. His open bleeding wounds and your open bleeding wounds would have to have come in contact long enough for blood to have mixed and entered your body.

Being that it's virtually impossible that happened and you didn't have sex with the man, I think you can rest easy.

Other than that?... go get tested if it'll quell your fear.

Positive thoughts

[panicked1]

Thanks guys. I know my wound was definitely open and had small amounts of blood coming from it but I'm unsure whether or not his were open.

HIV concerns are really getting me down recently. Jonesle you said you had this worry before - how did you go about overcoming it? It seems I cannot go a single day without being convinced something is giving me HIV