hi I have read your forums and would like yuor opinion - I am asking everyone... need help. risk factor - fingering with a cut..was not bleeding but skin was clearly broken..

symptoms... slight flu feeling.. not bad bad tingling and burning in feet and less in hands. now - this is the killer - a red spot in the white of my eye.. oh man I am losing it like everyone on here.

please advise - all symptoms are after 10-14 days...

what do you think? really admire your answers.. and will gladly dontate.

me again..

ohh so sorry I asked a question beofre - I dont know how it works here... I am going out of my mind here.. this red spot in my eye could be it... I am sick. I wont hassle this forum again do not owrry just wanted to see if you were there.... sorry I am behaving irrationally and am desperate. so sad. thank you for your time if you can spare it though.

Hello,

Dude, calm down! I suggest you take three big cleansing yoga breaths. Go ahead. We'll wait. There, doesn't that fell better? No? Well OK, but it was worth a try.

Your HIV risk is low. I have no way of evaluating exactly how significant your "clearly broken" skin was, but if it was not actively bleeding your risk is low at best, OK?

No one (this includes you, by the way) should freak out over "symptoms!" Symptoms are notoriously unreliable in predicting who is and is not HIV infected. Your particular symptoms are not worrisome for HIV ARS (acute retroviral syndrome). In particular your "red spot in the white of your eye!" If you're worried about that, see an ophthalmologist (eye doctor). This is not HIV related!

My advice:

1. Read the archives of this forum. Yes, all of them. If you're a speed reader it should take you at least three months.

2. If, after reading the entire forum, you feel you've placed yourself at risk for HIV, get a single rapid HIV test at the three-month mark. I'll wager the result will be negative.

Good luck.

Dr. Bob