To worry that I may have HIV

[worriedmummy11]

In January, I plucked my courage up and got the nose piercing I had been wanting for ages. I went to a local piercing salon with a good reputation, but I do have to admit that I didn't witness whether the piercing needle used was brand new.

For the last 3-4 weeks I have had a recurring problem with multiple mouth ulcers - that many that my mouth has been full of them and I've been struggling to eat and drink. I visited the GP a couple of weeks ago who suggested I was run down - 2 poorly children, fighting off the virus myself etc.

But the ulcers just haven't gone away. After reading on the NHS website that recurring ulcers can be a sign of an immune condition, I'm now really worried that I could have contracted HIV from the piercing. I'm even more worried because DD is still currently breastfed.

I am prone to health anxiety which is skewing my ability to look at this rationally - I can't work out whether I'm blowing this out of proportion or it's a legitimate worry?

The chances of you catching HIV from a piercing are slim to non these days. HIV is a big conclusion to jump to- you could be run down for a number or reasons or have a virus. Ask the GP for bloods and try not to think the worst

Get a sexual health test including HIV for your own peace of mind.
I would be stunned if you have HIV from a piercing but if you have health anxiety (I've had it) it's better to just find out then winding yourself up with worry.

Is it possible that the worrying about the ulcers / HIV is now contributing to the stress and run-down ness that is keeping them going?

I think catching HIV from a piercing is incredibly unlikely, especially from a salon. It’s not worth their livelihood to be unsanitary. It’s so easy to use clean needles it wouldn't make sense for them not to.
Ask the dr for a blood test, but sleep easy tonight as the chances are very slim x

I think that is the least likely explanation. Even if the salon had reused a needle, which is frankly unthinkable in a place that’s licenced, they would have had to have used it on a person with HIV (tiny minority of the population, very low chance) then used it on you when there was still blood on it. It’s practically impossible.

There will be another explanation. Speak to your GP and get some bloods done to try and work out why you are run down. More likely iron or vitamins. And express your anxiety over HIV just so they can give you a definitive no and put your mind at ease.

Try to relax - and try to stop googling

I think you can order an HIV test online for free? I’d do it for peace of mind

I agree that it would be extremely unlikely to contract HIV like this. Recurrent mouth ulcers can arise as result of a number of conditions & deficiencies. Definitely worth requesting bloods from your GP to rule anything out.

It's highly unlikely you have contracted HIV, but to set your mind at ease, you can order a free postal test.

Do you drink alot of coke/Pepsi?

They give me mouth ulcers

Ulcers can take longer to heal if you are dehydrated. How much are you drinking?

Get your B12 levels tested.

My husband had the same mouth issues and had a load of blood tests which revealed low folic acid. Once he started supplements it cleared up in days.

In many places, you can order a quick easy HIV test online. Agree this is highly unlikely you could contract it from a piercing, but you can easily put your mind at rest.

So unlikely. To add to what a previous poster said about it having to have been used on a person who had HIV, that person would also have to not know they had HIV and not be on effective treatment. People on HIV treatment with undetectable viral loads cannot pass HIV on.

The chances are slim to none that you’ve got HIV from a nose piercing. I would be amazed if a piercing place with a good reputation reused needles, I’d also be amazed if a piercing place with a bad reputation reused needles.

You can get mouth ulcers for loads of reasons. I used to get them when stressed. I also have health anxiety so I totally get your panic but… every time I’ve panicked about something it’s never ever been the case.

It’s very easy to say get tested when you don’t panic about this stuff because it almost doesn’t set your mind at rest but I think just to stop yourself worrying about this just do it. And then at least this seemingly HUGE thing won’t be looming.

I'd be incredibly, incredibly surprised if you'd contracted HIV from getting your nose pierced. The chances that the needle wasn't sterile are incredibly low anyway as I cannot imagine why they would be reusing needles if they are reputable and licensed, and added to this that if it wasn't sterile the previous person had HIV you've probably got more chance of winning the lottery than getting HIV this way.

Go to your GP and get your symptoms checked.

The salon would have to used a dirty needle very recently (HIV dies outside the body very quickly) which is vanishingly unlikely. The person they used it on would have to HIV which is also unlikely. Even if they did most people with HIV have it controlled with medication which means they are not contagious.
Even if all this aligned, it’s still unlikely you’d actually catch it. Mouth ulcers are far more likely to be a symptom of a virus or feeling run down.

Too soon to have low immunity from hiv/aids picked up weeks ago. Hopefully just coincidental ulcers

I agree that HIV would be the very last thing I'd consider with recurrent mouth ulcers. Especially using a piercing clinic in the UK.

Sexual health clinics can do a finger prick HIV blood test which takes about 10mins!

FAR more likely is a deficiency like anaemia, or just the stress of juggling 2 children and also BF'ing. I'd speak to your GP who will hopefully do some basic blood tests for thyroid, Hb/Vit B12 and Vit D.

You are massively, colossally blowing it out of proportion. This is your health anxiety talking, and that's what you need to address.

This is so, so, so unlikely. I used to have horrific health anxiety myself and was absolutely debilitated by it.

It is much more likely that you have a mineral/vitamin deficiency or something else. Do a test for your own piece of mind but this really is so unlikely.

The first thing Google always tells you is that you have either HIV or cancer, because these are the links that generate the most traffic and ad revenue.

I think you know YABU and just want us to reassure you and put your mind at rest. I have dozens of piercings and this honestly isn't even a thought that crosses my mind.

Go to a sexual health clinic to put your mind at rest but honestly don't worry about this. It's likely that you're just run down.

HIV is actually really quite rare in the UK. The chances of getting it from a piercing are vanishing small. It is also too early after infection for you to be experiencing HIV effects. So really, you dont have HIV.

Get a test for peace of mind.

Could you have caught hand, foot and mouth, I had that once and had a mouthful of painful ulcers for weeks.

If I'm really tired and fall asleep without brushing my teeth, I'm likely to get one. You have a few nights like that? It could have set it off and once you have one you might not be brushing as thoroughly in the area because your mouth hurts?

Not saying you don't have good oral hygiene or anything. We've all had a stressful week at work or a sick kid and forgotten to look after ourselves.

I could lay a bet that you do not have HIV from your nose piercings.