Q: I am 24 years, nearly one year and four months back I had oral sex with a prostitute. A month back I went for the HIV test and the report was non reactive. Since the day of the test I was too depressed about the syringe used to take samples and had a feeling that the syringe was not right. Now after fifteen days of the test, I suddenly seem to have lost weight of about 2 kgs in 13 days. Am I at risk or am I losing weight because of anxiety? One of my close friends has been diagnosed with tuberculosis, could weight loss be linked to that also? Please advise me - I am really depressed and don't seem to concentrate. I have got a whole life in front of me; what should I do?

A:Stop Worrying and Start Living! You have, as you yourself say, a whole life ahead of you. You put yourself at risk and you are lucky to have got away with it. Please take care not to expose yourself to risk again. Do not worry about the syringe. Most places use disposable syringes and the chances are that a reputable lab would not put you at risk. Even if you were infected, which I feel confident you are not, there is no way in which you could have lost 2 kg in 13 days except by a severe loss of appetite due to tension and anxiety about your status. As far as tuberculosis is concerned, it is very infectious and if you feel you have been exposed by close contact, get yourself examined by a competent physician. My best advice is to repeat -- Start Living.