POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: roger_m on September 21, 2009, 08:04:33 am
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Hi, I have been reading and reading about oral sex and the risks of transmission. I know many here think it is impossible or it is very rare. Recently, about 2 months ago, I had my first M2M oral experience. A random hook-up through the internet. I asked him about his stat. and he said he was neg and had been tested the month before. I engaged in oral sex for about 4 min. no ejaculate, but I am not sure about pre-cum.
Here's where the nightmare begins: 3 days after my throat gets sore and I have a veiny sore on my uvula. I get worried... 2 days later (5 days from exposure) I get a low grade fever. From then on I still have a sore throat - it's been 9 weeks.
I have had 2 neg. results; one at 3 weeks and one at 5 weeks and three days.
I have then also developed shotty lymph nodes on my neck.
My question goes to Mecch, mainly, because I have read his posts and they got me pretty scared. How exactly was your seroconvertion? How many days after the exposure did it start? Where did your mouth sore show up? And how long before your antibody test showed positive?
I am going for my 9 weeks test today... I will let you guys know. :(
Although I have a feeling I got unlucky.
ps: at the clinic they told me that I didn't even need testing - that's a bit irresponsible I find.
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This is a restricted forum Mecch does not post in this forum.
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oh... how do I get in touch with him?
and Rod, I know you think this is no risk at all, but anxiety is just killing me.
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Wasn't irresponsible in the least. You didn't have a risk and didn't need testing.
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Well... according to Mecch they told him he didn't need testing and he still seroconverted. How could I get a hold of him?
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Nostradamus, predicted the end of the world too, doesn't mean it's correct. You were never at risk in the situations you've provided.
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Ok. Fair enough. You go against all different offical sources though. Anyway, did my symptoms start too early? (5 days post exposure)
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Your symptoms have nothing to do with ARS. Had you had a risk your symptoms came to quick to be related to ARS.
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Niether the presence nor the absence of symptoms will ever tell you anything accurately about your HIV status. If there has been a risk only an HIV test at 13 weeks can give a conclusive result that you're negative.
Nothing you are reporting symptomatically is in anyway HIV specific.
As to "oral risk" which you are so fiixated on right now, there are a couple of things to point out. Your saliva has over a dozen elements and proteins which are very effective in preventing the transmission of viable HIV if it is present. Ongoing longterm studes of both gay and straight discordant couples who had lots of mutally unprotected oral and only protected vaginal/anal intercourse have resulted in not one sero-negative partner having become infected.
Given that this was your first m2m experience, I daresay that along with the excitement and other feelings, there is some anxiety as well which maybe reflected in this undue concern about transmission. I suggest you test at 13 weeks. Not because I expect anything other than another negative result, but because that maybe the only way at this point for you to accept your negative status.
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Thanks Andy,
The main problem here is the fact that my symptoms resemble what Mecch has stated when he was going through seroconvertion. I will let you guys know about my 9 weeks result today.
Cheers
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Roger,
If what you were experiencing with your sore throat had anything to do with seroconversion, you would have most likely tested positive - or indeterminate at the very least - when you tested at five and a half weeks. The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being 22 days.
You need to see a doctor about your throat and have it swabbed for other STIs. Oral gonorrhea is very common in people who give head. You need to find out what's going on. Whatever IS going on is very unlikely to have a single thing to do with hiv.
Ann
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Hi Ann,
I understand your comment and thank you for the response. I have been tested for STIs already and everything came back negative.
I have seen a doctor a couple of times now, and they don't seem to figure out what is going on here. :(
I know medicine is a hard field, but I wish I knew for sure.
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Roger,
I removed the post you left in the I Just Tested POZ forum. If you read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) before posting like you're supposed to, you will have read the following posting guideline:
With the exception of the “Am I Infected?” and “Off Topic” Forums, the AIDSmeds.com Forums are intended for people who have been diagnosed with HIV (or their loved ones/caregivers). If you are questioning or unaware of your HIV status, please refrain from posting messages or questions in the Forums intended for HIV-positive people.
Please do not post in any forum other than this one again. And please consider yourself warned. Thank you for your cooperation.
As I said previously, hiv is highly unlikely to be your problem as you would have tested postive or at least indeterminate at five and a half weeks. You didn't really have a risk to begin with.
Ann
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Hi Ann, I apologise for the post.
I tested with a rapid finger test at a clinic. I know there is an indetermined result if there's not enough blood for the test, but would it also show indetermined if I had some antibodies?
Cheers
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Roger,
Yes, if you had formed some antibodies, the test would have been positive or indeterminate. Think of indeterminate as being a weak positive.
Ann
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Hi Ann, thanks for the answer again. One thing that I cannot find anywhere is: The rapid finger test is equal to what generation of the Elisa test? I live in Canada if that makes any difference...
Cheers
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Roger,
It doesn't matter what generation the test is. The newer generations will be quicker to pick up infection, but even the older ones will usually pick it up by six weeks.
Let me remind you again that your risk was more theoretical than actual. I really do NOT expect your negative results to change.
Ann
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You will never believe what happened. I went to the test and the nurse wasn't there; she called in sick! :(((((
Now I have a test at the 12 weeks mark... that's another 3 weeks from now. :(
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Well that's a drag. But I will remind you that we fully expect you to test negative.
Get busy now with other things during the waiting time.
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Hi there, just want to let you guys know that I tested negative again at almost 11 weeks. I am happy with my results and decided to move on. The reason why I am posting here is because during these almost 11 weeks I was very scared and pretty much stopped enjoying my life. I read many posts and few people came back to let others know their negative results.
As you can read from my 1st post I had some weird symptoms starting from day 3. I just want to say to whoever is reading this post: Calm down if you are anxious about your testing or exposure. Please, get off the internet as you will only get worse and your mind WILL play tricks on your body. Be safe, get tested and move on!
Thank you for the kind responses from this website and I wish the best for all of you.
Cheers,
R.
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You're welcome. That's a happy result.
Now you need to get on with your life.
Cheers.
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Hi again,
sorry for coming back. I was tested negative once again at 13 weeks; however, all the tests that I took were only looking for HIV1. Now I am scared about HIV-2 as my encounter was with someone from Asia.
How concerned should I be?
Thank you
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HIV-2 is very rare outside of sub-Saharan Africa. Of course with your HIV jitters mindset you are no focusing on that possibility. But actually most tests currently in use will pick up on HIV-2 as well.
So how concerned should you be? Not at all. Will you believe that? I can only shrug my shoulders, tell you to let this go and get on with your life. You have no need for further testing.
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Thanks Andy,
The nurse said the test wouldn't pick up HIV-2 and handed me the test manual. If HIV-2 is that rare I shouldn't be concerned since I tested negative and my risk was so low to begin with.
You guys were of great help. I wish I could help other people in the same situation as me... :)
Cheers,
R
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The best thing you can do for yourself and the rest of the world is to make sure that you are always without exception wearing a condom when you have vaginal or anal intercourse.
Good luck to you.