Author Topic: Just calm me. (Read 6861 times)

hillside · « **on:** June 30, 2008, 08:39:31 am »

I sincerely hope that I do not have HIV, but there is a side of me that is making me very anxious and nervous, just read my situation and give me your thoughts.

I am a regular Truvada taker because of the fact that I have hep B, I take 1 Truvada tablet a day regularly and have been doing so for the last year or so. I understand that some trials have shown Truvada to be effective against HIV prevention, but I know too little about the medication that I am taking to decide. Is Truvada a "biomedical condom" against HIV?

Recently, I had a sexual encounter with a sex worker in Europe. I did wear a condom during the vaginal intercourse but not during the oral session. This happened approximately 10 days ago and very shortly after the sexual encounter, I developed a swollen uvula. By short I mean within hours, the uvula does not itch/hurt but rather it is mildly infected and it is very annoying. I took 2 courses of antibiotics and plenty of herbal remedies but it is still not going away. Is that a symptom for HIV?

I know the chances of me getting HIV is astronomical as I was taking Truvada daily and also wore a condom, but there is the unjustified fear inside of me because of the swollen uvula. I been browsing through Google daily reading about seroconversion and HIV stages, for some reason, I am convinced that I have HIV without any evidence. I don't know where this unreasonable fear comes from but it is making me very uncomfortable and deeply confused. I probably know more about HIV than I should.

Please help, how can I calm myself down? And do I have a realistic chance of been infected?

Thanks

Tony.S.

RapidRod · « **Reply #1 on:** June 30, 2008, 09:03:27 am »

You didn't have a risk from oral test. There are no preventative medications for HIV. Don't think that by taking Truvada that it will prevent you from contracting HIV. The consistently and correct use of condoms will prevent you from contract HIV and that is the only prevention that is available at this time. Who gave you Truvada for HBV treatment to begin with?

hillside · « **Reply #2 on:** June 30, 2008, 09:23:16 am »

oh my doctor proscribed Truvada for me back in the states,

So far so good, My HBV is all but gone as a result of the medication.

Andy Velez · « **Reply #3 on:** June 30, 2008, 09:55:15 am »

Good to hear you're doing well with regard to HBV.

As far as any risk from getting oral, in the entire history of the epidemic there has not been a single confirmed case of transmission to the recepient. It's safe to say that trillions of blowjobs later, you are not going to make history by becoming the first.

Just as Rod said, use a condom everytime you have either vaginal or anal intercourse and you will be well and effectively protected.

Cheers,

hillside · « **Reply #4 on:** July 12, 2008, 02:59:28 am »

Dear All, thanks for the assurances. They were most helpful.

I recently did a full STD panel and it all came back negative, I am going to take a HIV test soon too also just for my paranoid side. It has been a couple years since I last took one.

Thanks

Tony.S.

Ann · « **Reply #5 on:** July 12, 2008, 06:24:51 am »

Tony,

As long as you have been using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse with ANYONE - not just sex workers - then you can fully expect your hiv test to return a negative result.

Getting a blowjob is not a risk, so no worries there.

As a sexually active adult, it's good you're having sexual health check-ups. You should be doing this at least once a year.

Ann

hillside · « **Reply #6 on:** July 25, 2008, 10:03:56 pm »

Just a random question, does the situation I described warrant testing at all in the first place?

I am currently not in the states and in a very undeveloped part of China, there is really no reliable HIV testing anywhere near where I live, so it will be a high monetary and time thing for me to get tested. I'd have to take the train for a couple hours and etc....

So since my last negative test, that was my only sexual encounter with anyone and I am not a IV drug user.

I also developed a chronic mild sore throat for about a month now and initially I worried that it might be an ARS symptom, but then I learned through research that ARS symptoms are accompanied by fever and a range of other things and a sore throat alone does not constitute anything. I have no other symptoms.

And lastly, if I decides to get the effort to get tested to appease my paranoida, when should I go for a testing? It is been almost 6 weeks since the incident, but I am a chronic truvada taker for almost 2 years, so does that delay the results at all?

RapidRod · « **Reply #7 on:** July 25, 2008, 10:18:46 pm »

You did not have a risk by oral sex and you don't need to test. Go back and reread all the replies you were given.

Andy Velez · « **Reply #8 on:** July 26, 2008, 09:11:47 am »

Tony, your anxiety seems to be preventing you from listening to what we are repeatedly telling you:

You were not at risk for HIV from getting a blowjob. Zero risk. Zilch. Nada. There is no need for testing. You are worrying needlessly. Got it? I hope so.

Testing would be a waste of resources and totally unnecessary. How much clearer can we be?

hillside · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2008, 05:39:18 am »

I tested positive for HIV 1 via a rapid whole blood test at a well known hospital in Northern China. Judging from my IP address, you will notice that I not lying about my location.

I left my summer job in the third tier city and traveled about 3 hours to Beijing and was tested as a well-known regional hospital. The test took 30 minutes, I am not sure how to deal with all this yet and who to tell and who to not to tell. I was told the rapid test had a 99% accuracy rate was and was imported the states, although I am not sure which one of the rapid tests it is. I only requested a rapid test, even though it was expensive, since I wasn't sure how long I'd have to wait for a standard test.

How did this happen?! I had no other vaginal or anal sexual encounters of any kind nor am I a drug user. Only a 5 minute long unprotected oral, could she had bleeding gums or sores in her mouth? I should not have cum in her mouth. My last HIV negative test was performed for immigration purposes and I got tested 3 different times due to an administrative error and was tested in the states via a standard test. ( where they draw your blood and you wait for un period of time)

What other confirmatory tests should I ask for? Should I trust the results for a rapid test at 6 weeks? And should I test again when I am back in the states Mid-August?

Although you can not tell from this post, I am extremely depressed, but I been deal with depression for a while now and I have medications that I can rely on.

RapidRod · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2008, 05:54:04 am »

Your test should have been confirmed before being told that you were positive. You didn't have a risk of contracting HIV so your test is undoubtedly a false positive.

Ann · « **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2008, 07:06:32 am »

Hill,

False positives happen and as long as you're accurately reporting what activities you've engaged in, that's undoubtedly what's happened here. A false positive.

As you'll be back in the States shortly, I'd recommend you wait to re-test there. Not because I have anything against China, but because of the language barrier. (yes, I'm assuming English is your native tongue)

If you test positive on an ELISA again, you will be re-tested with a Western Blot. If you want to know more about the tests, read our Welcome Thread and click on the link to the Testing Lesson.

You have not had a risk and you've most likely received a false positive result.

Ann

hillside · « **Reply #12 on:** July 31, 2008, 11:11:47 pm »

Anne and Rod,

What exactly is a false postive? I heard that before, but I thought it was so rare that it basically never happens.

Could this be happening to me? Am I that lucky?

Ann · « **Reply #13 on:** July 31, 2008, 11:52:10 pm »

Hill,

A false positive is just what it sounds like - a positive that isn't really positive.

There are some physical conditions that may cause this. Sometimes it is down to a faulty test or just plain human error.

It's not rare.

What IS rare is a false negative after the three month window period. VERY RARE.

Have you read the Testing Lesson like I asked you to?

Get reading.

Ann

hillside · « **Reply #14 on:** December 31, 2008, 03:06:32 pm »

Just want to give you guys an update,

I ended up testing NEG once I got back in the states, I tested approximately a week short of 3 months after my initial questionable exposure. Exposure was around 6/15 and I was tested early September. I think its safe to say that I do not have HIV. I did it via the HomeAccess next day test, btw, its amazingly convenient and great. It was very stressful time indeed.

So lessons learned,

1. Dont trust shoddy services from foreign hospitals. I was charged $$$ for a false result.

2. Its the guilt that convinced me and many others on this forum that they have HIV when they clearly don't

3. Use HomeAccess, it saves your a trip (and awkwardness) to the clinic and its amazingly fast and accurate.

Thank you all for helping me get through this time of difficulty and I really appreciate everything that you do on this forum. I also hope others can learn from my experience; you are positive for guilt but not HIV.

Andy Velez · « **Reply #15 on:** December 31, 2008, 03:15:03 pm »

Congrats on that happy result on which to end this old year and begin a new one. Celebrate in 2009 by always without exception using condoms when you have vaginal or anal intercourse. As long as you use them consistently, condoms really do the job, no matter the HIV status or profession of the person you are with.

Cheers.

Forums Index

Welcome

Welcome to Do I Have HIV?

Author Topic: Just calm me. (Read 6861 times)