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Author Topic: Seroconversion symptoms? How soon?  (Read 15003 times)

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Offline w0lvie

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Seroconversion symptoms? How soon?
« on: February 11, 2013, 03:50:17 am »
Hello all,

A few days ago, I had casual sex with someone I met on Grindr. He performed anal sex on me with a condom and I also sucked the tip of the head of his cock. Both times, he did not ejaculate. Now, the day after, I was growing anxious about contracting HIV.

I went to my local GUM clinic today and had my bloods taken, of which, the results will be released after a week. I had talked to a health advisor as well and was informed that the risk of getting infected is very low. Nonetheless, he said I had to wait for about 3 months to be tested again to rule out everything. Still, I am feeling so worried and anxious about it that it's starting to affect work and home.

Afterwards, some symptoms started to appear:
One day after the casual sex: hemorrhoids
Second day: swollen gum on my left jaw
Third day: Feeling of a sense of tiredness but I was still able to manage to go to work
Fourth day: a pea-sized lymph node under my left jawline and a tiny whitish patch on the left lateral side of my tongue. Is the adenopathy usually localised or do they tend to be generalised in HIV?

What are the chances of getting HIV from oral sex and pre-cum? Do you know someone who got infected via oral sex? I didn't even notice if there was pre-cum or not as my saliva was all over. And I had thought I was virtually being safe. Keep in mind that I didn't even deep throat, just the head of the cock and no semen involved. Anal sex was with a condom and with no ejaculation/semen.

Hope I get a response as this situation is killing me.

Offline Ann

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Re: Seroconversion symptoms? How soon?
« Reply #1 on: February 11, 2013, 07:56:29 am »
w0lvie,

While there are people who claim to have been infected through giving blowjobs, there's never actually been a documented case (where it's been proven through genotype testing). Also, consider this - there's never been a case where a woman reported being infected this way, despite there being far more women world-wide who give head than men.

There have been three long-term studies of couples where one is positive and one is negative. In the couples who used condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, but no barrier for oral activities, not one of the negative partners became infected with hiv. Not one.

The symptoms that sometimes accompany hiv seroconversion are not due to the virus itself. They are due to the process the body goes through while producing antibodies, and this does not happen in the first week, let alone the first few days. It takes two to three weeks for them to appear.

If you feel unwell or are worried about things going on with your body, go see a doctor. Whatever is going on has nothing to do with hiv - you did not have a risk for hiv infection.


Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.

To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED TO TEST FOR HIV SPECIFICALLY OVER A BLOWJOB, anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.

Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

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"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline w0lvie

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Re: Seroconversion symptoms? How soon?
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2013, 08:55:06 am »
Many thanks for the reply Ann. I'm actually a gay man. I managed to track the guy I had sex with and he said he had a pin prick test the day after we met, and told me he was negative. I wanted to believe him but after all the symptoms I'm experiencing, I'm still a bit suspicious. Like right now, it's exactly a week, I'm experiencing a general sense of fatigue while I'm at work. I've already taken my temperature a couple of times but they're still within limits (36.5 to 36.7 Celsius). I'm drinking lots of water, some vitamin C and paracetamol for fear I'm going to get a sore throat and high fever soon. :(

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Seroconversion symptoms? How soon?
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2013, 09:26:02 am »
Your "symptoms" if they persist are something for you to discuss with your doctor. There is nothing HIV-specific about them. That's not surprising since nothing you have reported of your activities has put you at risk for HIV, as Ann has already told you in detail.

This is not an HIV situation. You are worrying needlessly.
Andy Velez

Offline w0lvie

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Re: Seroconversion symptoms? How soon?
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2013, 04:11:05 am »
Thanks for the reply, Andy. I am just majorly concerned since this was the first time that I've had these so-called symptoms after having a sexual encounter. All the rest have gone smoothly post-sex.

I did read in some posts in the forum that there are "rare" cases that early HIV symptoms would appear just days after the exposure and before the 2-4 weeks timeframe. So that is a cause for concern for me as well.

Anyway, my blood results have returned, that was taken 3 days after the sexual encounter, and were all negative. I also requested for a Point of Care HIV anitgen-antibody pin-prick test, exactly 7 days post exposure, and that was negative as well. Although, it's too early to rule out everything, I'm planning to have my next HIV test at 6 weeks.

Now, I'd like to ask...

1. Gathering from your experiences, what are the major signs and symptoms of a seroconversion illness?

2. Is a point of care test really reliable?



Offline Ann

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Re: Seroconversion symptoms? How soon?
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2013, 04:30:41 am »
W0lvie,

When I replied to you yesterday, I fully realised that you're a gay man. I mentioned about no women ever claiming to have been infected through giving a blowjob because it highlights the idea that some men just do not want to admit to having unprotected anal intercourse. Men's and women's mouths are the same so there's no difference in risk between them where oral is concerned.

1. Neither symptoms nor the lack of symptoms will ever tell you a single thing about your hiv status. ONLY testing at the appropriate time will. We do not discuss symptoms here as hiv seroconversion symptoms are vague and flu-like. 

2. Absolutely - when performed at the appropriate time. The tests you've done so far only tell you that you were hiv negative six weeks to three months before the tests were done.

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 only 22 days. A six week negative is highly unlikely to change, but must be confirmed at the three month point.

I do NOT expect you to test positive over this blowjob.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline w0lvie

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Re: Seroconversion symptoms? How soon?
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2013, 06:07:51 am »
Hi all, I know it's redundant to keep whining about symptoms since I have to test anyway but on the course of last week (roughly over 2 weeks after possible exposure), I have had a mild sore throat, a couple of night sweats, low grade fever, fatigue, runny nose and a seemingly dry tongue that makes me really thirsty although I don't look dehydrated at all.

I went to my GP and he said "you certainly have an upper respiratory tract infection" and was told to just ride it out and take paracetamol. I also went to a dentist too with regards to the white patch on the left side of my tongue and she asked me if I smoke to which I said, no... She then told me that it's probably from frequent tongue-tooth contact.

During that time, I again went to the sexual health clinic and had myself tested using Oraquick Hiv-1/Hiv-2 Antibody test via finger prick. I knew it would come out non-reactive as it was only about 2 weeks. But the reason I went there was because I wanted to talk to a health advisor. She told me the same things like waiting to test for the appropriate times and the like. I guess I just wanted to talk to someone and let what I'm feeling out. I haven't told anyone except a Hiv+ guy friend of mine who I used to date years ago. 3 months is just a waiting game and I am just not coping very well lately.   :-\
« Last Edit: February 26, 2013, 07:25:43 am by w0lvie »

Offline Ann

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Re: Seroconversion symptoms? How soon?
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2013, 06:16:23 am »
Wolvie,

A test at six weeks should be sufficient to put your mind at rest - particularly as you didn't really have a risk. Unless you have absolutely horrible oral health and this guy's viral load was off the charts, then you're worrying for no good reason.

It's cold and flu season and there are plenty of bugs going around. Upper respiratory tract infections are NOT a symptom of hiv infection.

Please re-read your entire thread.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

 


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