POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: rae1 on October 29, 2007, 11:21:46 pm
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First of all, thank you Rapidrod/Teak for all your insight on the other boards :) I just would like a second opinion.
I ended a relationship with my girlfriend of 1 year this past may (beginning of may to be exact) Shortly after I broke out in a rash all over my body later diagnosed as pityriasis rosea. If it were not for the pityriasis rosea lesions that happened on my penis I would've never freaked out to begin with. Anyhow, I also discovered that I had a sllight sinus infection and was hocking up some pretty nasty phlegm. I've researched that this rash is most of the time followed by a sinus infection or happens during a sinus infection. Granted I was completely stressed out during this whole debacle. I also developed a swollen node on the left side of my neck and had to have my adenoids removed at the beginning of September. They were biopsied and everything was OK. My liver enzymes also shot up a bit and I had a slightly enlarged liver at one time (I am slightly overweight and don't eat well). My doc diagnosed me with fatty liver
My risk factor in the relationship was the fact that she used to be with an injecting drug user (about a year before me) but never injected herself. I've known her most of my life and trusted her when she told me she had bloodwork done to make sure she was okay in regard to hep and hiv. Her ex-partner did indeed test positive for Hepatitis C when he was sentenced to jail (he isn't the greatest of people) but supposedly tested neg for HIV. My ex also was tested (full panel) at planned parenthood and came up negative after our break up. I still have doubts for some reason that she is lying to me.
Either way, I've been brutally over-tested out to about 6 months. I had a PCR close to day 40 as well. All came up negative. I still have this node on my left side but was able to lower the enzymes to normal levels. All ~10 doctors I've seen have not been concerned and said I should put it out of my mind. Based on my history/results, would you all say the same?
I truly appreciate all the help you provide to warry worts such as myself and I hope you all are doing well.
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Let's cut to the chase, shall we?
All ~10 doctors I've seen have not been concerned and said I should put it out of my mind. Based on my history/results, would you all say the same?
Yup, I'd agree with them and, given that you've been doing the rounds of the AIDS websites, certainly you should put your HIV fears out of your mind. Nothing you describe here represents a risk for HIV transmission.
I suggest that you do two things:
1. Take the time to read our Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) and follow the links to our Lessons to learn more about how HIV is and is not transmitted.
2. Contact a mental health professional to assist you in dealing with your unfounded fears of HIV infection and abandonment by your ex-girlfriend.
Best regards,
MtD
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Thanks for your insight matty, I really appreciate it. I forgot to leave out one tidbit which probably won't make a difference but I'll throw it out there anyway. I was on olux-e (high potency topical steroid) and elidel (pimecromilus) for about a week and a half total, intermittently. I used very little Elidel but did use quite a bit (overused) the Olux in a 4 day period I used almost a whole bottle.
Question is: could these drugs have suppressed my immune system to the point where it couldve affected testing?
Sorry if this question seems trivial :)
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rael,
Based on your history and your results, you are hiv negative. Period. End of story. None of the details you add change that. If you were hiv positive, you would have tested positive. You ARE hiv negative.
You might find it helpful to contact a therapist who can help learn to cope with your health-related anxiety. We cannot help you with that here.
You are hiv negative. Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you'll stay that way. Read through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use them with confidence.
Ann
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Thank you for your response Ann. I'm just a bit concerned as my adenoids were gigantic when they were taken out and everything I read says "HIV should be suspected" in adults with adenoid hypertrophy. I do have GERD, confirmed by my ENT.
My last test was a finger prick Oraquick test. Of course with my anxiety I'm thinking the nurse did it wrong because she came back and gave me the results so quickly (in under 10 minutes). :-\
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so original input still stands I'm guessing? ;D
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You would be guessing correctly.
MtD
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Thank you Matty and Ann, once again. You do all of us worry warts a great service. I hope you're both doing fantastic (even your cats Ann!). I'm definitely seeking help outside of the hiv issue. I think what is keeping me in is the fact that I have that swollen node on the left side of my neck. ENT said it was from adenoid inflammation and it would go down in a couple months (if I left it alone, which I don't). I also seem to be dreaming up that my spleen is enlarged even though x-rays found nothing nor did physical examination.
I hope I can move past this very soon, and both of your words are very comforting to me.
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Rae,
Flattery, whilst validating, really won't get you very far with us.
You're not listening to us. HIV infection is not the cause of whatever is making you ill. You need to work with your doctor to determine that cause.
It's good to hear that you're going to get some face to face counseling to address your unfounded fears of HIV infection. Please see that you do. We are not a counseling service and we cannot provide you with the support that you need. You will not be allowed to use these forums to wring your hands and obsess over these non-HIV issues.
MtD
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Thank you Ann and Matty :) I'll have no further questions. Take care
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for some reason i can't shake the issue -- I've had folliculitis pop up on my side and I've never seen it there before as well as on my chest. I have an ulcer on the top of my mouth, however this seems normal since it's after eating. I was tested out to 7 mos with a rapid UNIGOLD test and have had ~6 other tests including a DNA PCR, but for some reason I keep relating everything back to HIV, like I haven't converted or these tests have missed something....
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??? Rae,,
Just go for some counseling or to a therapist...The way you are talking sounds like you
can use some professional help..
If you didn't test positive..then why do you still worry... ???
Almost sounds like you want the damn disease..........
Just my opinion and we all know opinions are like assholes, we
all have one... ;)
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Hi Ubotts,
Thank you for your response -- I do realize I am being quite irrational and have taken some steps to try and stop. However, I think what got me worried again is the fact that the lady I am dating now came down with what seems to be a cold recently. Sneezing, slightly runny nose etc. Even the slightest sets me off I believe. Granted, I had watery eyes and have been sneezing on and off the past week and haven't felt 100%, so I could've easily given her a cold. I just need to find some way to convince myself I'm fine and that's what I'm struggling with :)
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rael,
People get colds and flu all the time and it has nothing to do with hiv.
You need to find a counselor or therapist who can teach you ways of coping with your anxious thoughts. We cannot help you with that here. If you don't know where to begin looking for a therapist, ask your regular doctor for a referral.
You ARE hiv negative and you cannot pass on with you do not have. You should be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse with your new girlfriend until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship with her and have tested TOGETHER for all sexually transmitted infections. You should be using condoms until you know her hiv status.
Ann
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Ann,
Thank you for your response. I'll have no further questions (permanently). Hope you are doing well :)
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since you probably knew id be back (again) already -- my girlfriend has developed a slight fever (100.4) at 10am, has a stuffy nose, sore throat and vomited this morning one time...
I've been reading about hepc / hiv coinfection. My liver enzymes have been slightly elevated for a while now and my doctor dxd me with fatty liver. Dont know if he couldve possibly missed it but I had 3 antibody tests done, all came back negative. The only time I had exposure to my ex's blood was during sex for less than 30 seconds when she was menstruating. I know that hep c isnt really transmitted this way but it could be, so it puts doubts in my mind. I also noticed that there have been cases where the window period was almost a year, so it is driving my anxiety.
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Hi Guys,
Could a liver condition such as fatty liver prolong the window period for me? I've been tested out to 7 mos with a rapid test. My ex-gf used to be with an IVDU who tested positive for Hep C.
I'm a bit perplexed...
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No.
Fatty liver disease does not prolong the window period.
The reason that your 7 month HIV antibody test is negative is because you don't have HIV.
MtD
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You're not perplexed. You're just not listening. You have more than sufficiently tested negative for HIV. Whatever somatic reactions you are having don't have anythiing to do with HIV. Period. End of story.
Your symptoms are something to discuss with your doctor.
Given the exchanges that have occured so far and the way you're hanging on to this fear which has no basis in HIV science, I'm persuaded you need to talk with a therapist or other like professional and get some support with the emotional aspects of your situation.
This is not an HIV situation. Really. Get yourself some proper help. We can't do that for you in this setting.
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I guess it's sort of like everything rolled into one is bothering me -- I was on corticosteroid cream for a short period of time -- overused the hell out of it and it wassuper high potency (for my pityriasis rosea rash). I also had my adenoids out in early September and developed the liver pain after I got off my antibiotics/corticosteroids. I believe I developed the liver condition from all the medication I was on over the 1-2 month period for a lingering sinus infection supposedly.
Anyhow, I somehow put these together thinking maybe they suppressed my immune system to the point where I'm not producing antibodies and I'lll end up one of the outliers after 6 months in some medical book somewhere.
I appreciate you guys brining me back to reality, I really do. I'm trying to find a good therapist (cognitive behavioral) here close to home.
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I'm trying to find a good therapist (cognitive behavioral) here close to home.
Keep trying, seriously.
MtD
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Matty,
I appreciate your concern. I just have a plethora of stuff that hasn't ever happened to me (or hasnt happened for a very long time), happen. So it scares me. I just broke out in a barber's rash all over my neck (itches like hell) and have big zits on my back. I also get these blood bumps from time to time on my sides that take a while to go away. They also look like folliculitis. Furthermore, my head has been itching recently. Granted, I wash my hair AFTER I use my benzoyl peroxide solution so there might be some mixture in there drying my scalp out with my shampoo. I don't know...
All I do know is that before I broke out in pityriasis rosea I had never had a big rash before (outside of chicken pox). It was even on my penis. I never really ran a high fever at all though, my adenoids were swollen, and had two pretty painful mouth ulcers develop on my bottom inside lip (couldnt bite there, so thats ruled out...) I also have a recurrent ulcer at the top of my mouth that pops up after eating sometimes. Liver enzymes have been elevated, although they went back down to normal yesterday. All of this stuff is pretty new in my life so it kind of makes me wonder...
I mean, could ALL this be stress/anxiety/OCD related? I have indeed been tested out to 7 mos but I'm still worrying due to the symptoms mainly.
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rae1, listen. You don't have HIV. You have tested negative way outside the conclusive time line. YOU ARE NEGATIVE. Staying on two different forums reading about everyone else's worries is not going to help you at all. If you cannot accept your negative result seek help from a mental health professional.
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rael,
If you've read our Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) like you're supposed to, you will have read the following:
Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.
Please consider yourself warned.
Whatever is going on with you has nothing to do with hiv. You ARE hiv negative. Stay that way by using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently.
Ann
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All,
By posting i know I risk a 28 day timeout, however im growing increasingly concerned with the skin conditions im having. I have 5-6 red bumps on my left side that have been there for some weeks/months. Granted, I constantly pick at them and sleep on my left side so that might be an issue. I've also had worse allergies than normal and had a sore throat last week for about a week total. I also got a staph infection on my neck about a month and a half ago that cleared up with antibiotics. I've now tested out to about 8 and a half months, mostly with rapid tests (Oraquick advance blood, unigold blood).
I'm extremely concerned that I am not producing detectable antibody levels at this time due to my use of corticosteroids about 7 months ago. I overused the stuff pretty heavily. Also, my lymph node in my neck is still swollen.
Like I said, i understand that my tests tell me otherwise, but why would i keep getting these skin infections and why would my nodes still be swollen? Can it really not be HIV? Should I have more specific testing such as CD4/CD8 counts, etc?
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rael,
You're right, I'm going to time you out to encourage you to go to your doctor to discuss your skin issues. We cannot diagnose you here, we can only tell you that your test results mean you are hiv negative. Conclusively so.
Do not attempt to create a new account to get around your time out because if you do, you will be permanently banned.
Ann