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Author Topic: Am I over reacting as of now?  (Read 3553 times)

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Offline OhioGuyHere26

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Am I over reacting as of now?
« on: July 16, 2009, 10:08:15 am »
     I am 30y/o gay male that had both unprotected oral (mainly) and anal intercourse with a HIV +  man. (Our sex went back and forth between oral and anal)  Neither blood nor anal waste was present on my penis when I took it out within minutes before putting it back into his mouth 3 different times during our sex.  (So I thought a good way to keep clean)

     I wasn’t unaware of his + health status until today.  (He told me he was HIV - and that he wasn’t Poz friendly in the bedroom)  Now 8 days later I have two swollen/tender lymph nodes underneath my ears with no signs of any illness however I might have a slight fever.  (Now enlarged for 5 days) I am worried sick and my nerves are getting the best of me.   

     I’m scared to get tested, I don’t have any insurance, and I don’t have a support group to turn too regardless of the outcome, and I'm a broke full time student.  I could use some constructive feed back to help my anxiety.

Offline RapidRod

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Re: Am I over reacting as of now?
« Reply #1 on: July 16, 2009, 10:27:52 am »
Scared to test? You should have thought about that before you put yourself at risk not only for HIV but other STDS. The only way to know your status is by testing. You can obtain a conclusive negative test 3 months post exposure. Sex lasts only minutes, HIV lasts a life time. Use condoms correctly and consistently.

Offline Ann

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Re: Am I over reacting as of now?
« Reply #2 on: July 16, 2009, 11:10:06 am »
Ohio,

It's not the oral you need to worry about - it's the unprotected anal intercourse. You simply CANNOT go by what someone says about their hiv status. They might only THINK they're negative. Hiv negative people cannot serosort with any confidence.

The earliest you can test is at six weeks, as the vast majority of people who have been infected will seroconvert and test positive by then. A negative result at six weeks MUST be confirmed at three months.

You need to wise up and stop putting yourself at risk for hiv infection before you end up joining us in the "I Just Tested Poz" forum - because if you continue barebacking, that's exactly what's going to happen.

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 all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

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.

Hopefully you'll test negative - and if you do, I hope you start using condoms or eventually, you WILL get a positive result.

And don't bother coming back with this "I'm afraid to test" stuff. It won't fly here. You were man enough to go bareback, now be man enough to go get tested. Hiv won't go away just because you don't test.

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 OhioGuyHere26

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Re: Am I over reacting as of now?
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2009, 08:40:25 pm »
Follow up pertaining to my summer post as of July 2009.

     I sleep with a HIV + individual who denied his correct health status on or around July 8th 2009.  (Perhaps a few days sooner than that)  That following weekend I started to get two swollen lymph just under my ears that proceeded to become generalized swollen lymph nodes throughout the remaining months with no other signs of illness.

    Nonetheless I went to the doctor: she drew the basic blood labs such as CBC with Diff., Strep, Mono, etc.  They came back perfect in every way yet I still continued to have generalized swollen lymph nodes.  So I grew the balls and I got an Oral test done: this was done at least 24 days after my sexual encounter.  (Perhaps even more than 24 to 29 days, I’m trying to give facts here)  I waited my 40 min and cried like a baby and such and then I received a HIV negative result. 

    Over the next several months my generalized lymph nodes seem to dissipate and only reside in my cervical neck region, just below my ears and the back of head.  I received health insurance on October 25th and followed up with general blood test (HIV non specific) and I got the flu shot. That’s all it took, now I am experiencing generalized swollen lymph nodes once again. Those non specific blood test came back perfect, tested for Hep ABC on November 2nd and those test came back negative as well. 

     I am now in a monogamous relationship with another male whom tested HIV negative as well, we both shared our paper work with each other.

   Should I still be concern and worried about being HIV + from my past summer situation?

Offline Ann

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Re: Am I over reacting as of now?
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2009, 07:45:06 am »
Ohio,

You tested too early and your result is not conclusive. Only a negative result at three (or more) months is conclusive. You need to test again.

The earliest one should test after a risk is six weeks, as the vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by then. A negative result as six weeks must be confirmed at the three month point. Although you have a good chance of continuing to test negative, you MUST have that result confirmed.

And by the way, I see you've posted in the Research forum. You should not be posting in any other forum here aside from this forum and the Off Topic forum. Make sure you read and abide by our posting guidelines discussed in the Welcome Thread. Thank you for your cooperation.

Ann
« Last Edit: November 06, 2009, 07:46:56 am by 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 OhioGuyHere26

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Re: Am I over reacting as of now?
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2009, 01:28:11 pm »
Thank you for the response.  I plan to get tested once more this coming week, scared all over again and fearing the conclusion! I’d like to ask a serious question pertaining to health insurance.

     I live in the U.S.A., Ohio and I am on Medicaid insurance until I graduate from medical school and receive a job that offers health insurance. (I grad in Dec. of 09)  Should I get tested through my Medicaid doctor (if I tested + then the government would know both my status and name) or test through anonymously. 

    I don’t want to mess myself up when I graduate, take states boards, get a real job, and I’m offered medical insurance through a new place of employment.  (Assuming I test +)

    I’m confused, please help!

Offline Ann

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Re: Am I over reacting as of now?
« Reply #6 on: November 07, 2009, 01:58:06 pm »
Ohio,

From what I understand from your first post, you were the insertive partner for the anal intercourse, correct? You did not have receptive anal yourself?

If so, I really do not expect your negative result to change. However, the only way for you to know for certain is to get that confirmatory test. It's up to you whether you test anonymously or not.

Go test and get it over with.

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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