very very worried

[foolishguy]

Hi

You may remember me from April, I posted this topic on the old forum [link no longer available].

So I had a HIV and Hep B/C test at 2.5-3 months, and then 4.5 months after my potential exposure. Both negative. I ended up also getting tested for chlamydia, and it was also negative. I went to the clinic with the intention of having a full panel of tests, but they assured me that my HIV tests would have been absolutely beyond doubt. I have since moved on from that, but recently something have given me great cause for worry.

When I posted that topic previously, I was just starting a new relationship with a girl who I'm extremely fond of. We began having sex approximately five weeks ago, and while we used condoms to begin with, we have begun only using them on occasion. I have not told her about my potential exposure, as I didn't want to cause her any undue worries. The past few days she has developed some symptoms that are scaring me, not because I am worried about myself at all, but because of my deep concern for her. She has had swollen glands/stiff neck, stomach ache, a sore throat, headaches, and she said last night she had woken a number of times in a lather of sweat. She has not got any runny/blocked nose or cough. She saw a doctor who told her that she has a virus, and would just have to wait it out. I don't want to cause her to worry, as it might be something unrelated. It just sounds like the symptoms I've read about for ARS, and you can imagine how bad I am feeling right now

[Ann]

foolish,

You knew you were hiv negative going into this relationship, but did you ever test together with her before you stopped using condoms, or did you just assume she was also hiv negative at the start of your relationship?

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 STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection.

Ann

[foolishguy]

She had been tested for all STIs in her previous relationship, and had not had any sexual contact with anyone else between her previous relationship and this one. As I said above, I'm not at all worried about contracting anything from her. I'm much more worried about my test results having been wrong, and having passed it on to her.

I have had three recurrences of my HSV-1 in the past two months, and this was previously a 3-4 yearly occurence. I've taken Valtrex on two occasions in the past few weeks, and it has stopped the progress of the HSV, but after a week off the Valtrex the HSV returns. I had a full blood count last week, along with a urine test in an effort to find what's causing my immune system to fail to knock the HSV on the head, and apparently the only thing wrong with that was that there was a small amount of blood in my urine. The doctor said that my kidney and liver function were both normal. Would these be abnormal if I had HIV?

[Ann]

Foolish,

You are conclusively hiv negative and you cannot pass on what you don't have.

Herpes has nothing to do with hiv.

You are hiv negative. It's time to move on with your life.

Ann