Worried about high risk exposure.

[jjj777]

Hi All,
I am a heterosexual male. I had an exposure that involved what began as protected but turned into unprotected vaginal sex with 3 female strippers. Approximately 6 days post exposure I came down with a mild sinus infection and mild headache. Also, I was running about 99.3 degree temperature in the afternoons. On the 14th day post exposure I woke up and noticed a pinkish/red rash on the top of my right chest area near my shoulder. The rash was almost gone the following morning. Also, beginning at day 14 my sinus and headache were essentially gone. Up until the rash I was concerned but after the rash I was in panic mode because I do not get rashes. I would also like to note I never had a sore throat nor was I tired or lethargic. I decided to call an online provider of hiv testing and I had an antibody test performed at LabCorp 18 days post exposure. I received a non-reactive result a couple of days later.

I am aware that an 18 day post exposure test is in no way conclusive and I will need to test again at 6 and 12 weeks. My question is this.......If my "symptoms" were truly due to acute hiv infection beginning on day 6 post exposure, would it be likely my body would have produced some antibodies by day 18? Especially since day 14 was the conclusion of symptoms and culminated with a rash? Thank you all in advance for your advice as it is very much appreciated.

[Andy Velez]

Nothing you have reported symptomatically is in anyway HIV specific. And anything less than 100 degrees is not considered a fever. As the insertive partner with the women you were at less risk than they were (if you were HIV+). HIV is much harder to transmit from women to men than the other way around.

If you had already seroconverted, which I don't think happened, you would likely have tested positive. A negative at 6 weeks will be a strong indication that you are likely to continue to test negative.

In the future avoid this problem by always using a condom everytime for vaginal or anal intercourse. No exceptions.

Good luck with your tests. Odds are you are going to come out of this ok.

[jjj777]

Thanks so much Andy for your reply. I had a few too many gin and tonics that afternoon which resulted in my poor decision making. I should never have continued once I was condomless. I know now more than ever that alcohol and sex are a dangerous combination.

[Andy Velez]

You have it right about that very dangerous combo of casual sex and excessive drinking. Too many I have known became infected that way.

By the way, in general symptoms are never a reliable way to know your HIV status. Only a test taken at the right time will give you that answer when there has been a real risk.

[jjj777]

Thanks again Andy! After my "symptoms" I had convinced myself the test was going to show reactive or at least intermediate. Admitted, my anxiety was subdued after I read "non-reactive" on the 18 day test but I know I will need to experience the fear of another test once again at 6 and 12 weeks to be conclusive.

[Andy Velez]

Everyone and I mean everyone gets somewhat tense when testing. It is just in the nature of the experience. Fortunately fears aren't facts and I do see the odds being in your favor that you will come out of this ok.

Meantime while waiting to test you need to make a real effort to focus on other matters in your life. Doing that will make the time pass more easily than you may imagine is possible.