POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: worryman99 on July 27, 2013, 08:36:27 pm
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Hi,
I sincere need your opinion about my potential HIV infection. I'm 32 and I had my first time with sex worker, with protected vaginal sex and no oral sex on early of May'13. After 2 weeks, I develop sore throat, depression, dry throat while sleeping, ulcer, muscle pain, back pain, sleepless night and burning throat for almost 3 months, it come and goes. Also, redness and burning on the scrotum and anus. With no fever, skin rashes, vomit, loss weight. Dr. tells me the sore throat could because bacterial infection then give me antibiotic and logenzes. For the scrotum infection could be because of fungal infection and prescribe over-counter fungal cream. Also, I do the blood test at 14 days after exposure to check on herpes 1/2, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV 1/2, hep B. All come back negative accept for herpes 1. Dr tell me the herpes 1 could be already have my body for long time and current infection not related to herpes 1. Ask to do another blood test again at 6 months time.
Scrotum infection is getting better after almost 3 months apply over counter cream. The sore throat never go off and feeling tight inside, not able help with the antibiotic. Dr. tell me could be acid reflux (GERD) causing your throat injured feeling tingling, burning and swollen. Now is already 3 months, my throat is getting slight better after taking medicine for acid reflux, but throat is tight and node swollen . 3 days ago, my groin node is feeling pain and swollen. Both node size about 1-2cm. I can feel groin node pain when walking. I feel armpit node is feeling uncomfortable today. Not sure psychology or real infection! Stress!
I'm thinking to go for HIV blood test, but Dr tell me to wait for 6 months to have conclusive result.
I really worry swollen node and with symptoms are early HIV infection Feeling depression and stress. Hope someone else can give opinion! :'(
Thanks.
Steve
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You never had an exposure. If you feel unwell see your doctor, your symptoms have nothing to do with HIV.
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I agree with Rod , there was no risk . If you continue to use condoms correctly and consistently for vaginal and anal sex you will remain HIV free , its that simple .
You symptoms are not specific to HIV so as Rod advised , go back to see your doc and get to the bottom of what's making you sick .
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Hi Jeff and rapid rod,
Thanks for your reply. I go doctor often since health problem happen. I will for sure check with doc again on the swollen node.
About node swollen happen these few days at neck and groin.
Can swollen node happen only after 3 months after infected?
Since this happen, always conscious on the body changes, always thinking on the bad side when body trigger something.
Steve
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Hi Steven , we don't discuss symptoms because they are not specific to HIV and to do so would be guessing . The bottom line is you didn't have a risk so if this incident is the only one you are concerned about then HIV isn't the cause .
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Hi Jeff,
Got it, we should not diagnose with the symptoms over internet!
I went to see doctor today regarding on the swollen nodes at various part.
He told me could be many reasons to cause the swollen and pain nodes other than HIV exposed.
Unlike to get HIV if practised protected sex which is similar what you guy told me exactly.
The swollen nodes is not as significant, he didn't precribe any medication for me. ask me for relax and think positively.
I feel better after listen advise from all of you, when my nodes pain really make my day bad and start thinking on the negative side.
Anyway, feel thankful for your advise. :)
Regards,
Steven
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Steven,
You need to know for future reference that the window period for hiv testing is THREE months for a conclusive negative result, not six as your uninformed doctor told you. The three month window period has been in place for years now. Maybe you could bring your doctor into the 21st century.
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 must be confirmed at the three month point, but is highly unlikely to change.
Lymph nodes will swell due to ANY kind of infection. That's what they're there for. Keep your hands off them - touching them all the time to see if they're swollen can actually make them swell, or if they're swollen due to some sort of infection, touching them all the time can KEEP them swollen even after the infection has been cleared. Hands off!
You have not had a risk for hiv infection. Keep working with your doctor to find out what, if anything, is actually wrong with you.
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 FOLLOWING PROTECTED INTERCOURSE, 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