POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: extremely_worried on May 02, 2013, 07:54:20 pm
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Hello,
I've been extremely worried over my strange symptoms which exactly resemble the ARS. Also they started about 3 weeks after the incident.
At the end of March I had this dreadful encounter with an escort girl. We had a long bout of 69 (very intense cunnilingus) and also I fingered her (very deeply) and for a long time. Sorry about these details, but I think they're important. I didn't notice that I had a fresh cut (quite a big one) on one of the fingers I was using. The intercourse was protected though.
After about 2 weeks I had two big cold sores (herpes - under my lip and on my chin). I don't normally have them. Then I started to feel that my lymph nodes (under my jaw and neck) are swollen and painful. On the third week I suddenly had a very high fever and chills together with extremely bad gingivitis (painful and inflamed gums). Generally felt very unwell. This lasted for about 5 days (I also took some antibiotics given by doctor).
Could you please assess my situation? Given that the symptoms are so obvious I'm almost convinced that I got HIV from her, as there's no other explanation from doctors. Now I'm driving myself crazy, have sleepless nights and can't focus on anything else. Scared to death to get tested, as I'm so convinced in the result.
The symptoms are so obvious and specific, that I start to loose my mind.
What is your opinion about the symptoms? How would you assess them?
Yours,
Extremely Worried
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Hi Worried , your symptoms are anything but obvious and are not specific to HIV , so you can stop worrying that every little thing adds up to HIV , it doesn't .
The sex you described was NOT a risk for HIV . There have been no fewer than three separate serodiscordant couples studies (where one person is HIV positive, the other negative.) These couples were tracked for three. five and ten years. The couples used condoms for penetrative vaginal and anal sex, but NO BARRIER at all for oral sex. Any kind of oral sex.
These studies yielded NO infections.
HIV is a fragile virus and is damaged when exposed to air and rendered unable to infect . The scrapes and cuts on your hand that came into contact with the fluid a woman produces when sexually excited comes from the Bartholin's glands, located on either side of the vaginal opening. I have yet to discover one shred of evidence (and believe me, I've looked) that shows this lubricating fluid to have any more HIV present than other bodily secretions such as saliva, sweat or tears. Saliva, sweat and tears are NOT infectious fluids.
ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED HIV TESTING AT THIS TIME if that was your only exposure , anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care checkup, 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 checkups, 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!
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Just wanted to chime in and agree in totality with Moderator Jeff's detailed analysis of your situation.
The notion of fingering transmitting HIV is an obsolete theory posited in the mid 1980's and has never, ever been borne out. Since the advent of serodiscordant couples' studies, ALL manner of sexual activity except for penetrative anal and vaginal sex has been shown to be safer sex.
Keep wearing a condom for penetrative anal and vaginal sex and you will avoid HIV. It really is that simple.
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Dear Jeff and JK,
thank you so much for your replies, at least I was able to sleep last night. Just want to double check if I should be in any way alarmed by the symptoms (they were indeed very strange - cold sores, lymph nodes, fever with severe gingivitis, with fatigue and loss of appetite), and all after 3 weeks. Sorry about the details, the oral I gave her was full on and quite rough (basically she was sitting on my mouth).
Do you think it's not necessary to get tested, or do the symptoms sound alarming/suspicious? (Doctors couldn't tell me any reason for these symptoms)
Thank you so much in advance.
Yours,
Worried
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We don't get into discussing symptoms because they are not specific to HIV . None of the activity's you dicribed were a risk for HIV .
You say your doctors say there is no explanation for your feeling ill , I would think that your doctors agree you didn't have a risk as well , if they suspected HIV they would have said so . If you are feeling ill you need to go back and see your doc because its not HIV .
If you cant except your doctors , moderator JK and my advice then you can always wait 6 weeks past the point of the sexual encounter you are concerned about and test , then test again to conform it in 3 months . You should expect a negative result if you choose to test .