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HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: Needsomeadvice on July 13, 2006, 05:36:10 pm

Title: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 13, 2006, 05:36:10 pm
Recently I had semi protected intercourse with a strip club dancer. The sex lasted all of 2 to 3 minutes, my concern is that the condom fell off during some point of the incident.  I believe it was later rather than sooner though.  I have read several other post but felt the need to get my own response.  For the next three weeks I was stressed out beyond belief. I even wasted money getting a test 3 days after only to find out it was pointless.  12 days later I got a dna/pcr and it came back negative.  I was cool until 17 days after the fact my neck had a weird tight feeling I had never felt before, no swelling but a feeling that would come and go during the course of 7 days, and 21 days after exposure I had night sweats from the chest up for 4 days.  That i what really has me scared, I did not have a fever or feel sick in fact I had never felt more healty.  Could the stress had carried over from its peak.  And are night sweats without fever a true symptom.  Again thank you for your time.  You all do a wonderfull service for all us worry warts out there.  Again thank you and continue with the good work.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Ann on July 13, 2006, 05:51:53 pm
Need,

Symptoms or the lack of symptoms mean nothing when it comes to hiv infection and so we do not bother discussing symptoms here. The only way to know your hiv status is through the appropriate test at the appropriate time.

A PCR test is not approved for diagnostic purposes and it is therefore not considered an appropriate test. You need to be tested with an ELISA antibody test.

Although it is highly unlikely that you would have become infected from such a brief unprotected episode, you should test again at 12-13 weeks.

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.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence. Properly used condoms rarely break and are an excellent barrier against hiv transmission. We're not born knowing how to use condoms, so get reading.

Please also have a look through the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) and follow the links for further information.

I'm expecting you to test negative when the appropriate time comes.

Ann
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Andy Velez on July 13, 2006, 06:32:34 pm
Needs, adding on to Ann's comments, you should also know that HIV is not an easy virus to transmit. It's significantly harder to accomplish from female to male. Given that you are protected for at least a part of the time and this was single incident, the odds against transmission are overwhelmingly in your favor against transmission having orccured.

Since there was some risk getting tested is recommended. The CDC recommends doing that at 13 weeks for a definitive answer.

Stay productively busy and the waiting period will pass more quickly than you can possible imagine right now.

There is absolutely nothing in what you are reporting in the way of symptoms which is in anyway suggestive of HIV.

I expect you to come out of this ok as far as HIV is concerned.

Cheers,
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 16, 2006, 12:58:31 am
Thank you guys for your quick and great response.  I am going to get tested at week 12 like you all said.  One last questions for you guys does a fever usually come with the other symptoms.  For example night sweats with a fever or a rash with a fever, or do they occur on their own. I was hoping for some reassurance I read on med help.com that symptoms without a fever is not indicative of ARS  Thanks and I will stop bugging you after this.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Ann on July 16, 2006, 05:58:18 am
Need,

Symptoms, or the LACK of symptoms means nothing when it comes to hiv infection. Some people who have actually been infected notice no obvious symptoms of seroconversion.

Once again, although you are highly unlikely to have become infected from such a brief incident, you do need to test at the 12-13 week mark when you can get a conclusive result. Hiv is nothing to guess about, symptoms or no symptoms.

Ann
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 27, 2006, 10:38:00 pm
Okay I am back on my original thread thanks Anne, anyway could I please get a couple of opinions on this.  Right about a week and two days after my escapade I was feeding my 8 month old son, he was eating his sweet potatoes when he was through I put the spoon in my mouth to eat what he didnt eat on the spoon.  Right then the phone rang and I got up to pick it up, but left the spoon on the high chair. When I turned around he had the spoon in his mouth gumming it because he is teething. At the time he had no teeth and the amount of saliva was very small.  But I am a nervous wreck because I have read that saliva contains HIV, plus he is teething so his gums could have been inflamed thus opening up a vector for infection please reply and thank you for your service.  By the way I sent off my 12 week result today thank you.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Ann on July 28, 2006, 04:21:15 am
Need,

There is absolutely no way your son could have been infected this way, even if by some freak chance you do turn out to be hiv positive.

I'm fully expecting a negative result. Let us know.

Ann
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 28, 2006, 02:23:01 pm
So even though he is teething he should be okay.  I am so worried I keep trying to think back and think if I had any mouth ulcers or bleeding gums or what not the usual paranoia.  Is there any chance it could happen or am I just a worried wort.  Like I said there might of been a bead of saliva or two, not sure I have put the spoon in my mouth over a thousand times trying to recreate the event and give my self peace of mind but it dosnt work. Thank you so much just a scared dad
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 28, 2006, 02:28:20 pm
plus would it make it worse that I was one week into it, if and thats a big if I had it.  Sorry just cant not stop spinning my wheels right now.  Would my saliva with his saliva on his gums nullify the event.  I just cant get over the fact I did something so stupid. 
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: RapidRod on July 28, 2006, 03:00:36 pm
You can't get HIV for eating utensils or drinking glasses.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 28, 2006, 03:33:08 pm
I understand you can not get it from eating off utensils, but he gummed it for a good 15 to 20 seconds  I would not be concerned by a simple swipe of the mouth.  But because he was teething he was nawing on the spoon were future teeth eventually came in.   I have read on baby web sites that kids are more open to bacterial and viral infections under these circumstances.  So I am wondering is HIV that hard of a virus to contract.  I really have not seen any change in him, the one thing I noticed was 2 and a half months after this he slept for an extra hour at night and started taking two naps where as in the past he either took one or none at all.  After that one week he went back to normal.  He did not look fatigued or have a fever just happened to change his sleeping pattern for a week.  I am so sorry if I am taking so much of you alls time, its just this is my son and I do not know if I could live with this if it happened.  Is there any research on infants infected, would they show the same signs an adult would in the same period? Please help thank you guys, you truly are the best
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 28, 2006, 03:35:48 pm
IF he had teeth I would not worry either, I just know that the gums are mucous membrane and am scared to death, I could deal with my self but not my son.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: RapidRod on July 28, 2006, 03:49:40 pm
Saliva is not infectious.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 28, 2006, 04:06:54 pm
I pray to god that you are right.  Thank you for your quick reply.  Saliva does contain hiv though, am I right, all the other web sites tell me that saliva to mucuous membranes in the mouth are a risk.  Again just father that is scared shitless it just seems like the stars have alighned to make me the most hated man on the planet.  That along with my sons weird sleep pattern.  Thanks thanks thanks.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: jkinatl2 on July 28, 2006, 04:21:46 pm
Saliva is not infectious.

Saliva contains over a dozen identified enzymes that inhibit HIV.

You cannot transmit nor can you get HIV from kissing.

Sharing utensils and glasses happens every day in households where a member is HIV positive. This is known as casual contact. And HIV is not spread that way. AIDSMEDS.COM is not "all the other" web sites. This site relies on first tiered peer-reviewed scientific evidence to make it's risk assessment.

I urge you to stop obsessing about HIV. Time spent online is time not spent with your family.

Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 28, 2006, 07:24:52 pm
Last time, promise so worst case scenario if I had HIV 1) The incident occuring a week and a half after my potential exposure does not increase my chance with a high viral load 2) Say I had bleeding gums at the time and there was some present on the spoon. 3) The fact he is teething, no teeth at the time, possibly inflamed would not put him a a higher risk?   4) Like I said he gummed it for about 15-20 seconds not licked it but gummed the spoon.  I will not reply any more after this I will go and spend that time with my family thank you guys.  Some people just need reassurance more than others.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Morgan on July 28, 2006, 07:46:06 pm
Needsomeadvice,

No, no, no, no.

NO RISK!

Morgan
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: jkinatl2 on July 28, 2006, 08:18:24 pm
1) No.

2) No.

3) No.

4) Nope.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 28, 2006, 11:32:58 pm
Thanks guys for putting up with my situation.  Like I posted earlier I could live with my own actions but to put my son at risk I do not want to even fantom the thought.  I pride my self on being a great dad and kind of feel like King Midus or Minus who ever that king is that turned everything he touched into gold.  So in you guys opinions if I test positive I should not even bother bringing it up to the doctor or getting him tested? Just forget about the whole thing.  Here is one more stupid question I thought I saw a floater in his eye about a month ago, are floaters a ARS symptom- can somebody else even see a floater other than the person that has it?  Again thanks and if there is a small donation I can make to the web site just let me know.  I will update you all on my test results on tuesday.  Hopefully this will be my last post on any forum. Take care and god bless
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: jkinatl2 on July 28, 2006, 11:56:12 pm
Floaters are not a reliable HIV symptom. You would be FAR more likely to experience floaters with advanced syphilis than primary HIV infection.


You need to understand that people with HIV are not walking contaminants. We have spouses who are HIV negative. We have children who are HIV negative. And in the history of the pandemic, HIV has not ever been spread through household contact. It's not that robust a virus, and it's not that easy to get. Do you think that people with HIV could freely roam the streets if the virus was that easy to transmit?

Seriously. I urge you to let this go. Get your test for peace of mind at 13 weeks, and move on.

Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 29, 2006, 01:52:09 am
I had said that I had potentially seen a floater in my SONS eye not mine, so syphillis is totally out of the question.  It was a weird jelly like dark spot that i was tempted to wipe off till I realized i couldnt do that.  And I know that people with hiv are not walking infections waiting to occur.  My prob is that I would not call a teething child gumming a spoon with infectious saliva casual contact.  Drinking after somebody, eating from the same utensil, kisses on the cheek, are what I call casual contact.  Let me end by saying when it is your flesh and blood it is totally different, this is a poor defensless child that could potentially have to live with a mistake that I made.  I love my son more than life itself, I would die a million deaths before he goes once.  That is the reason for my paranioa.  It seems like the only thing that gives me momentary relief is talking to you guys as big a pain in the ass it may be.  I am a good guy I am a spec ed teacher, and I tried to take every precausion i could but still seem to have fucked up.  I am on the edge every time he coughes, sneezes, runs a fever, I get these crazy thoughts going through my head.  When you say saliva is not infectious, has that been proven, or yet to happen? You know what I am going to drink a beer and hit the sack this is way to much to me. Thank you for replying you do not know how much you have helped me out.  Sorry to be such a pain in the ass, again just a concerned loving father who is at his wits end......................
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Morgan on July 29, 2006, 02:14:59 am
Needscome,

Every parent loves their children, it's just that you're getting very carried away with this very low risk encounter.

You are almost certainly hiv negative.

Hang in there.

Morgan
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Ann on July 29, 2006, 06:46:52 am
Quote
My prob is that I would not call a teething child gumming a spoon with infectious saliva casual contact. 

Need,

I would call it casual contact because that is exactly what it is. Your obsessive fear is beginning to boarder on the offensive. I have a daughter and if this had happened in my house, I wouldn't have thought twice about it. Why? Because I know that hiv is absolutely NOT transmitted in this manner. You really need to let this go.

Saliva HAS been proven to not be infectious.

Quote
Numerous epidemiologic studies have not found hiv transmitted cases related to kissing or sharing keitchen utensils (Friedland et al, 1986; Fischl et al, 1987; Lusher et al, 1991).
*see below.

Quote
(Other authors) detected intermediate frequencies of hiv in saliva (Kawashima et al, 1991; Barr et al, 1992; Chebbi et al, 1997) with lower viral loads than in plasma (Liuzzi et al, 1996). Thus, the saliva of a large proportion of hiv patients DOES NOT CONTAIN THE VIRUS.
*quotes from "Oral Transmission of hiv, Reality or Fiction? Campo et al, 2006.

It's highly unlikely that you are hiv positive in the first place. Get a grip.

Ann
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on July 29, 2006, 02:59:57 pm
Thanks I will do my best not to think about it anymore.  Sorry if I offended anyone. 
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Needsomeadvice on August 01, 2006, 03:03:24 am
 ;D    12 week mail in blood test I got from walgreens came in and I am in the clear. Thank you guys for your sound advice.  And as far as you know the test I took is good as gold right.
Title: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Needsomeadvice on August 01, 2006, 03:16:36 am
I am writing this because I think it might help a few of you out.  Please listen to the wise words of Anne, Rapid Rod, Andy,Morgan and Jkinatl2.  I have put my self through hell for the past 3 months over a low risk incident.  I tormented myself so bad that I even saw ARS symptoms in my Wife which we used protection after I disclosed to her what I had done and my child who I shared a spoon with.  Between the 3 of us we had every symptom in the book  at the right exact time.  Night Sweats, Mouth Ulcers, Headaches, Chest Rash, Coughs, and eyefloaters.  I was going though hell literally, the moderators on the board had told me to chill out and just stay calm until you take your 12 week test.  Guess what they were right!!!!!!!!!!! I am a school teacher and just lost out on a summer vacation because I choose to wollow in my own self pity.  Best advice is to stay calm, the mind is a very strong thing, I experienced things that I had never had in my life just because I read the damn internet every day and night for the summer.  Wait and take your test at 3 months and if you are in a reletionship with somebody go ahead and disclose your errors so that no body else gets hurt, most times your other will forgive you and respect you for it mine did.  Again thanks guys and unless I am in that 1% the box leaves out for error this will be my last post forever.  Keep up the good work guys you are truly pioneers in your field.  There will be many jewels in your crowns when you all get to heaven...........................
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: RapidRod on August 01, 2006, 05:14:56 am
Please keep all your thoughts and questions in your ORGINAL THREAD.
Title: Re: Just need some reassurance please.....Thank you guys....
Post by: Ann on August 01, 2006, 05:42:01 am
Need,

Yes, you are conclusively hiv negative.

Make sure you use those condoms correctly and you will continue to avoid hiv infection.

Ann
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Ann on August 01, 2006, 05:45:19 am
Need,

When we say one thread, we mean it. I merged your second thread with your original and kept the second thread's title.

I'm glad we could help. Now get on with your life and enjoy the rest of your summer vacation.

Ann
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Needsomeadvice on August 06, 2006, 01:58:07 am
Hello one last question, on the Home Access Hiv test I used at 12 weeks what is the exact procedure for testing how is it they are able to find anti bodies on such a small sample only a couple of drops of blood.  Does this test look for HIV 2.  I am very confident that I am negative as the test suggest but the fact my wife came down with a chest rash and weight loss and fatigue and I had the night sweats head ache and mouth ulcer all in the window period still scares me a bit.  What if I did not put enough blood would they tell me or would they test what they got.  Could we have hiv 2 and just got under the radar?  Please give me a straight answer and dont treat me like I am dumb.  Thanks
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: RapidRod on August 06, 2006, 03:47:26 am
"Don't treat me like I'm dumb." Well as many times that you have had all the questions explained to you, it makes one wonder. I have no idea about the test you took. I'm sure it said which test it was. Go to their web site and read. You can stop with the "what ifs" at any time. Most test, test for 1 and 2 and all substrains.
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Needsomeadvice on August 06, 2006, 10:42:10 pm
The test I took was the FDA approved home access hiv test kit, I have read that it is 99% accurate at 3 months so  guess that is good enough for me, it just still strikes me as weird for me and my wife to get weird symptoms?
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Needsomeadvice on August 08, 2006, 01:16:45 am
Last question for the 5th time.. So if I had a Hep coinfection with Hiv I would still show antibodies at 3 months post exposure. My three months is conclusive barring chemo or heavy drug use.  By the way I used the FDA approved home access test kit..........
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: RapidRod on August 08, 2006, 06:11:56 am
Did you get teted for HEP? Your test at 12/13 weeks will be conclusive no ands or buts about.
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: jkinatl2 on August 08, 2006, 06:24:53 am
:::sigh:::
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: fred on August 08, 2006, 06:26:12 am
Its so frustrating when people just keep going round and round.
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Needsomeadvice on August 10, 2006, 05:08:28 pm
Question, does the weight loss associated with ARS stay off or does your weight go back to normal after seroconversion.  I have looked on the web and can not find any answers to this question all I get is wasting right before the onset of AIDS..Thanks
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Ann on August 10, 2006, 05:14:54 pm
Need,

You are conclusively hiv negative. It's time for you to get on with your life.

If you insist on continuing to come here to question your negative status, I will have no choice but to give you a time out. Please read through the posting guidelines in the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) and pay particular attention to the time out information. Please consider yourself warned.

Ann
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Needsomeadvice on February 14, 2007, 07:00:45 pm
Just a quick question, I thought I was over this whole HIV scare until for the second time in under a year a wierd white bubbly stuff appeared on the side of my tounge.  It looked like 4 white pimples side by side on the lateral border of my tounge.  It first appeared 2 and a half months post exposure, and then about 10 months post exposure.  I know that I took a home access test 87 days after the brief exposure and it came back neg.  I tried brushing the white things off but to no avail.  The funny thing is that they only lasted 1 day.  Would hairy leukaplakia only last 1 day?  Thanks for the help.
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: ACinKC on February 14, 2007, 07:04:13 pm
I would ask someone with experience dealing with hairy whatchamacallit.  You are conclusively HIV negative.
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: Needsomeadvice on February 14, 2007, 07:32:41 pm
Sorry I am prob just freaking out for nothing, just worried that my home access test results were switched.  plus the OHL is seen in mostly people who are HIV POS
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: ACinKC on February 14, 2007, 07:36:31 pm
Yes you are.  No they weren't.  You dont even KNOW that it is OHL.
Title: Re: Worried Well story for the ages....Please read may help with anxiety!!!
Post by: RapidRod on February 14, 2007, 07:40:09 pm
Seek the help of a mental health professional. You can not be helped via this forum. You have a conclusive test that you won't believe. It's not up to us to make you believe nor should we be expected to spend our time answering your questions.