POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: MoltenStorm on June 19, 2006, 02:59:01 pm
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This past couple of days have been full of different emotions.
My brother (15) has had his lympnodes swelling like crazy all over his head and neck. I'm hoping that it's not HIV. There was a time before I knew I was positive that he and I shared a razor. While I always washed the razor off with hot water, I'm still worried. Part of me thinks this worry is unfounded because he didn't have any acute infection symptoms, and part of me is trying not to think of what I complete shit I would be if he is HIV+. Yet another part is worried that it may be Cancer.
My brother and I have always been extremely close. There are 7 years between us, but we're the best of friends. It would KILL me to find out that he's HIV+, and the double whammy would be that it was because of me. He's a virgin, and he's not a drug user, so there's only one possible source: Me.
My family is scared out of our wits, and we're probably going to tell him tonight about my status. I just hope he doesn't stay mad at me forever, and I pray that he doesn't have it. He's only 15...
*goes to smoke himself into oblivion for awhile & trying not to cry*
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Has he been to the dr yet?? Could be alot of reasons why he has swollen lymphnodes besides cancer and HIV.
We had an outbreak of mumps here not long ago.
I would take him to the dr and have him checked out before i panicked.
Try to stay calm.
Hugs
Teresa
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Get him tested and find out. I never understood all my life(even way befor I was poz) why anyone shares personl hygene stuff. It was a no-no from my childhood and there was no HIV then. If you rinsed it good with serious hot water(even out of the tap, mine will scaled ur hands), he's most likely okay; probably something else...but need to find out. This crap is hard to spread, I don't care how much fear 'they' try to put into you; it's like hep c, etc; blood contact and heat will kill it(hot water).
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Hey Molten,
A doc's visit is a necessity as there are so many other possibilities that could be the cause of his trouble. Mumps and a variation of Glandular Fever are very common also and could have the symptoms u describe.
i'm not a doc BUT if I was i'd fly over to u to put ur mind at rest ;)
Rob
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He went to the doctor today, and they drew blood to test for HIV, Mono, and Cancer. They also gave him some antibiotics in case it's bacterial.
I'll keep you all posted.
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Has there ever even been a documented case of transmission via shared razor? I imagine he has a better chance of getting struck by lightning.
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Molten, you poor boy. As others have already said it could be many other things. The first thing to pop into my mind at his age would be Mono. I'll keep you both in my thoughts. Sure hope the doctor comes back with good news so your brother can get better and so you can get back to taking care of yourself!
Hugs
Jeff
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There are two cases where it is thought that shared razors transmitted HIV. However, none of the serodiscordant studies have brought this vector to the table, and you KNOW what I think about patient report.
Methinks that at least in the 1992 case, the siblings were sharing more than razor blades. I'm just saying.
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Yes, Justin I'm aware of what you think about patient report. Anyway, so we're looking at like 1 in 35 million actual cases. I'm not a statistics person. Since that's actual cases I'm sure the odds are even more remote than that.
The national weather service says the odds of getting struck by lightning in the next year are 1 in 700,000. Indeed much more likely.
Molten, you've been infected a few months now, right? If this happened before your diagnosis isn't the incubation period quite a bit off for primary infection?
Hang in there molten I'm sure your brother is fine. I'm keeping you and your bro in my thoughts.
brian
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More to the point that unless you directly cut yourself and they immediately used the razor and then cut themself, there is no way they could have got HIV from you. HIV inactivates when it dries and hot water also does this. I just don't see what you did to put them at risk. As the wise JK says.....the only reports we have of this are unreliable. In the history of HIV it doesn't happen. I predict it won't be HIV - and for the record it's unlikely to be cancer.
R
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Thats a mononucleosis or the "kiss disease" veru common in teenagers when they start "kissing" others. The 95% of the population has it. It will last three months or so. I had it when I was 18 but forgot about it until I tested positive a few months ago for epstein bar=mononucleosis antibodies.
Nothing to worry about.
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I sounds to me like puberty. When I was that age my glands were doing all sorts of funny stuff, lumps from nowhere appeared, my voice going from one octive to another then falling back down again, spurts of growth, funny feelings all over, strange attractions towards other guys. Not exactly the best of times.
robt
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I asked my ID Doc about that awhile back.. He repied "never heard of that one making the journals of late or earily for that matter."
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Molten,
Try not to freak out and stay as calm as possible. There are other reasons he could have swolen lymphnodes.
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Given his age, I'd put my money on the Epstein-Barr virus over HIV. Of course, it could also be a sinus infection or bad cold coming on. Lots of things make the lymph nodes swell.
-edited to correct my poor spelling
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Just know that your friends are here for you.
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God forgive me but Jonathan I was thinking the same thing. I don't think anyone could get HIV off of sharing a razor. I hope we're wrong. I pray he doesn't have HIV. Molten....hang in there good buddy.
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Hang in there Molten, you and your family are in my thoughts...lets hope that its just an infection of sorts and not HIV.
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Thank you all.
Nice to see you, Falkore. Introduce yourself for those that don't know you. ;)
The fear has pretty much disappeared.
Also, I also told my brother about my HIV status last night. I will never forget the look on his face as he started crying heavily and hugged me while he did. His tears subsided, and he asked me a bunch of questions. Overall, it went well. Now, everybody who needs to know, knows. :) Life is good.
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Sounds like that went well :) :
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MoltenStorm,
So glad for u that things went like u wanted, so now your dear brother is informed.
Now how about sat back , relax & let things just go by , without worrying about them.
Now let me share something with u, next time, u start worrying, just tell yourself that your worrying is not going to change anything except make u SICK ::) ::) ::)
Best Regards
Siang
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Hey Molten,
the story of how your brother reacted brought tears in my eyes, he's a sweet guy!
Hug
Coen
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Good News!
My brother got his results back today. He tested HIV negative and negative for Mono. His lymph nodes have been going down over the past couple of days which leads to the belief that it was bacterial since he's been on antibiotics. They still don't know exactly what it is.
*turns on the record player*
Celebrate Good Times, Come On!
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Thats WONDERFUL news!!!
Hugs
Teresa
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that's great ... so happy for you, your brother, your family 8)
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That's good news Molten for you and your family.
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Congratulations on both counts!!! :)
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Great news! I had no doubt it would be otherwise. :)
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What Graet News! I am so happy for you and your brother! Yahoo...Congrats to you both!