Need your opinion.....I am very worried....

[Me_Me]

Hello there,

It is a very commendable job the moderators are doing. I gained so much of peace of mind while reading things here. Not wasting time, here is my episode till now.

I am a 28 years old male from Mumbai, India. On the 1st of September 2008, I visited a prostitute.

1. I did not kiss her (Actually she didn't let me, as she said she kissed only her lover)

2. I did not rub my genitals on her. Immediately after removing the clothes, she put a condom on my penis and with a towel removed the lubrication and blew me. The blowjob lasted only for 2-3 mins.
 
3. Then she put on another condom on the top of the existing one and we had intercourse. It only lasted for 3 to 4 minutes. I asked her that is this the way you use 2 condoms and she was like yea, always 2!

4. Since I had read before that 2 condoms can rub and break due to friction, the first thing I did was go to the bathroom and fill the condom with water. It was intact!

5. Now the problem was there was no soap in the bathroom. So  I washed my hands with water and then my genital area with water and touched my penis, though on the outside.

6. I also have the habit of chewing my fingers but then, my fingers were healing and there was no exposed wound.

7. Exactly the next evening, on the 2nd, I got a boil on the ring of my penis. I got shit scared. But I didnt do anything and bang there was another the third day. I got and used clotrimazole mouth ulcer gel and they went away. There wasnt any pain at all. When I showed it to my dermatologist on the 23rd of september, they had been treated with clotrimazole everyday and had gone leaving behind marks. My dermatologist told me that he doesnt suspect Herpes as the first outbreak is generally severe and the incubation period is not just one day.

Now coming back on the 8th of September exactly after 7 days, I got sore throat and very mild fever. I completely freaked out and went to my doc. He asked me to take HIV PCR DNA test. I took it from a very reputed laboratory. The blood was drawn on the 8th of september and on the 10th I got the result which said " HIV 1 and HIV 2 not detected " .

Now my questions are:

1. How reliable is the HIV PCR DNA test at the 8th day of exposure? (I got it done from on the best laboratories in Mumbai, India)

2. How long does the HIV virus stay alive outside the body.

3. I was holding the ring of the condom while filling it with water. I generally chew my finger skin, but not that there was any wound to it.

I am currently on drugs by the psychiatrist as I am freaking out. Every passing day to do the Elisa at 3 months is freaking me out. What should I do?

My symptom history:
I have lost 5.5 Kilos or 12 pounds weight in the last 25 days.
I had sore throat and fever on the 7th day.
I didnt have cold or cough.
 

[RapidRod]

You were never at risk.
1. PCR DNA are not diagnostic tests.
2. HIV does not stay active outside its host.

Again, you were never at risk.

[Ann]

Me,

As Rodney says, DNA testing is not approved for diagnostic purposes - because they have a high rate of false positives. You're lucky you didn't get one of those.

You don't need hiv testing anyway. The condom(s) didn't break. You're right though, two condoms should never be used together because of the risk of breakage. However, yours did NOT break so you were protected.

Hiv is a very fragile virus. When it finds itself outside the human body, small changes in temperature, moisture content and pH levels quickly damage the outer covering. Hiv needs this outer covering to be undamaged in order to infect.

Hiv can only infect a few very specific cells found in a few very specific places. These cells are not found in your chewed fingers.

If you feel unwell, see a doctor. It's nothing to do with hiv.

The sores on your penis would not have had anything to do with the sex worker. They came up too quickly. However, if you've been having any close sexual contact with others, you might want to be checked for syphilis. Syphilis chancres are painless. However, as this is an hiv website only, I leave you to talk this over with your doctor.

Along with reading our Welcome Thread and clicking on the Transmission Lesson link, here's what you need to know in order to remain hiv negative:

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 with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED TO TEST OVER THIS PROTECTED INCIDENT, 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.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple.

Ann

[Me_Me]

I am so overwhelmed by the replies, that too with so much of detail, patience and sensitivity. Thank you so much, Ann and RapidRod. I have a few more questions if you may,

1. Ann, what do you mean by a false positive ? Does the virus resemble some other viruses, that there is a chance of mis-detection ? Yea, Ann, I am really lucky I guess as the doctor was going to start PEP if found positive, though I just read somewhere that PEP after 72 hours is ineffective.

2. If the HIV DNA PCR test has a high rate of false positive's, does a negative mean a complete assurance that I am not infected ?

3. How long does the HIV virus take to spread in the body after infection? I am asking this as the HIV PCR DNA test was done after 7 days of exposure.

4. What is a typical condom breakage? Is there a change of a ultra-small hole happening or do they generally tear ?

5. My eyes feel like they are stressed out whenever I am outside the house.....They feel very fatigued, though my body doesn't feel it that much. I know that this is not a common symptom associated with early symptoms of HIV. DO you have any comments for the same ?

6. I know this is a HIV forum and completely respect the same. Ann can you guide me to some place where I can ask about STDs like Syphlis ? My question is that does Syphlis occur at the very spot where it comes in contact with the body like in the case of Herpes, because the boils came on the ring of the penis, which was protected at all times by the condom.

7. I haven't and will not have intercourse with anyone unless, I am 100% sure that I am not infected with HIV or any other STD. I know you feel that I have no risk at all bu still for my mental satisfaction what test do I need to do? An Elisa ?

[Me_Me]

Hi..... can someone please answer the above questions.........Thanks.

[RapidRod]

Can I ask why you are asking more questions and your questions have been answered. NO RISK = NO ARS = NO TESTING.

[Me_Me]

Hey Ann, If you could just answer the above questions.

I am worried sick becos

1. I got boils on my penis 1 day after the exposure

2. I got sore throat and mild fever 7 days after the exposure.

The sequence of events scares me.......

[Ann]

Me

1. I got boils on my penis 1 day after the exposure

As I already told you, your "boils" had nothing to do with your sex worker encounter. They came up MUCH too soon for it to be connected.

2. I got sore throat and mild fever 7 days after the exposure.

So what? It's that time of year. I've got a headcold myself at the moment.

You did NOT have a risk for hiv infection. If you feel unwell, go see a doctor. It's nothing to do with hiv.

Ann

[Me_Me]

As mentioned earlier in the thread, I had visited a CSW on the 1st of September.

As I was undergoing a lot of anxiety, I went to a HIV specialist clinic in Mumbai on the 4th of October. I spoke to the doc and looked up my body for lymph nodes. He didn't find anything.  He did a rapid antibody test (that would be the 34th day) and it was negative.

Now, after 3 days on the 7th of October I got a sore throat, running nose and slight fever at 99 degrees. This lasted for 2 days. During that time, for 4 to 5 days I had pain in the joints of my knees foot and arm.

Upon examining myself for lymph nodes on the 15th of October, I found that I had swollen lymph node on the left side at the back of my head, called as the occipital area, there was another very small one on the right hand side. The HIV specialist hadn't checked for that when he inspected me. So I went to a skin and VD specialist locally and he told me its generally due to a scalp infection and gave me anti-dandruff shampoo, though I also have dandruff, but not too much.

Now, just yesterday (I notice this small red rash on my arm. Its just a single red circular rash (reddish inflamed skin) of about 3mm in diameter.

Now I am in extreme anxiety! Could I have got it from the HIV specialist clinic. The guy who withdrew blood took a new needle. But he changed the cotton after 5 mins. Could it have passed on from the gloves to the cotton swab? cos the second  cotton was not dabbed with alcohol. Secondly since it was an AIDS speciality clinic I am all the more scared.

Looking at the above symptoms what do u guys have to say? I have experienced just about every early symptom of HIV. I am scared as hell.

[RapidRod]

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

[Me_Me]

Rapidrod I understand the rules of the forum, but what I have posted above are new symptoms which were not present at the time of posting earlier. Please understand. Thank you.

[Ann]

Me,

You didn't have a risk with the sex worker. You didn't have a risk at the clinic. Your negative results are NOT going to change. You ARE hiv negative.

If you feel unwell, see a doctor. It's nothing to do with hiv.

Ann

[Me_Me]

I have got a swollen lymph node in my groin and also in my neck besides the ones at the back of my head.

Do the symptoms happen so soon ? I continuously think about it.

Can someone suggest what should i do to calm myself. I have seen a psychiatrist but the medicines dont seem to make any difference. There is a lot of anxiety in me. Ann please answer. 

[RapidRod]

Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

[Ann]

Me,

I'm responding and I'm telling you to read Rodney's post #13. Please consider yourself warned. Thank you for your cooperation.

Ann

[Me_Me]

got a PCR done.....the report says I have HIV 1 strain and viral load count is <50.....my CD4 count is 568...........I also have Oral Hairy Leukoplakia.....and its just 3 months....my encounter was on 1st september 2008......I have taken a lot of strain after that and have also experienced early symptoms mentioned above....guys please help me .......what should be the sequence of events.......

[RapidRod]

Try again. Retest with the proper test. You didn't have a risk of contracting HIV.

[Ann]

Me,

Your CD4 count is in the normal range.

A PCR test is NOT a diagnostic test. Your result is negative anyway. That's what <50 means. It means NO VIRUS WAS DETECTED.

Hardly surprising, considering you did NOT have a risk.

If you don't believe me, go take a proper diagnostic ELISA hiv antibody test and collect your negative result.

YOU DO NOT HAVE HIV!

Ann