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Author Topic: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?  (Read 54794 times)

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Offline where2gofromhere

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ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« on: December 12, 2008, 10:55:16 pm »
so i had a sore throat for about 9 days with no other symptoms, then i noticed i had lost 15 pounds, but to be honest i had really cut back on eating because of nerves (my pants were loose or i wouldn't have noticed) the throat continued(still red now) and then i began to feel not tired persay, but lazy like i just didn't care about things... i had a slight fever for like an hour a day for 2 days, and after the fever i noticed swollen lymph nodes under my jaw.. but they may have swelled because i kept checking day in, day out to find swelling.. which happened affter i kept poking around. they are not visually noticable, and hard to locate, i really have to dig them out so to speak, but they are hard to the touch when isolated against my jaw line. they are about the size of my thumb nail, and i wouldn't say tender.

does this sound like ars.. i've had a legitimate high risk encounter (unprotected). would the symptoms come on like this, or would it be a sudden onset of everything, and then finish at once?

also after i told my family doctor of 18 years about all this and that i thought these symptoms might be HIV related, he stood up and said "there is a gay men's clinic downtown, maybe they can help you" and left, with me practically in tears(i've never disclosed my sexuality to him before). has anyone here recieved discrimination from medical workers because of their HIV status?

Offline RapidRod

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2008, 11:31:51 pm »
You had unprotected what?

Offline where2gofromhere

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2008, 11:39:09 pm »
sex...? anal.. sorry i guess there is a fair amount of people here who are worried about oral encounters.. i'm not one of those people... i wish i were. then i'd be in the clear for sure

oh i forgot to mention (kind of embarassing, but never the less) i had diarreah for a week maybe as well.. that was during the sore throat but stopped before the fever.
« Last Edit: December 12, 2008, 11:41:46 pm by where2gofromhere »

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2008, 09:34:02 am »
OK, a few things are important here....

First of all, you can have all the intercourse you want to whether inserting or receiving. But do it the safer way, which means the insertive partner always needs to be wearing a condom. No exceptions. Condoms provide very effective protection.

You haven't mentioned if you were the insertive or receptive partner. Either position is risky. Receptive is riskier than insertive. So you do need to get tested over this incident. The CDC recommends 13 weeks as a conclusively reliable testing point.

None of your symptoms are in anyway HIV specific. And in general neither the presence nor the absence of symptoms will ever tell you anything reliably about your HIV status. Only a test can do that when taken at the appropriate time.

If noticeable symptoms are going to occur, they happen all at once, not one then and another now.

The experience you had with your family doctor is very unfortunate. You haven't done anything wrong although a response like that can make you feel shamed. Now you know he's not the person you can rely upon in the way you ought to be able to with a doctor.

Bottom line: get tested at 13 weeks after the incident. Given that it was a single incident the odds are in your favor that you will test negative. But low risk is not the same as no risk so you need to learn from this experience about always using condoms.

Keep us posted and good luck on your test.

Cheers.
Andy Velez

Offline where2gofromhere

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2008, 02:56:23 pm »
hey andy,
thanks for your response, i've been reading alot of posts in this forum and your always kind and very informative.
i was mainly the insertive partner, he topped for like.. literally a minute or less, and then i said it was very uncomfortable and wanted to stop... at first he said no >:(. Then i insisted. he was really an asshole and i regret the whole thing. i asked him if he was clean and he said yes, but seemed awkward after.

i have truely learned my lesson, and i will never make that mistake again. i just hope that tests work out to be negative.
i tested at 4 and 6 weeks. negative. i'm keeping my fingers crossed.

if you don't mind me asking, how did you deal with learning that you were positive? I know now that it isn't a death scentence, because of forums and people like you, but none the less it seems so scary.
did it take you a while to get passed the initial shock?

Offline Ann

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #5 on: December 13, 2008, 03:11:33 pm »
Where,

For a start, asking someone if they're "clean" is rude. I'm hiv positive and I just had a shower a little while ago. To use the term "clean" to describe someone's hiv status is to say that positive people are dirty.

And another thing, stop putting the cart before the horse. There is NO POINT in us delving into any detail about dealing with a positive test result - because you are very unlikely to get one. Why? The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks. A six week negative must be confirmed at three months, but is HIGHLY UNLIKELY to change. I don't expect yours to change.

And a word to the wise, don't bother coming back with more symptom reporting - symptoms or the lack of symptoms mean nothing when it comes to diagnosing hiv. If you feel unwell, see a doctor.

It's pretty much a sure bet you got away with it this time - don't let there be a next time. USE CONDOMS! I suggest you keep busy and stay off hiv websites while you wait for your three month negative confirmation.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline where2gofromhere

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2008, 04:06:39 pm »
ann,

i'm truely sorry about the 'clean' comment. i didn't mean anything by it honestly, i'm just ignorant i guess when it comes to this issue. I apologize if i've offended anyone here.

about your comment of seeing a doctor, i did try my best, but if you read my first post.. he literally turned me away... i never felt so shitty. How can anyone do that to another human being? I'm not predjudiced against + folks... just scared and uneducated. He was very unprofessional and i am not going back.

i'll try and stay off, but curiosity sometimes gets the best of us. Its hard not to think about it.

again i am sorry, i know that + people aren't dirty, ignorance is no excuse. I hope you can accept my apology, its honest and true.
Take care

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2008, 04:35:41 pm »
I agree with Ann that you are most likely going to continue to test negative.

Your (ex)doctor's homophobia and/or HIV phobia? That was an unhappy taste of what so many live with everyday.

The most important thing is for you to learn from this experience and in the future without exception make sure condoms are used, whichever position you are adopting during anal intercourse. It's as simple as that to protect yourself sexually from HIV transmission: use condoms. Everytime.

Good luck with your repeat test. I expect you to test negative.

 
Andy Velez

Offline Ann

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2008, 05:17:15 pm »
Where,

I can totally sympathise over your bad experience with your doctor. Yes, it still happens in this day and age. The way I look at it is you now have two choices. One, you can pretend it never happened and continue to use this doctor, knowing full well that he may not be giving you the best care you deserve, or two, you can fire his homophobic ass and find a new, better doctor with a modern attitude. A doctor like yours probably isn't up to date on things like sexual health anyway - and who knows what else he's stuck in the stone ages on.

Thank you for the apology. You can make amends by using condoms in future. Read through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use them with confidence.

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

Once again, I do NOT expect your negative result to change. It won't change in future either if you start using condoms!!!!

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline where2gofromhere

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2008, 12:42:35 pm »
HI anne, and andy (or anyone who is reading that can help, maybe rapid rod)
 
I still plan on going for my conclusive test, but i recieved some new alarming news.

I went for routine blood work, and was called back in the next day for a very abnormal ALT count. The level was at 114. From my understanding it is common for ALT levels to raise in HIV + persons. And not only that, but even for a poz individual these levels would be high no?

My question is, does this indicate that i may actually have HIV infection going on? Also, could the levels get this high before 90 days after exposure? I was very reassured by your previous advice, and would appreciate anything you can tell me. I do ask that you be honest though, if i should really be worried i would like to know.

p.s. he didn't mention WBC levels or anything, would they have skyrocketed as well (or would they go down, i'm not sure what happens) either way would they have been mentioned?

Offline where2gofromhere

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #10 on: December 31, 2008, 12:47:13 pm »
oh and i also forgot to mention.. my lymph nodes have been swollen now for over a month (and i stopped poking and prodding)

Offline RapidRod

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #11 on: December 31, 2008, 01:03:31 pm »
Only and HIV test will tell you if you have been infected or not. Not your ATL, not your WBC or CBC only by an HIV test.

Offline where2gofromhere

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #12 on: December 31, 2008, 02:15:06 pm »
thank you for getting back to me.
I do know that only the test can diagnose HIV.
I tested negative at 9 1/2 weeks which even the doctor giving the results said it was 'unlikely' to change after this. i am just wondering if it could still be HIV(bear with me i know i just seem paranoid), or if i have another health issue...

basically the main thing i want to know is would it(ALT) actually go this high if it were infact HIV? or should i consider being tested for things such as hepatitus. i haven't done any drinking or consumed anything that would contribute to liver damage.

I'm sure you deal with people who fear they are part of the 5% or 10% who will test poz after so long

please, i appreciate your help, but i am looking for more than just a general answer on when to test... i am very aware of the window period and nervous, my conclusive is in about 10 days so the closer i get to the difinitive moment the more i worry

Offline Ann

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #13 on: December 31, 2008, 02:26:43 pm »
where,

Hiv status has absolutely NO bearing on ALT levels (although sometimes the meds used to treat hiv can elevate them).

You need to speak to your doctor about possible causes for the elevated ALT level - and ask him if he feels you need to be screened for Hepatitis A, B and/or C.

Your hiv test result is unlikely to change.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline where2gofromhere

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2009, 02:49:11 pm »
hey ann,

so once i again i am back, hopefully this will be my last post (actually hopefully i can post one last time to give you my negative result) and i do apologize for clogging up the boards, but you and this site have been so helpful in the past

the doctor i am seeing is testing me for hep, results hopefully next week. I didn't ask him anything about HIV incase i got a reaction like the last one (i do my testing at a sexual health clinic now). I understand that if i was coinfected with hiv and hep c, it might delay the seroconversion.

However, at my 6 week test it was a 'duo' where they screened for antibodies and antigens (i'm sure you know what the duo test is), and it all came back 'non-reactive'.

is it safe to assume that even if i do have hep, hiv is not in my system? or should i continue to test out to 6 months to be safe?
Thanks in advance, all the people here are so great and such an amazing resource.

Offline RapidRod

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #15 on: January 04, 2009, 02:58:20 pm »
3 months is conclusive even if you had HCV.

Offline where2gofromhere

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #16 on: January 04, 2009, 03:22:19 pm »
thanks rapid rod,
just to clarify so i am 100% co-infection with HIV and HCV WOULD NOT result in delayed seroconversion??


Offline RapidRod

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2009, 03:40:02 pm »
No it would not delay seroconversion.

Offline where2gofromhere

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Re: ARS?? do symptoms come one by one or all at once?
« Reply #18 on: January 09, 2009, 12:00:04 pm »
hi ann, andy and anyone else reading,

just an update as i am sure you already guessed, my results (conclusive) came back negative!!! I am so relieved and wanted to thank all of you on here for helping ease my worries during this time. You are all amazing to dedicate your time to helping prevent this disease.

I do have one question that i feel like an ass asking, but my 'experience' has brought me to someone i know 'coming out' as positive. I had no idea before, but i feel i am now somewhat able to help talk him through it.. although i have no idea what it is actually like.

what i would like to ask is... he constantly mentions that hiv/aids was a conspiracy created in labs.. i did look it up and it seems convincing... i just want the opinion of other poz people... is this a normal thing to consider? i don't know how to respond to it, as i do kind of believe it seeing the evidence.. but i just don't know what to say. what are your thoughts?

 


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