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HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: VERYWORRIED on September 24, 2007, 12:24:01 pm

Title: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on September 24, 2007, 12:24:01 pm
I had drunken unprotected vaginal sex with a women, I have since come to believe may have been HIV positive as she said some odd things and had a soaking night sweat. After the event I realised I had a cut on my penis. About 3 weeks later I had night sweats, a constant fever and diarrhea. In the following weeks I've had oral thrush that has persisted for nearly 2 months, weight loss, numb hands and feet and severe weakness in my legs. My glands are now up in my neck and groin. I've tested negative at 8.5 weeks and 10 weeks. I'm in a complete mess and my life is falling apart around me, is there any hope that I'm OK, I had a test last week (12 weeks post exposure) and am waiting for the results. What are my chances? If this is negative is 12 weeks definitive?

Please help I'm in pieces and it's all my own fault (I'm from the UK).
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on September 24, 2007, 12:34:02 pm
Very,

Even if the woman is hiv positive, the odds of you becoming infected from a one-time unprotected encounter, as the insertive partner, were slim. Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus and more so from a woman to a man.

The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks. I do NOT expect your results to change. Your twelve week negative WILL be conclusive as the window period in the UK is twelve weeks. Expect another negative result. I am.

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.

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, consider your recent testing as the beginning of a regular habit. 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. (I hope you've already had a complete work up when you first went to the GUM clinic for hiv testing.)

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

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on September 24, 2007, 03:40:30 pm
Thank you for the encouraging respose, I've had every symptom under the sun including a sore throat and inflammed tonsils. The night sweats and fever lasted a couple of weeks. I'm hoping it's all down to stress but I can't get HIV out of my mind. I was so ill for a couple of weeks I hardly got out of bed and the oral thrush came on after i'd taken one anti biotic and still haven't gone fully yet. At 13 weeks i've got one swollen gland in my neck and both sides of my groin are swollen. My girlfriend and family are convinced there's nothing wrong but can I really be sure? I was still feeling ill during the last couple of test maybe seroconversion hadn't happened by then?
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Andy Velez on September 24, 2007, 06:20:05 pm
You need to know that neither thrush nor any of the myriad of symptoms you have mentioned are in any way HIV specific. And thrush can be very persistent to cure so that's no surprise that you're finding it hanging on.

HIV is a fragile virus. The odds are way in your favor that you will test negative. But as Ann has pointed out, you do need to remember in the future that anytime you are having intercourse you need to be wearing a latex condom. No exceptions.

This time I expect you to come through ok.

Cheers,
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on September 24, 2007, 07:38:13 pm
Very,

The illness that SOME people experience (not all do) isn't the effect of hiv itself. The symptoms are the product of the process the body goes through when producing antibodies - not just to hiv either. This is why it is referred to as seroconversion illness. If your symptoms were anything to do with hiv, it would have been reflected in the tests you've already taken.

Symptoms, or even the lack of symptoms, mean nothing when it comes to diagnosing - or ruling out - hiv. Only testing will tell you your hiv status.

I do not expect your test result to change and neither should you.

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on September 26, 2007, 08:23:33 am
My 12 week test came back negative! I've still got swollen glands at multiple sights and other symptoms but I suppose these must be unrelated. Is it worth testing at 6 months or should I trust the test and move on?

Thank you for all the advice so far.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Matty the Damned on September 26, 2007, 08:32:21 am
No, as we've explained previously 3 months is the official window period. Why would you have to test at 6 months if 3 is sufficient?

Move on.

MtD
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on September 26, 2007, 08:34:29 am
Very,

Keep your hands off your glands - touching them all the time to see if they're swollen will actually CAUSE them to swell. See a doctor about your problems because whatever is causing them is NOT hiv. Your test results have conclusively ruled hiv out as a cause.

You ARE hiv negative. Make sure you use condoms in future and you'll remain hiv negative. It really is that simple!

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on September 26, 2007, 08:55:34 am
Thank you, I will try and find out the underlying problem.

You're amazing people and I really admire you all.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on September 27, 2007, 11:17:06 am
Please don't be angry with me but the nodes in my groin have come up loads today and my one in the neck is still large, along with the never ending oral thrush. I've read some places that people do seroconvert after 12 weeks. I just need closure on this as I have a girlfriend and what to try to go back to a normal relationship if possible. Am I 100% in the clear and should I go back to having unprotected sex with my partner?

Sorry to bug you wonderfull people again
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: RapidRod on September 27, 2007, 11:22:29 am
You are HIV negative and there is no reason not to have sex with your gf as long as she didn't have unprotected sex with anyone. If she has, then she needs to be retested before you have unprotected sex.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on September 27, 2007, 11:57:52 am
Thanks for the quick response, so what  you're all saying is despite all these symptoms I need to persue another illness I can be 100% sure it's not HIV?
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on September 27, 2007, 12:37:04 pm
Very,

Your twelve week negative result is conclusive. You do NOT have hiv. Work with your doctor to find out what is going on. You have already ruled hiv out of the picture.

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on September 28, 2007, 09:14:02 am
On your advice I'm seeing my doctor today. I'm still worried about HIV as my symptoms are very typical of serocnversion illness but my 12 test indicates otherwise, but I have read about people seroconverting after 12 weeks? I will go through this with him and try and get some advice. Thanks
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Andy Velez on September 28, 2007, 10:21:06 am
It's true that some maybe slower to seroconvert. Further testing to six months is recommended only in specific situations such as where intravenous drug use and needle sharing is involved OR the person has a severely compromised immune system due to cancer treatment or the like. When that happens to the immune system it's not a subtle event. Everything is going wrong which is quite different from flu-like symptoms.

I don't see it applying in your situation no matter what your mind is saying to the contrary. You are HIV negative. Check things out with your doctor if you want to, but at the end of the day I don't see HIV as an issue for you at this point.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 01, 2007, 05:55:18 am
Thank you Andy,

I've had a quite severe response since my possible exposure, including extreme weakness in my arms and legs, persistent gland enlargement and weight loss. I was wondering also if the antidepressants I have been taking can effect the antibody test? This is because the instructions with them mentioned that they can affect the bodies immune system. Could this produce a false negative? I still feel very unwell should I maybe test again or have a viral load test?

Thanks
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: RapidRod on October 01, 2007, 06:05:37 am
Your medication will not affect the result of your test.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on October 01, 2007, 06:20:20 am
Very,

Anti-depressants will NOT affect your test results. You ARE hiv negative and that's that.

If you've read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) like you're supposed to, you will have read this:

Quote
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). The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

Please consider yourself warned.

You need to take your physical concerns to your doctor. We cannot diagnose you here, but we CAN tell you that whatever is going on, hiv has been ruled out as a cause. You do NOT have hiv!

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will remain hiv negative in future. It really is that simple!

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 01, 2007, 04:03:34 pm
Apologies,

I didn't mean to cause offence it's just these symptoms are getting on top of me and I needed reassurance. I'm going to the doctors soon and hopefully he will have some answers. It's just that ny girlfriend has got sick as well and I'm going out of my mind. I realise it's my fault and I just want to be certain it's not HIV, I will go through this with my doctor.

Thanks for listening
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 02, 2007, 04:54:18 pm
Hello Again,

Just an update, went to the doctors today and he looked at my symptoms and has sent me for a blood test for glandular fever. I'm sure i've already had this as a child. Anyway I should know by the weekend.

Thank you for listening, it helps in this hard time.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Matty the Damned on October 02, 2007, 04:58:19 pm
VW,

That's good news. Your doctor is looking for causes other than HIV (because it's not HIV) to explain your symptoms.

Now the trick for you is to move on. We're not a glandular fever forum (I'm sure there's one out there somewhere) and so cannot assist you any further.

MtD
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 06, 2007, 06:48:19 am
Hi all I tested negative for glandular fever and my doctor said my blood lympocites have shown that my body has been fighting an infection. So here I am at 15 weeks post exposure with enlarged glands and oral thrush (all confirmed by my doctor) extreme weakness in my arms and legs and on top of all this my hair is falling out. Plus all the ARS symptoms I had 2-4 weeks post exposure.

I know I've had a negative test at 12 weeks but do you think I should test again? Maybe viral load or CD4 count, I know late seroconversion is rare but it is possible, how else can my persistant illness be explained?
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Matty the Damned on October 06, 2007, 06:57:28 am
VW,

Late seroconversion affects extremely few people and if you were one of those people you and your doctor would know. Late seroconversion may affect transplant recipients taking immunosuppressive medications, cancer patients taking certain forms of potent chemotherapy and occasionally long term injecting drug users.

You and I both know you don't fall into those categories.

Thrush, alopecia (hair loss), swollen glands and the other myriad of symptoms you report so hysterically are not specific to HIV and your conclusive 12 week negative result demonstrates that you certainly do not have HIV infection. Nor do you need to test further for HIV or have CD4, viral load testing or any other rot you may have dreamed up.

What you should do is heed the warning Ann gave you just the other day:

If you've read the Welcome Thread like you're supposed to, you will have read this:

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). The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

Please consider yourself warned.

You need to take your physical concerns to your doctor. We cannot diagnose you here, but we CAN tell you that whatever is going on, hiv has been ruled out as a cause. You do NOT have hiv!


Remember that?

MtD
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on October 06, 2007, 07:22:05 am
worried,

If those symptoms you had "2-4 weeks post exposure" had anything to do with hiv, you would have tested positive by twelve weeks. Why? Because the symptoms that SOME (not all) people experience in the weeks following an actual infection are caused by the process the body goes through while producing antibodies to hiv. The symptoms are NOT caused directly by hiv itself. If your symptoms were evidence of seroconversion, you would have tested positive at twelve weeks. You did not.

You ARE hiv negative and it's high time you put this behind you. And your warning still stands.

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 08, 2007, 03:20:48 pm
Apologies if you feel I'm qustioning you're judgement. I'm just in a bad place right down I'm getting professional help for my mental state and am now on mirtazapine and am getting counselling. It's just been scary going from being happy and relaxed to feeling ill and terrified. I wasn't concerned (although I know I should have been) about HIV until I started to get ill and I started to think about the events of the night; The fact that she had a very bad night sweat and and the thrush I got after both oral and initially in my penis. I know i've been though the miriad of symptoms time and again but I suppose I've been silly looking things up on the internet. Please don't lock me out your all a good sene of support.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Andy Velez on October 08, 2007, 09:33:01 pm
Lay off of the internet. At this point it's bad for your health and I'm not kidding.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 11, 2007, 05:55:41 pm
Thanks, I'll try. There's a lot of guilt and regret attahed to what I've done and I'm struggling. I'm seing a phsyciotrist tomorrow hopefully that will help. It's just with the illness I've been through I can't get HIV out of my mind. I will work hard at trying to resolve this. I just keep thinking why are my glands popping up and so on. I ust want an answer from my doctor I suppose. Thanks for the support if you guys think i'm negative then I must trust it.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Andy Velez on October 11, 2007, 05:59:27 pm
Hopefully any symptoms can be addressed with your doctor. For sure this is NOT an HIV situation.

Really.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 17, 2007, 03:10:47 pm
Hello again,

I'm now getting mental help and am on medication for my anxiety and worries. I just want to say this episode was bourne out of concerns for the symptoms I had and not the initial incident, as I believed at the time the lady in question was not a risk ( I know I should still have used a condom). All I want to confirm is that I've had symptoms which may or may not relate to HIV but have scared the hell out of me and have still persisted. I'm in a relationship (I know it's a bit late to be thinking about that!) and I know I've been warned about questioning a negative result, it's just that from what I can gather it is possible to test negative at 12 weeks and still be positive (I know it's very unlikely). It's just that all these conditions came along on cue and something like oral thrush is quite specific and I've never had anything like it before. The doctors are unable to find an answer for my symptoms, and I really want you all to be right but I still have a big element of doubt in my mind, the reation of my body has been quite profound. It has just been stress as i've been through periods of stress before in my life. What I'm trying to say is where do I go from here?I
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on October 17, 2007, 03:18:23 pm
Very,

Keep working with your doctor and therapist. You are conclusively hiv negative and there's nothing more we can do for you here.

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 29, 2007, 03:29:15 pm
Hello again

Please don't be angry for me posting again, I wouldn't unless I was really desperate. I want to believe that I'm negative but I feel the symptoms I've had are very compelling, plus when I tested at 12 weeks I was still feeling unwell, particularly my fever, glands, weakness and oral thrush. The effect on my body has been profound and has not been bought on by my fears, as after the incident I wasn't worried about HIV. So if when I tested I was still undergoing seroconversion I wouldn't have tested positive. I mean the women I slept with had a very distinctive nightsweat and gave me a thrush infection in my groin. Why would I suddenly get all these symptoms I've never had before if it wasn't HIV? That can't be explained by just stress? I just feel so alone and want confirmation that I'm not mad and HIV is a possibility from this high risk I behaviour. I have taken chances before and felt anxious but never ever, had these symptoms, I think it has been one risk too many. I'm not someone worried because I've taken a chance I'm worried because of the symptoms and because of the risk I've but someone else in. Does any of this make any sense, the mirtazpine can reduce the immune system, that is confirmed in the note I got with then and people have tested positive after 12 weeks negative, so please don't dismiss me out of hand.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: RapidRod on October 29, 2007, 08:15:30 pm
You're negative end of story here. As Ann stated work with your therapist.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 30, 2007, 06:01:29 am
So even with all these factors there is zero percent chance of me having hiv? Should I not even consider having a 6 month test? Remener I could be putting others I love at risk
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: RapidRod on October 30, 2007, 06:52:38 am
If you were at risk we would have told you. You weren't at risk and you aren't putting anyone at risk.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on October 30, 2007, 09:17:54 am
I just don't understand how you can all be so certain despite me having symptoms I've never experianced and the fact that it is possible to test positive after 12 weeks. How else can these symptoms be explained? My blood test i've shown that my body has experianced a virus, what else could it be?
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on October 30, 2007, 09:42:21 am
Very,

For a start, you don't have any proof this woman is hiv positive. Night sweats can be caused by any number of things and people say odd things all the time.

Even if she IS positive, you have conclusively tested hiv negative. If you cannot accept your negative status, then you need to seek counseling so you can learn how to cope with being hiv negative. This is not the appropriate place for you to work through these issues.

If you've read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) like you're supposed to, you will have read the following:

Quote
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). The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.

Please consider yourself warned.

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on November 01, 2007, 05:41:59 am
I'm sorry if you think I'm worrying about nothing, it's just that I'm 32 and have always had a full sex life and have never ever had oral thrush in my life. Now after several treatments and much advise from my doctors I have been unable to shift it if anything it's worse. Isn't this too much of a coincidence? I'm thinking about testing out to 6 months.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on November 01, 2007, 08:31:58 am
very,

Test when you like. However, you are already conclusively hiv negative and you will not be allowed to use this forum to continually question your hiv test results. I won't warn you about this again.

Keep working with your doctor for the thrush - and you may also find advice from a qualified nutritionist helfpful. Whatever is causing the thrush, it isn't hiv.

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on November 01, 2007, 10:07:58 am
OK ban me then, but, please admit a 12 week test isn't 100% accurate. I'm sorry that I've been a pain but I'm in a very dark place now.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on November 01, 2007, 10:27:11 am
Very,

Twelve weeks is conclusive.

Do not create a new account to get around your time out because if you do, you will be permanently banned, no questions asked.

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on December 07, 2007, 06:49:36 am
Hi, I've served my ban and I apologise for my increasingly manic rants. I've chilled out a bit and tried to get back to normal life, I've seen a therapist and been taking medictaion to help with my anxieties. My worries continued to get the better of me and I took another test! Now 20 weeks post incident, and guess what, it was negative again.

This put me at ease for a while but my anxiety creeped back and having read posts in your just tested positive forum people talk about taking over six months to test positive!! I'm calmer now and ready to face up to whatever life has in store for me but my Oral Thrush is still present and won't shift despite treatment and I my lymph nodes are still enlarged (my doctors can't explain either). What can I do to shift this cloud of uncertainty, I'm looking for help and practical advice, please don't be angry at me I've appreciated your support over this time and value your opinions.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Matty the Damned on December 07, 2007, 03:24:43 pm
If you appreciated our advice you'd listen to it.

You don't have HIV. The things that are posted in our poz only forums are none of your business and you shouldn't be snooping there. Just because somebody claims to be infected in a particular way doesn't mean it's true.

If you're having anxiety issues, see a mental health professional. We can't help you with that.

MtD
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on December 31, 2007, 12:31:56 pm
Happy new year.

HIV is still a worry for me.

I'll explain why, I've now had oral thrush, swollen glands and weakness for 4 months. I know you've all shot me down in flames when I've tried to discuss this with you all. But as Andy explained late seroconversion - "it's not a subtle event. Everything is going wrong which is quite different from flu-like symptoms" the symptoms I've had have been far from subtle. Also the Mirtaxapine (remeron in the US) I've been taking effects the bodies production of white blood cells when, you put all this together I'm sure you can understand my worries. I've also read that some people can take a long long time to produce enough antibodies to test accurately. What I ant is your help to find a test that can accurately find my HIV status.

I would appreciate any advice that can be given.

Many Thanks
Please don't just brush me aside.
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on December 31, 2007, 12:42:05 pm
Very,

You've already tested more than conclusively hiv negative. The body's production of white blood cells has NOTHING to do with the body's ability to produce antibodies, which is what the hiv tests look for. If your symptoms had anything to do with hiv, you would have tested positive by now.

You do not have hiv. Work with your doctor to find out what, if anything, is going on with you.

If you insist on continuing to post over your conclusive negative result, you will face another time out - for 56 days this time. There is nothing more we can do for you here. You do NOT have hiv.

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on March 21, 2008, 01:34:20 pm
Hi

I've laid off the internet and tried to move on with my life, I've had therapy and am on anti depressants. Please could you give me some advoce as I still have oral thrush and now have ridges on the side of my tongue OHL? My glands are still up in my neck and groin. Can you please help me?
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Ann on March 21, 2008, 02:30:13 pm
Very,

There is nothing we can do over the internet for you. Please see your doctor.

You are very close to being given a time out. Please consider yourself warned.

Ann
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: VERYWORRIED on July 01, 2008, 04:21:54 pm
Hi All,

I've persisted with my counselling and medication for the last few months; unfortunatly my worries have continued and with the agreement of my therapist I've gone for a test now one year fron the incident. I'm waiting on the results and am just writting a short note to thank all that have supported me and to hope you are all correct in your assements.

Thanks
Title: Re: Very Worried About Symptoms
Post by: Andy Velez on July 01, 2008, 04:35:01 pm
Assuming you haven't had any risky incidents since our exchanges, your negative test result is a foregone conclusion.

Keep working with your therapist. Your problem is what I call "an inside job" and we can't help you with that here.

Good luck.