POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: Ace-boy on November 03, 2008, 07:42:22 am
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Hello everyone, great site, have been visiting it for quite a while to mostly keep myself sane.
Last year, in May I had my first gay experience. We both sucked each other & I topped him. After the oral, I immediately brushed my teeth vigorously. At the time I believed I had nothing to worry about. About two months later I had another encounter with a different guy. I was the bottom & I also sucked him. To my horror, I realised that I'd brushed my teeth before the oral and I wasn't sure if I had any cuts. That is exactly when my oral started. A week later, I had the most horrible diarrhea I've ever had. I had woken up feeling ok, but later on in the day, I had to rush to the loo. It was simply horrible, really beyond words. The diarrhea lasted for only one session then I was ok. This only helped fuel my anxiety though. Everything was ok, till I got the flu. I believe the flu was because of the cold, many people seemed to have it. In December, I started getting a rash on my feet, on the sides. After some internet research I found out that it looked like the syphilis rash. It was painless and when popped, pus would come out. To my horror again, I discovered two painless sores in my mouth, on each side. They haven't gone to this day. They're painless, just sit there doing nothing. I've also got some lose greyish skin at the right side of my mouth (could this be leukopia?) The rash on my feet comes and goes and everytime I see or feel it, I just get depressed. I was thinking it could be syphilis but now I'm doubting cause apparently syphilis rash is on the palms of the hands and under the feet. Now I believe it could be HIV. Could you please tell me exactly what you think as you guys seem to be experts in this matter. I've confided in one friend but he gets irritated anytime I want to talk about it. My life is just hell cause I believe I might be positive and don't know what to do. I was supposed to go test a few months back but I'm so scared of the result. Since then I haven't had intercourse. I told the second guy about my feelings and apparently he went and got tested and said he was negative. Don't believe him. The first guy was anonymous. Both anal encounters, condoms were utilised. Thank you for reading this.
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I don't see anywhere that you were using condoms for the anal sex. If you didn't you put yourself at risk.
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Ace,
As Rodney says, we need clarification as to whether or not you used condoms for the intercourse. If condoms were used, you are worrying about hiv needlessly. Getting a blowjob is not a risk for hiv infection. Giving a blowjob is a theoretical risk, but one that rarely, if ever, happens.
If condoms were not used, you need to test at three months past the last unprotected incident for a conclusive negative result.
You need to take your rash and painless lesions to a doctor because it could indeed be syphilis. Syphilis is a much more easily transmitted infection than hiv and you could have gotten it from the oral - or either if condoms weren't used for intercourse. However, as this site is hiv-specific, we can't help you with that here. The ONLY way to find out what the rash and lesions are is to see a doctor. Syphilis shares a three month window period with hiv for a conclusive negative result, but if your skin/mouth problems ARE syphilis, you would test positive now. SEE YOUR DOCTOR. Potential syphilis should NOT be ignored.
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, 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
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Thanks guys, very fast reply! I can see my post was overly long cause you didn't notice that near the bottom I said, "for the anal sex, condoms were utilised."
So basically I don't have to worry about hiv infection but it could be syphilis?
Thanks guys.
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Ace,
Sorry about missing that detail. You're right, you don't need to be worrying about hiv with the situations you bring here. However, if you've ever had unprotected intercourse with anyone, including women, then you'd be wise to test.
And yes, you should definitely get checked out for syphilis. Painless lesions are a hallmark of syphilis infection. Of course it could be something else, but better safe than sorry. Get checked. You may as well get a full sexual health check up while you're at it. You should be doing this as a matter of routine anyway, as I mentioned in my first post.
Ann
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Thanks Ann, will definitely go for a test and let you guys know of the result. I hate to push your buttons more than I already have but could you please tell me if you also get painless lesions with HIV & if so, where do they commonly occur on the body? This is just out of interest & also to completely put myself at rest.
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No, you would not be getting lesions as a symptom of ARS. Like Ann & Rod, I don't see you having been at risk for HIV during this incident.
Cheers.
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I didn't mean ARS. I meant in the later stages of hiv, like maybe a year or two later...
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Ace,
Painless lesions are a symptom of syphilis, NOT hiv.
Stop fretting about it and posting about it on the internet and GET IT CHECKED OUT. Untreated syphilis can be quite nasty. It could also be something totally harmless. Get checked out and find out one way or the other. We cannot diagnose you here, you MUST see a doctor in person.
Ann
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Thank you guys. Will go and get checked out after my final exam on the 10th of this month. Will let you know of the result.
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Tomorrow is the 10th and as I promised myself I'm going for my test. Was very confident when you said nothing is wrong and I'm definitely going to pull through with a negative result. But now I'm getting flashes of the nurse holding my hand saying she's sorry but I tested positive. Do you think it'd be better if I went for counselling just incase it comes out positive so I can deal better with the diagnosis. You're the only people I can talk to so please don't think I'm hesitating, I just need advice. I'm going to a free testing clinic, when will I get my results?
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We can't tell you when you will get your results. If the clinic is using the quick method, you could have the result in a few minutes. Otherwise it may take longer.
Quit fretting. So stop jumping ahead to what you have to do if you test positive. In that extremely unlikely eventuality we'd deal with it. But it ain't gonna happen. You used a condom for intercourse. They provide very effective protection. I expect you to test negative.
Keep us posted.
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So I went to the hospital as I promised myself. Got directions from a doctor to the testing area. Once there, I was met with a long line. As I stood there, watching people I began panicking. Many of the people were coughing furiously and there was a certain deathly thin man being wheeled away on a bed. I got scared & just walked away, what the hell is wrong with me?
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You are going to find people in beds at hospitals being shuttled around that are ill, that's what hospitals are for. You could have tested in a clinic but you may also see people very ill there also.