Reading symptoms causing anxiety!

[Firstencounter001]

I am 35 year old male who had a sexual encounter with a csw on the 01/06/ 24. She gave me a protected bj and  then she was on top for less a minute before I came. I did not realise that I came and 2 mins later when I removed the condom from top, my penis was covered in semen. When I was leaving I asked her if I should be worried about any diseases and she said that we've used protection. I had an underarm rash last week which lead me to read about the symptoms of hiv. Since then I've been reading the symptoms of hiv which is causing a lot of anxiety. Today, ie day 17 since the event I have developed a Cold and itchy throat and fever. I always get a fever at the onset of the rainy season which is now. This was the 1st time I've had sex outside of my marriage in the last 10 years and 1st time ever with a csw. I sure as well won't be repeating and have been avoiding sex with my partner.  I've scheduled an appointment with a hcp next week. What are the next steps? Do I take medicines for the fever and cold or should I hold off till I meet the hcp? And what can I do to reduce the anxiety? Do any of these symptoms and associated timelines make sense from an hiv pov?

[Jim Allen]

Hiya.

I read your post three times with great care.

In short, you had no HIV risk from the activities with the sex worker. Move on with your life, use condoms for any intercourse, no exceptions and get an STI & HIV screening yearly out of routine.

these symptoms

They are not HIV-specific at all, some of them have nothing to do with HIV regardless of your HIV status. See your healthcare provider and treat whatever is making you feel unwell.

She gave me a protected bj and  then she was on top for less a minute before I came. I did not realise that I came and 2 mins later when I removed the condom from top, my penis was covered in semen.

Even if you had received a condomless blowjob it lacks the conditions required for acquiring HIV; thus, it makes sense that after 40+ years of this pandemic in terms of BJs, there hasn't been a single documented case of HIV transmission to an insertive partner (the person being "sucked"), and you will not be the worlds first.

As for intercourse, HIV can't be transmitted through an intact latex, polyisoprene or polyurethane condom. Unless a condom obviously fails during intercourse, there is no reason to be stressing about HIV or testing for HIV outside the standard yearly HIV screening. In other words, you had no HIV risk.

Now this is an HIV forum, your encounter with the sex worker was not an HIV risk, but I will mention that most STIs are far more infectious than HIV and the levels of protection condoms offer for various STIs depend significantly on differences in how the diseases or infections are transmitted. Some infections (Not HIV) are transmitted primarily by skin-to-skin contact, viral shredding or skin-to-lesion contact, etc., which may infect areas not covered by a condom, such as genital herpes, human papillomavirus [HPV], Chancroid (Haemophilus ducreyi) etc.

No need to panic about STIs every time you have sex, just keep using condoms and get a routine STI screening yearly. Talk to your doctor about getting vaccinated against HPV, hepatitis A and hepatitis B.

And what can I do to reduce the anxiety?

Therapist.

my partner

I'll mention the same thing I always do when someone says they are in a relationship;

If you engage in condomless sex with your partner, you are obviously at risk of acquiring HIV. In relationships, condomless sex is often based on trust or past test results; however, this does not prevent HIV, so if condomless sex does occur, you should consider testing more frequently.

Here's what you need to know to reduce your HIV risks:
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse correctly and consistently, with no exceptions. Consider talking to your healthcare provider about PrEP as an additional layer of protection against HIV and get vaccinated against HPV, Hepatitis A & B.

Keep in mind that some sexual practices described as safe in terms of acquiring HIV still pose a risk for other easier-acquired STIs. So please do get tested at least yearly for STIs, including but not limited to HIV, and more frequently if condomless intercourse occurs.

Also, note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms; testing is the only way to know.

Kind regards

Jim

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