POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: yaya on December 08, 2006, 01:22:09 am
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Hi there,
about 3 months ago I french kissed a guy that I was starting a new relationship with. I kissed him right after eating some hard candy so I had alot of knicks and cuts in my mouth. About a minute after I kissed him I felt a stinging sensation in my mouth seeping into my tongue, this lasted a good 10 seconds. At the time I brushed it off and thought that it was due to a mint that this guy could have eaten or possibly toothpaste/mouth freshner.
3 days after the kissing incident I came down with a cold that lasted a week. During this time i also had a weird feeling of things moving in my body and skin. I all of a sudden felt very dry as though I were dehydrated. I had a feeling that something was definitely wrong. As soon as I recovered from the cold I got muscle pains all over my body. I felt like someone that had vigorously worked out after not having done so in a while. I also developed an upper back ache between my shoulders that lasted about 10days. I couldn't even raise my arms halfway up due to the back ache and muscle pains. During this same period of time I one day woke up from one of my daily naps to a dull perisistent ache in my forearm. I stretched my arm and after about 15 to 20 minutes the pain/discomfort in my arm disappeared. However about 3 days later I woke to have the same dull persistent pain in my other forearm. I also developed joint pains and have since had some swelling especially around my wrist area.
By this time I was already freaking out and 2 weeks after the kissing incident i had a DNA PCR HIV test done because I was told that it could detect HIV soon after possible exposure. My results came back negative but it is at this time, after paying $275 for the test was I told that the test was not conclusive because I did it only 2 weeks after the possible exposure experience. I was told that for a conlusive DNA PCR test I should have done it 28 days after possible exposure.
It is now almost 3 months (2 weeks left) after the kissing incident and I noticed that I have a small lymph node in the side of my neck right between where my chin is and where the trunk of my body starts. I have continued to have joint aches. My neck also looks like it is inflamed on the outside but I don't have any discomfort or pain in my throat. I know that I will have to do another HIV test at 3 months. My worry is that am experiencing early HIV infection.
Might I be infected??? Please give me some feed back.....PLZ
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Even with the possibility of some cuts or abrasions in your mouth, your risk from french kissing is essentially zero.
Symptoms are useless for diagnosing HIV, the only meaningful diagnosis comes from an HIV test.
You have had one test that was negative shortly after an encounter which posed no risk.
If you feel the need to confirm this result you could get tested again although I don't think it is necessary.
If your symptoms persist you should consult your doctor to find out what is wrong (but it won't be HIV)
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Yaya, kissing is safe and a no risk activity. Saliva is not infectious, and contains many enzymes and amylase that will inhibit HIV. There have been no recorded incidents of hiv infection spread by kissing, and you will not be the first one. You do not need to test over this incident, but if it will help you gain peace of mind, then by all means do, but you were not at risk and do not need to test.
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yaya,
You wasted $275. You had no risk, hard candy or no hard candy. Kissing is not a risk as saliva is not infectious.
Please read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) and follow the Transmission Lesson link so you can know what is and what isn't a risk for hiv infection.
Here's how to protect yourself against hiv: 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 STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.
Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.
Although you never needed testing over this kiss, 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 intercourse and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple.
Ann
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So why do I have all these symptoms???? Today I had a long bout of Nausea, I continue to feel as though my glands in my neck are swollen even iif there is no pain. I do have some dull soreness where i can feel a small lymphnode on the side of my neck, PLZ HELP!!!
yaya,
You wasted $275. You had no risk, hard candy or no hard candy. Kissing is not a risk as saliva is not infectious.
Please read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) and follow the Transmission Lesson link so you can know what is and what isn't a risk for hiv infection.
Here's how to protect yourself against hiv: 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 STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.
Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.
Although you never needed testing over this kiss, 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 intercourse and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple.
Ann
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yaya,
I don't know why you are having symptoms, but I can tell you that hiv has nothing to do with it. Go see your doctor. Hiv isn't the only illness in the world.
You PMd me to ask a question. I do not answer questions via PM. Ask here in the forum.
An hiv positive person on hiv meds will still test positive, without doubt. The meds have nothing to do with antibodies.
Kissing is NOT a risk for hiv, hard candy or no hard candy.
Ann
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Hi Ann,
Thanx for your messages and by the way I didn't mean to IM you a question, am new to this so am not 100%sure how things work.
I have 2 small nodes I can feel on either side of my neck and I have this rash on my face. I continue to think that something could have happened when I kissed that guy whose status am not sure of. I wished I felt differently and am not a hypochondriac so am not making anything up. I also have like a dull pulsating sensation on my chest right in the center of the collar bone. Any advice??? Also the fact that I had nausea worries me....
yaya,
You wasted $275. You had no risk, hard candy or no hard candy. Kissing is not a risk as saliva is not infectious.
Please read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) and follow the Transmission Lesson link so you can know what is and what isn't a risk for hiv infection.
Here's how to protect yourself against hiv: 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 STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.
Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.
Although you never needed testing over this kiss, 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 intercourse and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple.
Ann
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You are worried about getting HIV from KISSING? Seriously? You have read the WELCOME thread, right? I don't care what symptoms you have, it ain't HIV. Get with the program.
R
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yaya,
There are many illnesses that can be transmitted through kissing, but hiv is most definitely NOT one of them. If you think you're ill, go see your doctor. Whatever is going on has nothing to do with hiv.
Ann
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Thanx Cubbybear and the rest of you for your support. It is amazing that there is actually a support group like this that exists!!! You are helping people in ways you cannot begin to imagine.
To date I have only had one HIV test done since the incident occured, this test was done 14 days after the fact(DNA PCR TEST). It is almost 3 months now and I cannot gather up the courage to go for another test. Lately I have been dealing with a rash on my face that i've had for a week, 2 tiny lymph nodes on either side of my neck that have been there for almost 3 weeks and a cold that is finally beginning to subside after what has seemed to be a long week!!!!
I totally understand what you are all saying about no risk involved in my situation but I still worry because of all the health problems I seem to be experiencing. Lymph nodes scare me the most, I read somewhere that if there are swollen lymph nodes, then there is most likely an apparent hiv infection.
Once again, PLZ HELP.
Yaya, kissing is safe and a no risk activity. Saliva is not infectious, and contains many enzymes and amylase that will inhibit HIV. There have been no recorded incidents of hiv infection spread by kissing, and you will not be the first one. You do not need to test over this incident, but if it will help you gain peace of mind, then by all means do, but you were not at risk and do not need to test.
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yaya,
Lymph nodes are there to take care of ANY and EVERY infection in the body, not just hiv. Whoever told you that swollen lymph only has something to do with hiv was WRONG.
And keep your hands off your lymph nodes. Touching them all the time will MAKE them swell and KEEP them swollen.
You did not become infected with hiv, and I don't care what your symptoms are. You will not become infected through kissing. Go see your doctor to find out the real cause of your symptoms. You don't need further hiv testing and that PCR was a total waste of time, money and resources.
Ann
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Hi Everyone,
Hope you all had a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays.
I now have one small red wart with a white (DOT) centre up inside my mouth. I have had it for 2 days now and it pretty sore especially when hard food get over it. I also have had for about 2 weeks now a raised medium sized lesion also in the upper part of my mouth. This lesion has no feeling(Is not Painful) and is the same color as the rest of the inside of my mouth. I only noticed it was there when my tongue happened to feel it. I know that I never had it before. This ofcourse makes me worry even more that I may be infected!! I know you are all going to say that I should see a doctor but I dont have health insurance at the moment and so this website is my main source of help/information/education.
I was never one of those that stressed out about contracting HIV, my health has just seemed to go down heel after the kissing incident that I believe is the source of hiv exposure. Right after that incident I got the worst muscle aches and joint aches and that prompted me to do all this research on the net and thats how I found this website. I was never one to think up these symptoms or read about them and then manifest them........I know you all shall say that you cannot get HIV from kissing but it has been said that there is a low possibility that it could happen. I am freaked out that am unfortunately one of those in that low unlikelyness to become infected!!!
I still have this rash on my face that had subsided for a few days while I was getting on my monthly cycle but now seems to be back!!!!! Any info would help!!!!PLZZZZZZZ!!! Am freaked out to go get tested!!!!!!
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Ya, there's no more information to give you about this concern in relation to HIV. Believe us or not, you weren't at risk for HIV. Period. End of story. Really!
See your doctor if you have physical concerns.
This is really about feelings and not facts. If you can't stop worrying needlessly, then I suggest you see a therapist or other similar professional to discuss the emotional aspects of your unwarranted fears.
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So what is that in my mouth?? And please understand that am asking very politely, am not trying to be smart? I just dont undrstand why all these heath issues?? Plz help, Thankyou
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We can not diagnosis you mouth issues on the internet nor can anyone else. Go to your doctor if you need to have those questions answered. You won't find it by being on the internet.
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So what is that in my mouth?? And please understand that am asking very politely, am not trying to be smart? I just dont undrstand why all these heath issues?? Plz help, Thankyou
Your health issues have nothing to with HIV. As for the kissing incident--don't assume it is even related to anything. Non-HIV illnesses happen all the time. See a doctor for your concerns. The internet is not a place to diagnose yourself or to have other people diagnose you.
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Hi there,
several months ago I started a relationship with someone of unknown status and we have tried to practise safe sex the best way we know how. My worry right now is that I have developed a COLD(and DRY COUGH) that have lasted more than 11 days and I can't seem to get rid of them, I have tried all over he counter meds and am still sick!!. Is this a symptom of early hiv infection????? PLZ HELP!!!!
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Please keep all your questions and concerns in your orginal thread.
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Having a cold is not in any way and HIV specific symptom.
If yours is persistent that's something to discuss with your doctor.
I'm not sure what you mean about practicing safer sex as best you can. It's not a complicated matter. It means using a latex condom everytime you have intercourse, if you're having intercourse. For the real deal on HIV transmission please read the lesson about it on this site. You'll find a link to it in the Welcome thread which opens this section.
Keep all of your comments and questions in this thread. Don't start anymore new threads.
Thanks for your cooperation.
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Thanx Andy,
I do know that practicing safe sex is no complicated task and thats what my partner and I have been doing. My concern is that am not sure of his actual status and because I now have this cold that I can't seem to shake off am worried that somehow I might have put myself at risk (exposed)to HIV. I read somewhere once that Magic Johnsin found out he had HIV because he had a cold that he couldn't get rid of and that is worrying me a great deal. Please let me know if this is the case in people that are exposed to the hiv virus??
Thanx.
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Since none of your incidences actually involve risk for contracting HIV, I don't see how it's possible to have become infected. Kissing is not a risk, and safe sex is just that...safe (hence the name).
Magic Johnson had unprotected sex with hundreds of women, that's how he became infected.
If your cold symptoms persist, see a doctor.
Brent
(Who knows risk when he reads it)
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yaya,
i don't know where you live but where i live it's the end of the rainy season and they're plenty of colds going around. i can't think of an easier way to get a cold than kissing somebody.
as for protected sex, you're safe from hiv.... that's why it's called "protected".
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Pax, read the "Welcome" thread and pay special attention to the posting guidelines. DO NOT post in any threads other than your own.
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Thanx Bucko,
So are you saying that IN THE EVENT OF HIV INFECTION, a cold that you can't get rid of would be a symptom??
Also, I would like to hear from you please Rapid Pod and the rest of you,
Helpless and worried,
Yaya.
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yaya, a cold is a cold. You didn't have a risk. Why are you seek out information on an HIV forum? If you have a cold that just won't go away, see your doctor.