Symptom starting at 2 weeks?

[eduardoazq]

First time in my life that I had sex with a sex provider..... 3 weeks ago and unfortunately the condom broke (I never ever had an accident with my 10years exgirlfriend and I have it with a stranger... ).
When I noticed it I remove my penis from her (but probably i was inside for 10-20 secs without noticing after the condom broke) I asked her her status and she said that she is ok and that she was in her 7th day doing this.... but she did not appeared to be worried at all. I went to the ER and they put me on PEP.

I am taking 4 tablets of Kaletra 200/50mg and 1 of TRUVADA 200/300mg once a day. I would say that in general I am pretty good with the medication, only a little bit of diarrhea.

My question is related with ARS... When I reached the 2 week approx (wednesday last week- day 13), I started with a strange sensation in my neck, like numbness and pain, after a couple of day my neck swollen and the node gland were obviously visible because of the size. Then, the burning sensation went worse and I started feeling the throat very swollen but no pain or fever ... but I started having a burning sensation under my armpits and in the arms. On saturday I felt a general malaise like when you are getting sick, a inflamation sensation in my ears, back, neck and nose.
Yesterday (day 18)  morning I woke up with a very sore throat and my neck very swollen, I couldn't sleep well at night... I woke up several times because of the discomfort of the sore throat, I might I have fever as well.
But today I woke feeling much better, throat is still red and sore but much less than before and in general I am feeling much better. My neck is almost back to normal again.
 All this time, since the first week I've been having lower back pain and my right elbow (tip of elbow) hurts a lot since my 3-4day with the medication. My doctor tested me for other STDs, everything negative.

Do you think this could be that PEP failed?

Do you think this could be ARS?

ARS could last 5 - 7 days?

Symptoms appear progressive and then everything dissappear or everything comes at once and it goes at once?

The only thing that I havent  had is very high fever, chills or groin nodes swollen

I am very concerned.

[Joe K]

Eduardo,

While you did have a risk, the risk is very low as you were unprotected for a short period of time.  You were put on PEP and I do not expect you to test positive from this incident as HIV is harder to transmit to the insertive partner and your exposure was so brief.  Since you are taking PEP, you will need to test at 6 weeks AFTER the PEP ends and then again at 3 months to confirm the results.

As for your symptoms, they can be caused by many things.  The medications you are taking are very powerful and have known side effects, so some of your issues will most probably end, once you stop the medications.  Stress and anxiety can also cause various symptoms and given your apprehension over this issue, your stress could be causing symptoms as well.

This is why we do not discuss symptoms in relation to HIV, as symptoms can be caused by many things and the only way to know your status is to test.  I fully believe that you will test negative, but there is no way for us to know what is causing your symptoms and if you find them troubling, please consult your doctor.

Joe 

[eduardoazq]

Thank you for the quick answer.
I really hope you are right. It is very frustrating living in a Country like Canada and not having access as quickly as desired to your family doctor or to the specialist. I live in Toronto and my next appointment with the specialist to review the toxicity of the medication in my body ...to modify the medication if needed... is next wednesday.... when I complete the 28 days PEP  ... it is amazing.

But anyway, you might or not be a doctor but I appreciate your time to reply.

I will keep posting whenever my results are so a record from symptoms to results up to 6 month are posted... I've read for a while this forum and a most of the people that ask something they never came back to inform final results.

Thanks you

[Joe K]

Eduardo,

PeP is not like taking antivirals, where you adjust the dose if necessary.  It is a set dose based on science to assure that HIV does not infect you.  I live in Canada as well and this has nothing to do with seeing a doctor, to adjust your PeP dose, because that could compromise the ability of the meds to work.

You also do not need to worry about any toxicity from the meds, as you will not have taken them long enough for that to be a concern.  Toxicity becomes an issue ONLY when you are taking such meds consistently and with you, that is not the case.  28 days of PeP will not harm you in the long run.

None of us who moderate this forum are doctors, however we have all lived with HIV for very long times.  I have been poz for 30 years and active in the HIV community for just as long.  The assessments we provide are based on the latest peer-reviewed science and we review our guidelines as the science directs us.

Lastly, you do not need to test at 6 months, as a negative result at 3 months will not magically change to a positive 3 months later, assuming no further risk.

Joe