Assess my test result, risk and symptoms

[benny_saturno]

I read many times in this site that unprotected oral sex is theoretical and it possess no risk based on a long term studies between couple with HIV positive and HIV negative. But I just want to share my experience for me to have a peace of mind. Here is my story:
 I had an unprotected oral sex encounter with a male sex worker last September 2008 with an unknown HIV status. During the encounter, I had sore throat and probably cuts in my mouth. Three (3) weeks after the said encounter, I developed flu like symptoms (colds with almost three months; on and off, joint pain, slight diarrhea, sneezing sore throat, malaise and the like).  But prior to the said encounter, I was hospitalized due to community acquired pneumonia for approximately 3 days. My doctor told me that my pneumonia could attributed to my asthma since I have a history of asthma during my childhood days. After 5 months (February 2009) of the unprotected oral sex encounter, I had my Rapid HIV testing in the hospital (with blood donor bank) and the result came up negative for both types. It was a great relief for me after the test because of the negative result. But throughout the year, I can easily get colds and I feel that my immune system is becoming weak. I frequently get sick now than before. I think I am experiencing HIV symptoms most of the time. I have a fear that the HIV result last February 2009 was false negative. Are there false negative result? How many percent of the false negative? Do I need to have a retest?
I need your opinion. Thanks

[RapidRod]

I read many times in this site that unprotected oral sex is theoretical and it possess no risk based on a long term studies between couple with HIV positive and HIV negative. But I just want to share my experience for me to have a peace of mind. Here is my story:
 I had an unprotected oral sex encounter with a male sex worker last September 2008 with an unknown HIV status. During the encounter, I had sore throat and probably cuts in my mouth. Three (3) weeks after the said encounter, I developed flu like symptoms (colds with almost three months; on and off, joint pain, slight diarrhea, sneezing sore throat, malaise and the like).  But prior to the said encounter, I was hospitalized due to community acquired pneumonia for approximately 3 days. My doctor told me that my pneumonia could attributed to my asthma since I have a history of asthma during my childhood days. After 5 months (February 2009) of the unprotected oral sex encounter, I had my Rapid HIV testing in the hospital (with blood donor bank) and the result came up negative for both types. It was a great relief for me after the test because of the negative result. But throughout the year, I can easily get colds and I feel that my immune system is becoming weak. I frequently get sick now than before. I think I am experiencing HIV symptoms most of the time. I have a fear that the HIV result last February 2009 was false negative. Are there false negative result? How many percent of the false negative? Do I need to have a retest?
I need your opinion. Thanks

You never had a risk from oal sex. No you do not need any testing.

[benny_saturno]

Thanks rapidron but would you recommend me to take an STD test? For now, I observed that I usually had canker sores. Anyway, just a single canker sore below my tongue. About two to three times a month. I thought because of the food that I take which cause on irritation. I observed that it get irritated first then the apthous ulcer follows.  I am afraid that this maybe a symptom of HIV infection. Do I need to worry?

[RapidRod]

Thanks rapidron but would you recommend me to take an STD test? For now, I observed that I usually had canker sores. Anyway, just a single canker sore below my tongue. About two to three times a month. I thought because of the food that I take which cause on irritation. I observed that it get irritated first then the apthous ulcer follows.  I am afraid that this maybe a symptom of HIV infection. Do I need to worry?

You didn't have a risk of contracting HIV. STD testing would be adviseable.

[jkinatl2]

Just chiming in to agree with RapidRod - though this is NOT an HIV situation, if you are going to be sexually active then a regular STD panel should be done.

[benny_saturno]

Thanks rapidron for your immediate response. I would probably take an STD test. At least I have a peace of mind now. Thank you very much to you and to all the moderators who makes everyone in the forum informed and eventually makes us safe for our next sexcapades. It was a great relief and a peace of mind for all of us having the same experience. Again, thanks...

[benny_saturno]

With regards to the canker sore, it got irritated first in the area then the sore will follow but it totally heals on a day or two. Do you think this is a canker sore or a candidiasis? It goes away 2-3 days. Only a single and small sore appears. This made me worried? Do I?

[RapidRod]

Your canker sores have nothing to do with HIV.

[Ann]

Benny,

If this sore of yours is one that keeps reappearing in the same place, it's probably herpes. You should not be giving anyone oral sex or kissing anyone while you have one of these sores present - or when you feel one coming on - as you will give them herpes.

Regardless of whether the sores are canker sores or herpes, it is not candidiasis. Candidiasis does not cause sores like what you describe.

This is not an hiv situation.

Ann

[benny_saturno]

Dear Anne,

Thanks for the info. and advice. Actually, a single canker sore appears in my touque or in my cheek, sometimes in the same location but most of the time, in different locations. Also, a very small single blister with water also appears in my cheek after eating some food. It may attributed to the food that I took... what do you think? I hope this is not an HIV symptom... Does mouth herpes a symptom of HIV?

[Andy Velez]

We can't diagnose symptoms here. We can tell you there is nothing HIV-specific about anything you are reporting. And no, a mouth herpes is not an HIV specific happening.

You should discuss your concerns with your doctor to determine what the real cause might be since I'll remind you that you have not had a risk for HIV.  As has been suggested previously doing an STD test might be good to determine if some other STD is involved.

[Ann]

Benny,

Unless you've been having unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse since your conclusive hiv test result back in 2009, then hiv isn't your problem. You do not have hiv and no, the 2009 test could not have been a false negative. You were outside the window period and you didn't actually have a risk anyway.

If you want to know the exact nature of your oral sores, show them to a doctor and let the doctor diagnose you. Nobody can diagnose your sores over the internet. We can make suggestions, which I already have, but you need to take any suggestions to a doctor and discuss it with him or her.

Ann

[benny_saturno]

Andy and Anne, thank you so much for the informative response. Thanks for relieving my anxiousness about it... In my whole life, I never had unprotected anal or vaginal sex with anyone but lots of unprotected oral sex.

[Andy Velez]

OK. It's good to know that you don't have unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse.

As a sexually active person it would be good for you to regularly have a full STD panel done. That means at least once a year and more often if you have symptoms. Other STDs are much easier to acquire than HIV.

[benny_saturno]

Rapid rod and Andy:

I Just dropped by at the NEW INFECTED tab and read some of the stories of HIV+ where they got it via oral sex transmission. Accordingly, you haven't contradicted their statement about getting through HIV oral sex. Would that mean you agree that giving a blowjob is a mode of transmission though it is a low risk? Thanks and hope to find an answer with this....

[Matty the Damned]

Rapid rod and Andy:

I Just dropped by at the NEW INFECTED tab and read some of the stories of HIV+ where they got it via oral sex transmission. Accordingly, you haven't contradicted their statement about getting through HIV oral sex. Would that mean you agree that giving a blowjob is a mode of transmission though it is a low risk? Thanks and hope to find an answer with this....

Just because people claim they contracted HIV from oral sex doesn't mean they did. I Just Tested Positive is run differently from Am I Infected?.  We spend our time supporting newly diagnosed people rather than "contradicting their statements".

That is the main focus of this website, fellowship and support provided to HIV positive people by HIV positive people and our close allies.

Answering the questions of Worried Wells is really just a minor sideline.

In any event what is posted in IJTP is none of your business and has no bearing whatsoever on your situation. It does not change the risk assessments you have been given and it would be appreciated if you refrained from dragging what you read there back here into your thread.

Got it?

MtD

[jkinatl2]

Rapid rod and Andy:

I Just dropped by at the NEW INFECTED tab and read some of the stories of HIV+ where they got it via oral sex transmission. Accordingly, you haven't contradicted their statement about getting through HIV oral sex. Would that mean you agree that giving a blowjob is a mode of transmission though it is a low risk? Thanks and hope to find an answer with this....

It would be unnecessarily cruel and divisive to confront a person during a period of great emotional stress and vulnerability to interrogate then regarding their stated route of transmission. In most cases (and I've seen it take years) the party in question will admit to blackout sex whilst drink, of "occasionally foregoing condoms" or of flat out being afraid of being judged. There is a real stigma associated with being a "bad" positive person versus an "innocent victim." some feel that they need to be innocent.

Not our place in that forum (which dabbles only a little in the gritty, data-driven information that a recently positive person needs) to state the obvious: the plural of anecdote is not data. Patient report after the fact (infection) has been proven time and again as being notoriously unreliable. But I think you would agree that a time and a place for gentle corrections is prudent.

We are trying to support severely traumatized people in that forum. When they are strong enough to join the "living with" forum they might encounter a culture shock. We do what we can to make them ready for this.

This part of the forum  - the Am I Infected section - was placed as a public service and a courtesy for those who think they might be infected. It is, of course, done on its own worthwhile merits of disseminating accurate and globally relevant HIV science. It is also a way to keep Worried Wells from posting in other parts of the forum, often browbeating the vulnerable recently infected people whose knowledge of HIV might be quite rudimentary and obsolete.

Getting HIV from giving fellatio (sucking penis) has never been documented in any if the large serodiscordant studies. The fact that it only ever seems to pop up is when people claim that route post-infection us very telling. Given the issues of institutionalized mysogeny (having receptive anal sex being a source of emasculating shame) along with the fuzzy memories brought on by drugs and alcohol, not to mention good old cognitive dissonance, and it is not hard to see where claims of extraordinary infection happen.

Usually time, education, an increased self awareness and perspective has a way of sorting this out. No promises of course, but in that forum it is inappropriate to judge or interrogate.

That's why we ask worried wells to stay out. We are trying to save lives there, sometimes literally.

*edited for typos- probably not for the last time.