someone please help?!

[cantsleeep]

I have a low risk, but at the same time a very concerning one...about 1.5 years ago I performed oral sex on an man of unknown status, it was very brief no more than 30 seconds and there was no ejaculation, (I cannot recall if there was pre-cum or not). 8 days later sinus infection, not feeling well…that went away after medication, then 12 days after possible exposure ate calamari, a couple hours later severe abdominal pain followed by throwing up and then during the night diarrhea and more nausea and vomiting. That night had severe chills and sweating, felt like I was burning up. Nurse at health center said low-grade fever and probably a virus of some sort. I was advised to come back if I did not feel better. I stopped throwing up and having diarrhea after approximately a 24 hour period but just felt completely wiped out. No rash or joint pain. About 18 days after contact still not feeling well, really wiped out so went to home doctor. He determined my glands were swollen but did not think I was recovering from food poisoning although no specific test was done for that. Performed routine blood work everything normal. Shortly after I developed a small rash around the chin area on my face. It was a few small bumps entire area no bigger than a quarter. Felt like a dry patch on skin, I applied petroleum jelly and it faded away. It actually returned a few weeks later and again faded away after applying lots of moisture. Three months later episodes of headaches with no apparent cause. Now at 1.5 years later have been suffering bouts of very loose stools on and off over the past 3 months. I have been diagnosed as having one swollen lymph gland on back of neck, others were fine. Itchy skin in the mouth and nose area and all over my hands. Ulcers inside mouth. My mouth is also very dry which could be due to the current anxiety i am suffering but it has been dry on and off over the past couple of months.  Coincidence I ate calamari that night or are symptoms unrelated to hiv. I cannot help but compare the symptoms to that of positive people and think they are very consistent. I know symptoms are not reliable but I am stressing over mine and am making myself sick about it! Please, please advise me on this matter, thank you so much for everything you all do.  I need some reassurance as ever since I came across hiv symptoms I am convinced that explains my weird viral problem back then.  Does this really sound as on target as it is in my mind?

[Andy Velez]

There is absolutely nothing in what you are reporting symptomatically which is HIV specific. But then neither the presence nor the absence of symptoms is ever the way to know anything accurately about your HIV status. Only an HIV test taken at the appropriate time will give you that answer. The CDC recommends testing at 13 weeks after the most recent risky incident for a reliable answer.

Giving oral, particularly without ejaculation, is very, very low on the risk list. If that's your only concern I wouldn't even consider testing to be necessary. However, this has obviously been on your mind for sometime, so strictly to put your mind at ease I would say get tested, collect the inevitable negative result and mark the case "closed."

If you haven't already done so, read the lesson on Transmission on this site. You can find a link to it in the Welcome thread which begins this section.

I don't see this as an HIV situation.

Cheers,

[cantsleeep]

Thanks for your quick response Andy.  This was my only sexual experience but given the nature and timing of my symptoms I am very nervous.  This has only come to my attention recently because a friend I know had a scare with HIV and I began researching symptoms only to make myself crazy and realize that ARS could be an explanation to my viral illness 1.5 yr ago although I had always blamed food poisoning.  Do you think its possible for my symptoms to exist as they had and really be negative?  I am sorry if I'm driving people crazy, but I do tend to have anxiety and any words of advice are very comforting.  Thanks all...

[cantsleeep]

anyone else words of advice i am going crazy with fear?

[Andy Velez]

You've worried about this for way too long. How about just getting an HIV test and collecting what I expect will be a negative result so that you can put this concern behind you?

From what you have described I expect you will test negative, but there's nothing like having that test result in your hand to remove doubts.

Cheers,

[cantsleeep]

Thanks again Andy, you are very helpful I appreciate it greatly.  The reason I think I am still so worried is the severity and timing of my symptoms, of course it could have simply been food poisoning or I may have even happened to get the flu but I have read other peoples accounts of their symptoms and mine are so similar it is making me crazy!!  I really wonder if people have had such accounts and been negative.  I am getting tested in just two weeks I hope I can make it!  This website definitely gives me the hope and reassurance I need.  Thanks to all.

[Andy Velez]

Good luck with your test. I expect you to come out of this ok. Really.

Keep us posted.

Cheers,

[cantsleeep]

Thanks again Andy, you have no idea how much this helps me get by.  Continued words of advice and wisdom are very welcome and much appreciated from all!!!  Thank you. 

-Scared.