ARS symptoms?

[walker1]

First, I really appreciate anyone who takes the time to offer feedback here. Just over three weeks ago, I had unprotected insertive anal sex with a woman (not a sex worker) I've known briefly. I pulled out but I was in there for a couple minutes. Ten days after that I tested negative (just for peace of mind -- yes, I know it doesn't mean much in terms of recent infection) and had tested negative back in May as well.

Twenty days later (within the acute infection window) my throat felt a little sore so I took some natural remedies for it which helped at first but yesterday morning it had developed into a cold. Really just a mild sore throat, no fever, no swollen lymph nodes, or rash. Just a basic lousy feeling. I should mention I had been staying up very very late prior to feeling the imbalance so my immunity was probably down. I hydrated, slept, took zinc and tea all day yesterday and I do feel quite a bit better today.

Do acute symptoms every present just as a sore throat without any other "flu-like" symptoms? If it is HIV-related, will remedies like zinc and echinacea make a difference in resolving it so quickly?

[Andy Velez]

First of all, neither the presence nor the absence of symptoms will ever tell you anything accurately about your HIV status. And there is nothing that is in any way HIV specific about the ones you are reporting.

Only an HIV test taken at the appropriate time will give you the answer you want. You can test initially at 6 weeks. If you get a negative result then the likelihood is that you will test negative again at 3 months for a conclusive result.

As the insertive partner you were at less risk than the receptive partner. And we're talking about a single incident. HIV is significantly harder to transmit from female to male than the other way around. So the odds are in your favor that you will test negative.

But for the future you need to keep in mind lower risk is not the same as no risk.  You can have as much vaginal or anal intercourse as you want to. But you need to do it the safer way. That means always without exceptions using a condom properly each time.

Good luck with your test(s).

[walker1]

Thanks Andy. Much appreciated.