Anxious I may have been infected

[Aussie.guy.12245]

Hi all,

Looking for some insight on if I may be at risk.

13 days ago I saw a sex worker and had protected anal and vaginal sex.

After the anal sex the sex worker swapped the condom.

3 days later I had unprotected vaginal sex with my partner but did not finish inside her.

5 days after the possible exposure I started getting a fever ranging between 37.3 and 38 deg C and a headache.

4 days after i had sex with my partner she got the same symptoms.

Her symptoms finished 5 days later and mine are ongoing now including night sweats.

Is there a chance I am going through serroconversion?

My worries are that during the condom change some fluid may have been introduced within the second condom.

I'm very anxious and am worried ive been infected and infected my partner.

Any help / advice is appreciated as my anxiety is causing insomnia

[Jim]

13 days ago I saw a sex worker and had protected anal and vaginal sex.

After the anal sex the sex worker swapped the condom.

Perfect. The condom should be changed, as for your fluid transfer concerns from one condom to another whilst changing them, it isn't an HIV risk and as for the intercourse itself HIV can't be transmitted through an intact latex, polyisoprene or polyurethane condom. Unless a condom obviously fails during intercourse, there is no reason to be stressing about HIV or testing for HIV outside the standard yearly HIV screening.

In other words, no HIV risk. Plenty of risk for far easier-to-acquire STIs but no need to panic, just get an STI screening yearly out of standard routine.

5 days after the possible exposure I started getting a fever ranging between 37.3 and 38 deg C and a headache.

Nothing to do with HIV from the encounter with the sex-worker.

3 days later I had unprotected vaginal sex with my partner but didn't finish inside her.

Obviously this was an HIV risk to you. In relationships, condomless sex is often based on trust or past test results; however, this does not prevent HIV, so if condomless sex does occur, you should consider testing more frequently & PrEP.

Anyhow, test at six weeks post-exposure (sex with your wife) with a blood-draw (lab) HIV antibody test. The result at six weeks will rarely change, and retesting at three months is generally unneeded.

Here's what you need to know to reduce your HIV risks:
Use condoms for anal or easier-acquired correctly and consistently, with no exceptions. Consider talking to your healthcare provider about PrEP as an additional layer of protection against HIV and get vaccinated against HPV, Hepatitis A & B.

Keep in mind that some sexual practices described as safe in terms of acquiring HIV still pose a risk for other easier-acquired STIs. So please do get tested at least yearly for STIs, including but not limited to HIV, and more frequently if condomless intercourse occurs.

Also, note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms; testing is the only way to know.

Kind regards

Jim

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[Jim]

It's been a few more days and I'm still getting fever and night sweats.

I'm having a lot if anxiety that I missed a broken condom.

Any advice on how to keep my anxiety in check while I wait out the window period.

In the unlikely event that I do end up poz, is it really as manageable a condition as I read.

If use of ARTs are consistently followed are there any day to day infection risks from OIs etc?

Sorry if this is coming off as insensitive or offensive to those of you who are currently posting.

Aussie guy.

This has been asked and answered already. 

The encounter with the sex worker was not an HIV risk, the HIV risk was condomless intercourse with your wife. Both the encounter with the sex worker and your wife were, of course, risks for far easier to acquire STIs.

Test at six weeks post-exposure (sex with your wife) with a blood-draw (lab) HIV antibody test. The result at six weeks will rarely change, and retesting at three months is generally unneeded.

As for your anxiety, focus on your normal day-to-day life.

In the unlikely event that I do end up poz, is it really as manageable a condition as I read.

If use of ARTs are consistently followed are there any day-to-day infection risks from OIs etc?

Your concern is HIV within weeks of exposure, not AIDS.

HIV is medically speaking easy to treat & manage. The use of ART (HAART) suppresses HIV, it doesn't make us superhuman or prevent other infections, so someone living with HIV will get day-to-day infections just like the rest of the population.

[Aussie.guy.12245]

Hi Jim,

I just had a blood draw test and you are correct I tested non-reactive.

Thank you for your replies to me.

Aussie guy

[Jim]

Glad to hear.

Next time use condoms, consider PrEP and remember to get an HIV & STI screening at least yearly.