POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: vivek on November 04, 2012, 09:47:21 am
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Hi,
I'm from India. Exactly six weeks before, I met a guy and we did mutual masturbation. He applied his sperm on my penis(throughout). Exactly, after 3 weeks I've started experiencing all ARS symptoms.
It starts with rashes on my hands and soles, extreme fatigue(lasting still now), loss of appetite, night sweats for 4 days, excessive dry mouth which is persistent. :'(
At the fourth week mark, I managed to contact that guy asked about his hiv status. He said that he is positive and intensionally did this. I'm freaked out and went for HIV 1/2 AB test two days back(40 days from exposure) and it came back as negative.
Is anybody in this forum have ever heard of hiv infection occured in this manner. Will it be any other STD that cause these symptoms. As it is a verified hiv exposure, I can't able to move on with my life. Any comments can be appreciated and thanks for your help in advance. :'(
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Vivek you can stop freaking out. Nothing you did put you at risk and there is nothing remotely HIV-specific about your symptoms. You could take a bath in HIV sperm and it wouldn't be risky. It's a fragile virus and is absolutely not passed in the ways you are concerned about.
The only confirmed risks for the sexual transmission of HIV are unprotected vaginal and anal intercourse. As long as condoms are used properly for those activities you will be well protected.
If your symptoms persist you should discuss them with your doctor. They have nothing to do with HIV.
Of course your result was negative. It just confirms that you never had a risk. Stop worrying and being dramatic and just get on with your life.
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Andy,
Thanks for your quick reply. I've missed some of the symptoms that I'm experiencing.
On the third week mark, I got pink maculopapular rashes on my palms ans soles of feet. This lasted for good two weeks. 4 days after the onset of rashes, I've got white coatings inside the cheeks which appears like cottage cheese. This oral symptoms are accompanied by slight fever, total loss of appetite, pain on my neck and armpits(not sure if it was swollen) and night sweats. Also, I'm having extreme fatigue that I've never experienced on my whole life(I'm a 24 years old male).
I understand that HIV is a fragile virus and can't survive "well" outside the host. But, can't it survive for 5 or 10 seconds?..Because, he immediately applied his sperm on my penis after he ejaculated. My concern is that I've got all the symptoms in the exact time frame(3 weeks) after that incident and lasting still now(6th week). Some of the symptoms subsided within two weeks but still I've loss of appetite and malaise. Please please comment on the following questions.
1. Does HIV virus dies within a second after leaving the host(virus in sperm after ejaculation)?
2. If that person is not under treatment(probably high viral load), the concentration of virus in his sperm will also be high. Is it still not possible to infect me in the manner that I described?
3. If hiv in blood can survive long outside the body, then, why not in the sperm(atleast for 10 seconds in wet sperm)?
4. If I'm really experiencing ARS from third week, then my 40 days rapid hiv antibody test(blood) will turn positive or still it be a false negative?
I'm very sorry for my english. Thanks for your help.
Regards vivek
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1. HIV doesn't die it never was alive. It is either active or inactive.
2. It doesn't matter what the viral load is, it is still unable to infect.
HIV is unable to reproduce outside its living host (unlike many bacteria or fungi, which may do so under suitable conditions), except under laboratory conditions; therefore, it does not spread or maintain infectiousness outside its host.
3. read 1 and 2.
4. You are not experiencing ARS, you've never had an exposure.
HIV is transmitted by;
Unprotected penetrative anal and/or vaginal sex
Sharing works with other IV drug abusers
Mother to child
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Vivek,
You need to see a doctor and get checked out for syphilis - a rash on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands is a symptom of secondary syphilis. Syphilis only requires skin-to-skin contact - UNLIKE HIV. Syphilis is MUCH more easily transmitted than hiv could ever hope to be.
You didn't have a risk for hiv infection. None. Nada. No way. Not in the masturbation situation you're worried about. You tested negative at 40 days (no surprise) and that result is not going to change if you decide to test again.
Get checked for syphilis and all the other MUCH more easily transmitted STIs. You're ok as far as hiv is concerned.
Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:
You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.
To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.
Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.
Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.
If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.
Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE!!!
Ann