POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: abc123123 on September 27, 2007, 11:06:27 am
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For some reason a few weeks ago I stumbled upon ARS. I had never heard of it before. All the sudden my mind went back to a time about 8 and a half years ago when I got suddenly sick with a fever, stiff neck, nightsweats, etc. As my mind continued to work I realized it may have been a couple weeks after I gave unprotected oral to someone. He was not bi, gay, or a drug user, so I would not consider him a high risk. However, I am freaking out so bad I am litterally making myself sick. I have read the statistics that say 1 in 10,000 odds, but what if I am the one? Am I being irrational? Someone please help! Could these have been symptoms of something else?
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You were never at risk. If you want to relieve your anxieties, then go test collect your negative result and be done with it. No sense in worrying yourself over it.
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Thank you so much for your response! I am going crazy! So even though I gave oral you don't think there is any reason to worry about those symptoms that I had? Do you people get severe fevers and swollen glands from other stuff? I have seen your replies to a lot of posts on here and it seems that you are very well educated on this subject. Do you mind me asking how you know all of this? You guys are such a great resource!
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Of course people get fevers and swollen glands from other causes. HIV has no specific symptoms. There are many long term studies on oral sex between serocordinate couples where one is positive and the other is negative and the negative person has never contracted HIV.
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So it sounds like I am being irrational and being my own worst enemy. There is just so much information out there it is hard to tell when to worry and when not too. I guess I just worry that I could be that one, yah know. You have no idea how much I appreciate your help.
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Just as a general thing we always suggest that anyone who's sexually active ought to have a full STD panel done regularly. That means at least once a year.
As far as your specific concern, there's certainly nothing HIV specifc about anything you have reported. Symptoms won't ever realiably tell you anything anyway. If you have any real doubts about your HIV status, get tested and collect your negative result. As long as you haven't had any unprotected intercourse either vaginal or anal then you at least in relation to sex you can expect a negative result.
Cheers,
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What if I have given it to a couple of guys? Do you still think I am over-reacting? I am losing my mind! Please help
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Have you experts seen people who have gotten HIV from giving oral sex?
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abc,
Unless you've been having unprotected intercourse or sharing drug injecting equipment with these guys, then you will not have infected them.
If you HAVE been having unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse, then you need to test three months after the last unprotected incident.
If you haven't been having unprotected intercourse, then you're worrying for no good reason.
Ann
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Hi Ann,
Just to clarify - you said in your response that as long as you have not had unprotected intercourse of sharing needles, you will not have infected them. I am not asking about infecting them, I am asking about myself getting infected through giving oral sex to people.
Thank you for yoru help
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abc,
There have been long-term studies of couples where one is positive and one is negative. In the couples who used condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, but no barrier for oral activities, not one of the negative partners became infected with hiv. Not one.
I do not expect you to test positive from giving blowjobs either. However, as other sexually transmitted infections can be transmitted via giving oral, you would be wise to have regular sexual health care check ups as you have already been told.
If you can't bring yourself to believe what we're telling you, go test for hiv and collect your inevitable negative result.
Ann
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Have you guys in your personal experience ever seen someone diagnosed from just giving oral?
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I'm sorry for being such a pain - I am just afraid like what if I am "the one" - I was dumb to give oral to people between 6 and 8 and a half years ago - all the sudden it started to freak me out.
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abc,
There are no cases where the infection has been proven to be the result of giving blowjobs. Sometimes people claim this is the way they were infected, but their claims are not supported by the science.
As you have been told, if you have doubts about your hiv status then test. Just don't be surprised by your negative result, provided you have NEVER had unprotected intercourse or shared drug injecting equipment.
These blowjobs took place years ago. You can test now for a conclusive result if you feel you cannot bring yourself to believe us.
Ann
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Thank you for your help - I am sorry to be a pain.
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What if the person you are performing it on has another STD, does that increase the chances that you will get HIV? Were there people like that in the studies?
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No, a partner who has another STD is not more infectious to you with HIV.
On the other hand your having an untreated STD can affect your immune system and lower your resistance. That's one of the reasons it's good to have a full STD panel done at least annually if you are sexually active.
You're driving yourself bonkers needlessly about this HIV issue. Really.
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Even if I have given oral sex to a few different guys, do you still think I am worrying needlessly? I am just going crazy! I never really worried about it before, and then I started looking at posts from people and there are so many people freaking out about oral that I feel like there must be a reason to freak out. It was kind of like I asssumed that everyone did it. Now I feel like what in the world was I thinking, how could I have been so dumb. I can't eat, sleep, think, work, anything.
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How many ways can I say in my opinion you are worrying needlessly?
But as Ann has suggested, these incidents were sufficiently long ago for you to go and get tested anytime now and collect the negative result we expect you to receive.
Quit the torture and get tested! Really!