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Author Topic: really scared  (Read 3794 times)

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Offline concerned99

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  • Posts: 2
really scared
« on: January 13, 2009, 10:43:42 am »
OK,

I've been doing as much research through this site and all other resources available on the net. I'm to scared to get tested (I've always hated going to the doctor and haven't been in around 5 years).

Recent changes to my body that I haven't experienced before have me worried. Combined with the fact that I had unprotected sex with an Asian prostitute around 7-8 months ago is the main reason for my concern.

I have sex with more prostitutes (maybe around 24) than I should have and have always been drunk whilst in the act. Due to my inhibition, I leave it to them to apply the condom etc and if they don't attempt to apply one I make them. As far as I can recall a condom has been used every time except in this instance. On this occasion, (which was in a brothel) she applied a condom and lube without any intervention from me. However, at one stage she left and I took the condom off. When she returned, I totally forgot taking the condom off and we began intercourse. I was on top and I think it lasted about 15 minutes and I did come. At that point she realised I wasn't wearing a condom and was somewhat surprised/alarmed. She pointed to the semen in her vagina as if to reassure that it hadn't made it in and said something to me in Asian.

anyway, i wasn't to worried as i assumed that as a brothel they had to test their employees for HIV (this would make since). but then after some research I found that infact its against the law to do this so it was possible that she was hiv pos. My next inclination was that because she was from overseas, surely immigration tests them on entry given that they are here to work. After researching that I found that infact these sex workers, who come on short term arrangements do not have to get a medical before obtaining their visa due to the visa type.

Then I did research and found that the odds of obtaining HIV are infact quite low esp  vaginal insertive and also being circumcised helps (possibly due to less sensitive skin). On the contrary, there is some deliberation that subtype e(the one predominately found in Asia) is much easier to contract through vaginal intercourse. Some citations put it at around 3%. If i put her chance of being HIV positive at say 25% (which is pretty conservative) my chances of being hiv+ are 0.75% or 1 in 130. which are odds i don't like given the enormity of the prize we are talking about.

so it was there in the back of my mind but i decided i wouldn't do anything about it. Anyway a weird thing happened maybe 4-5 months ago. I woke up one morning and had a very notable raised pimple like thing on the side of my abdomen. it didn't have a head put by the next day it had a small head, so i popped it but what came out wasn't really puss but more like a thick oozing liquid. There wasn't much followed by blood.

I put a bandaid on it and when taking it off, what was their was a scab which appeared to have a little pus in it. So i kept picking at it and it just kept scabbing over, so i finally left it and there is still a mark there around 0.5cm in diameter and pinkish very slightly raised. hasn't changed in size.

OK, so i could live with that even though I've never had anything like it. after researching, i concluded that the worst case scenario was KS.

but then around i month later the fear really kicked in. Ive never had a yeast infection, except a slight white fury coating on my tongue which I've had on and off before i was even sexually active and also athlete foot which I've always had but never in amounts to cause me serious problems. anyway, one morning a noticed a tiny red itchy spot in my groin on the thigh. it grew over the course of a week until the area infected was maybe 5cm in diameter. it had all the hallmarks of jockitch. the area created sores which open up in a ulcer type fashion and then healed over. It also moved to my other thigh. I started using topical cream at the height of the infection and now its still there but the area is just A little discolored however right in the skin fold its a little redder and the area is giving of a punget odour. Its seems to have got to a point where the topical cream is improving it any more. Its not itching but tingles a little every now and then.

OK, so that's Been present for about 5-6 months. its not causing problems, and i probably haven't been applying the cream quite as much as directed. anyway. last week i noticed a very small areas of redness on my ribcage area. never can remember having anything like this before. it got a little redder and bigger and has Been the same size for about 4-5 days now. doesn't itch, isn't raises - its just there. its probably 4 * 2 cms. the colour is smoothly consistent and its more like a whole lots of rashes joined together . I'm starting to freak out.

i know that you're going to tell me to get tested and that symptoms are not a sign of hiv infection. But what i want to know if i was HIV+ and i did contract it 8 or so months ago, would i it be feasible that hiv is causing these infections because they seem to be of an opportunistic nature. if I'm not HIV + these infections are very bizare cause if never had anything like it and then all off a sudden i get 3 weird things at once.

I don't remember getting ARS if i did it was very slight. I did however have a very sudden onset of something around the time of the jock itch and the little lesion/pimple on my abdomen. One morning after a very heavy night out on the piss, i woke to extreme shortness of breath. i couldn't even work to the end of my street without feeling it. it was accompanied by chronic dry cough and difficult breathing especially exhaling. lasted around two weeks. but if this was ars wouldn't the jock itch go?

it may be a point to note that I'm a little overweight (5 ' 9    83-85kegs (185 pds) ) and i drink and smoke and have been under massive amounts of stress and anxiety in recent times due to career. when i say i drink alot id average ybe 10 beers aday for four years. i smoke maybe 3-4 packs of smokes a week, could eat better do reasonable levels of excercse.

This whole thing has turned me of drinking for good for ever.

thanks for reading if you made it to here im extremely worried and appreciate any feedback.

aslo without being rude, what are the qualifications of the people replying to these queries.

thanks

Offline RapidRod

  • Member
  • Posts: 15,288
Re: really scared
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2009, 11:17:56 am »
You're correct. The only thing we can tell you to do is test so that you know your status. As for your symptoms see your doctor if they concern you.

Offline Andy Velez

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  • Member
  • Posts: 34,126
Re: really scared
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2009, 04:52:43 pm »
We never get involved in evaluating symptoms. It's never a reliable way to know about HIV status. Getting into that -- what is essentially a guessing game -- doesn't help and in my experience just provokes more anxiety.

HIV is significantly more difficult to transmit from woman to man as contrasted with the other way around. That works in your favor.

Stop torturing yourself and get tested. You don't have to feel brave to do it. Go in there with your heart pounding and  your knees quaking if you have to. God knows, many have done so before you in that state. But you need to reliably know your status. That's the bottom line.

AND you need to learn from your experiences. Mixing excessive drinking and casual sex is a very dangerous combination. Have as much sex as you want with professionals or civilians. Their HIV status becomes irrelevant if you always have intercourse (vaginal and anal) wearing a condom. it's as simple as that to protect yourself.

We'll be waiting to hear your test result. Fingers crossed here for you.

Cheers.
Andy Velez

Offline concerned99

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  • Posts: 2
Re: really scared
« Reply #3 on: January 14, 2009, 06:40:13 am »
yep,

it definatelly is causing me alot of anxiety.
dont know if i can bring myself to get tested, may just wait it out a little longer.

Offline Andy Velez

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  • Member
  • Posts: 34,126
Re: really scared
« Reply #4 on: January 14, 2009, 08:01:16 am »
That's up to you if you want to prolong the torture of uncertainty since I think you know that ultimately you're going to get tested.

Meantime, make sure that for now and in the future everytime you have intercourse you are wearing a condom. No exceptions.

Keep us posted and good luck when you test.   
Andy Velez

 


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