Weird symptoms. Was I exposed?

[Robert654]

Hi: I am 47, married, heterosexual. I was in Kenya in August and had protected vaginal/anal sex twice with a woman.  She gave me an uncovered BJ beforehand, and sucked on my condom-covered cock after.   I french kissed her early and later on after we had screwed.  I did not have oral sex on her, but did finger her.  Neither condom broke or was visibly damaged.  No symptoms at all until exactly 3 months later, I got diarrhea once, followed by ~3 days of nausea and 1 night of moderate sweats.  No fever, no chills, no inflamed nodes, no other diarrhea.  After that time I got mild headaches that persist till now. My elbow also got sore (and remains so, though no other joint or muscle problems). I also had a head cold, which I eventually took 1 large Cipro pill for after 2 weeks of waiting for it to go away. Almost immediately after I took the Cipro, my wrist grew inflamed with a bubbly rash, followed by one under my wrist watch and on my stomach (I was scratching both areas).  I eventually used an antifungal to get rid of these problems (possibly caused by the powerful Cipro?).  I have also had a cough for about 2-3 weeks, which sometimes produces phlegm.  Today my head cold is back.  I though I was protected (except for french kissing her after we screwed and she fellated me).  I am very scared that I may have unwittingly exposed myself.  Can you offer advice?  Thanks. 

[Andy Velez]

Robert, you are worrying needlessly about HIV. Whatever caused your past symptoms or your present ones, it's not HIV. Nothing you are reporting of your activities would have put you at risk.

The most important thing is that you used condoms for intercourse. Unprotected vaginal and anal intercourse are the only confirmed risks for the transmission of HIV sexually. And if the condoms had failed you would have known it because it would have been quite visible. It's not about little itty bitty holes as people sometimes fear. When a condom goes the whole thing ends up looking like a hoop with latex strands on your penis.

None of the symptoms you are reporting are HIV specific. If any of them continue you should discuss them with your doctor.

There is no need for further concern about HIV nor any need for HIV testing.

Get on with your life.

[Robert654]

Hi Andy:  thanks for your quick reply.  I  have largely chilled out since reading your view, and rationalized that my risk of exposure was likely extremely low.  My headaches have largely gone, too. However, I worry about my wife.   She has had a intermittent dry cough (she works in the med. field so is exposed to lots of sick people), and now has an itchy chest rash (small patch of red dots, which look like small pimples, between her breasts), which she never has had before.   She complained about being tired earlier this month, but otherwise was not ill.   Is all of this just a coincidence, and I should just remember my very low exposure risk?   This is just driving me nuts.    Thanks for your advice.   

[Ann]

Robert,

You didn't have a "very low exposure risk", you had NO risk.

If you or your wife feel unwell, see a doctor. It's nothing to do with hiv.

Ann