POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: florida123 on July 11, 2006, 09:56:17 pm
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12 weeks ago I visited a massage parlor where I had protected oral and protected vaginal intercourse with a sex worker. (Very ashamed and regretful of this experience.) I had been drinking heavily that evening and engaged in approx 1 min of protected oral and 5 mins of protected vaginal intercourse, I then pulled off the condom and masturbated until ejaculation. No known tear in condom. I fear that I could have infected myself by passing her vaginal fluids from the outside of the condom to my urethra while masturbating because I pulled the condom off myself with the same hand I masturbated with, and it was in quick succession.
A few days after the incident I began to question whether there could have a been a chance of contracting HIV? I got tested twice at 4 weeks and 8 weeks using OraQuick (swab) test, both tests negative.
A few days ago (12 week mark) I began feeling a swollen lymph node behind by left jawbone, just below my ear. Today, more lymphnodes in my neck are becoming enlarged. It feels like my throat is closed up a little bit, not really sore, just a swollen feeling deep in my throat.
1. How safe should I feel with the 4-week and 8-weeks negatives using the OraQuick swab test?
2. Do I need to keep testing? (Do you recommend more testing?)
3. Is it possible for someone infected with HIV to begin having symptoms (swollen lymph nodes) at the 12+ week mark?
4. Are the OraQuick swab test less accurate than newer tests?
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You had no risk and testing is not warranted.
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Florida,
I just want to second what Rod said. Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus that does not remain viable and able to infect when it is outside the human body. You did the right thing to protect yourself, you wore a condom, and therefore you have no worries over this incident. Condoms are very effective when it comes to preventing hiv transmission.
Keep using those condoms and you will avoid hiv infection. Read through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use them with confidence.
You need to be using condoms with everyone, 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 STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection. Sex workers aren't the only people who might be infected with hiv.
Ann