POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: Worriedsick2012 on March 08, 2012, 04:50:05 am
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I gave oral sex to a male and now I've had a sore throat for a 7 weeks. I took a finger prick test at 4 weeks and tested negative. I havent had a fever but I did have vomiting diahrea a rash on my face and hot and cold chills. I was on lots of antibiotics but nothing helped my throat. Now I am experiencing brain fog. What could be causing this?
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Worried,
We cannot possibly diagnose your sore throat or brain fog over the internet - but we can tell you that it's nothing to do with hiv.
Not only is saliva not infectious, but it also contains over a dozen different proteins and enzymes that damage hiv and render it unable to infect.
There have been three 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.
You need to see a doctor to find out what's going on. Get your throat swabbed, and don't forget to tell the doctor you've engaged in giving blowjobs so he or she can also swab you for oral gonorrhea and chlamydia. You may need a different antibiotic to the ones you have already taken.
Ann
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I also wanted to know how accurate a rapid finger prick test is at 4 weeks? What other stds would cause a sore throat for that long? My symptoms have lasted about 6 weeks.
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Worried,
The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days. Where there has been an actual risk such as unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse, a six week negative must be confirmed at the three month point.
If your sore throat had anything to do with seroconversion, you most likely would have tested either positive or indeterminate at four weeks. I do not expect your negative result to change if you test further over this incident.
I already mentioned the two STIs that could cause a sore throat - gonorrhea and/or chlamydia. These can also be present with no obvious symptoms.
You should know that gonorrhea is becoming increasingly antibiotic-resistant, so it's possible that if gonorrhea is the cause of your throat problems the antibiotics you took are ones it's resistant to.
You need to see a doctor about your sore throat. Whatever is going on isn't hiv.
Ann
PS - You said you've been "on lots of antibiotics". It's also possible that the antibiotics have caused you to develop oral thrush, which can cause a sore throat. It is very common to develop thrush when taking "lots of antibiotics" and taking more antibiotics will make it worse, not better. This is something else to discuss with your doctor.
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If you had a real risk, which I hasten to say you did not, then for a conclusive negative result you need to test at 3 months. The average time to seroconversion is 22 days. All but the smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks after a risk. So a negative result at 6 weeks would be more meaningful but not conclusive. Testing at 3 months is necessary to get that result.
Having said all of that I am going to repeat that you were not at risk. Nor is what is causing your symptoms necessarily an STD. You should be discussing your symptoms with your doctor. We can't diagnose anything in this setting. All we can with confidence say that HIV is not your problem.
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Thanks for the advice. I am thankful for your help. I have just been feeling so sick and worried.
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Worried,
Please re-read my last reply to you (reply #3). I edited my post to add more information concerning the possible cause for your sore throat and you may not have seen it.
Please talk to your doctor about your throat. It's not an hiv concern.
Ann
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And just so you know for the future, the only confirmed risks for the sexual transmission of HIV are unprotected vaginal and anal intercourse. As long as you consistently use condoms for those activities you will be effectively protected.
Anything else sexual is only "theoretically" a risk. In the real world of HIV we know that risk is about unprotected intercourse.
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I started taking the antibiotics for a sore throat originally. It never got better so every time I went back they gave me something stronger. I finally went to an ENT the first time he gave me antacid medicine but it didn't help. The 2nd time he scoped my nose and throat and said that I have candida from the antibiotics and gave me some dissolvable tablets that you suck on. It seems to be helping a little but my throat is still red. I'm supposed to go back again in another week. That why I was wondering what could cause a sore throat for 7 weeks?
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There is nothing more we can do for you here. HIV is not your problem. Period.
So whatever is going on with you symptomatically is something to resolve with your doctor.
Frankly there is nothing more for us to discuss with you since HIV is not your issue, whether you believe it or not.
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Hello guys,
I know you are strongly sure about hiv risksful exposures being unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse and ann said that the virus is transferred within the confines of the two bodies. I have a question, is the mouth NOT considered to be inside the body?
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The vagina and the anus do not contain something the mouth does have: saliva. And saliva contains over a dozen elements and proteins which very effectively prevent the transmission of viable HIV if it is present.
You are worrying needlessly. Really.
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Thanks for the info. Has there ever been a confirmed case of HIV from giving just oral sex?
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There have been many who claimed that was their only risk. Those claims never seem to hold up under careful scrutiny.
Is it possible to become infected through giving oral? Sure it is theoretically possible. But you're more likely to win the lottery or get struck by lightning.
Longterm studies have been conducted of both gay and straight sero discordant couples. They had lots of mutual unprotected oral and only protected vaginal and anal intercourse. To date not a single seronegative partner has been infected.
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Sometimes I think well, if oral transmission was that possible, maybe half of the world would be infected dont you think? I mean and seriously, who gives head using condoms or barriers?
I mean, I've been thinking on this allot lately. Im 26 and I have never given head with the guy wearing a condom. Ive had cum in my mouth but since my teens I decided not to.
but anyway Ive been giving a though on getting as well into the habit of doing oral with condoms or barriers.
What do you think Andy?? Do you think that would be too much I mean, till now this is the only net source I see with so much confidence about the ineffectiveness of hiv transmision through oral sex. Youtube and the net in general are FILLED with messages regarding the risks of transmission through oral...
What to believe?
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Ultimately you have to decide what you are comfortable doing sexually.
I can tell you that giving oral is one of the most common of sexual activities. If it was a serious risk for transmission we would have known long before today and there would be many more HIV positive people than there are.
Personal opinion? As long as you don't have any freshly open wounds in your mouth I consider the risk to be theoretical rather than actual.
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Morningsun,
If you read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) before posting like you're supposed to, you will have read the following posting guideline:
Only those Moderators and members who are authorized to answer questions in the Am I Infected? forum are permitted do so. Unauthorized responses may be deleted without permission of the poster. Repeatedly posting replies of this nature may result in a Time Out or permanent ban, at the discretion of the Moderator Team.
This rule also applies to asking questions in other people's threads as well. You are ONLY permitted to ask questions or otherwise reply in YOUR OWN THREAD.
Keep posting in this thread - or ANYWHERE other than your own thread - and you WILL be given a time out.
Please consider yourself warned!
Ann
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I am having a procedure done today where I swallow chalk to help determine what's causing my sore throat. I am still experiencing brain fog where I can't concentrate or think clearly.
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Ive had a sore throat for 7 weeks with no fever but I have had chills vomiting diahrea and a rash on my face. I also had a swollen lymph node in my armpit left side for 2 days. I tested negative for strep. Does this sound like a HIV infection? Would a sore throat last 7 weeks with initial HIV infection?
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Worried,
I've merged your new thread into your original thread - where you should post all your additional thoughts or questions. It helps us to help you when you keep everything in one thread. It doesn't matter how long it has been since you last posted in your thread or if the subject matter is different.
If you need help finding your thread when you come here, click on the "Show own posts" link under your name in the left-hand column of any forum page.
Please also read through the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) so you can familiarize yourself with our Forum Posting Guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.
We've already discussed your situation at length. Re-read your entire thread - our answers are not going to change.
Ann
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The barium swallow I did yesterday showed nothing abnormal. Today I am feeling worse again. My throat is still red and sore and I didn't get much sleep even though I was tired I woke up early.
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We've given you our take on situation. Given what you have reported of your sexual activities, HIV is not the problem.
We're not going to continue an endless round with you about this matter. If you continue to return with your symptomatic concerns you are going to find yourself getting a Time Out from this site.
Whatever is causing your difficulties it's not HIV.
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I have candida on my tongue what is the best way to get rid of it?
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Fluconazole works for me. Also yogurt seems to make it go away faster, along with the prescription.
* modified to add: Holy hell, you are not even HIV positive. You know better than to post here. Reported.
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Worried,
For a start, if the doctor thought you had candida on your tongue, he would have said so when you had your barium exam and he would have prescribed something for you.
Secondly, I removed your candida thread (and deleted the one that had no replies) from the Just Tested forum and placed it here in your original thread, which is the ONLY place you are permitted to post about hiv related subjects in these forums.
You would have known this is you actually read what I wrote to you yesterday and read the Welcome thread like I requested you do. That was at least the second mention of reading the Welcome thread in this thread, so you got not excuse.
I'm giving you a 28 day time out. If you read that Welcome thread, you'd know all about those.
You just aren't listening to a thing we say, so why should we waste our time?
Do not attempt to create a new account to get around your time out because if you do, you will be permanently banned.
Ann
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I tested negative at 27 days with a 4th generation duo test. I have read some people say that is conclusive and others say to retest at 3 or 6 months. How accurate is this test at 27 days?
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Please do not start a new thread every time you have another question or thought - regardless if you think your questions are related to each other or not. It helps us to help you when you keep all your thoughts or questions in one thread and it helps other readers to follow the discussion. Additional threads will be merged.
If you cannot find your thread, click on the "Show own posts" link in the left-hand column of any forum page, under your name.
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Worried,
Yet again, I've merged your new thread into your original thread.
You need to read through the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0).
You've been asked to do this a few times now - you just don't seem to be hearing a single thing we say to you. And just like back in March, I don't see why we should waste our time when you aren't listening.
I'm giving you another time out. This one will last for 56 days.
In the meantime, if you cannot bring yourself to believe what we've patiently explained to you again and again and again, go test, collect your negative result and move on with your life.
Ann