Oral Worried

[belloq]

Hi there, I admire you all, great things that you do for the worried persons out there

My question regards oral sex, I am a male living in mexico, i performed oral sex on a woman on unknown status almost 6 weeks ago, my worries rely in the fact that i was diagnosed with gingivitis (my oral health was not perfect but I didn't considere it bad) last week so I'am very worried. The act lasted about 3 minutes, no blood. About 40 minutes later when I arrived home I stupidily brushed my teeth; I didn't noticed any bleeding.

3 weeks after this incident I started to present symptoms that I presumabily identify as thrush, my dentist said I'm ok, but I read about a type of thrush that is not easily identifiable, I presented a pink spot on the dorse of my tongue with no papillae, bad taste and burning sensation,and white coating, this symptoms lasted about 12 days, I started treatment against the gingivitis with perioxidin, I've improved since then but I'm really really worried, could you help me, please, a lot of information I've found out about the subject confusses me more but I' can't help my worries.

I'am planning to take the test next week but i would like to know waht I'am up to, thanks a lot, great work every one.

[RapidRod]

You didn't have a risk and if your dentist examined you and said nothing then it wasn't thrush.

[Andy Velez]

As Rod has indicated, this is NOT an HIV situation. Period. You're worrying needlessly. (Please read the lesson on transmission. There's a link to it in the Welcome thread which opens this section).

With regard to your concern about a possibly rare kind of thrush, that's  something to discuss with your doctor. Even IF you have thrush, and it sounds doubtful that you do, thrush is absolutely not in any way an HIV specific occurence. It happens commonly to those who are NOT HIV+ positive too.

I don't see any need for HIV testing.

Cheers,

[belloq]

The reason I'm freaking out is because I found this topic at thebody.com, that this trush may take place during ARS, up to 11% of patientes they say, I'am fully aware I've being under a lot of stress the last few weeks but the symptoms I described in my tongue never never happened to me before. My dentist suggested that if I wanted she could take a sample of my tongue.

Currently the pink spot is dissapearing and growing papillae (if I could refer to it with the term)

Erythematous candidiasis presents as a red, flat, subtle lesion, normally on the dorsal (top) surface of the tongue and/or the hard and soft palates. People who present with erythematous candidiasis commonly have symptoms of burning or oral discomfort, especially when eating salty or spicy foods or drinking acidic beverages such as orange or grapefruit juices.

[Andy Velez]

And nevertheless IF you have thrush, that still is not an indication for HIV infection, particularly in light of what you are calling a risk. Funny how you focus on something when you're scared. So you're reading UP TO 11% of HIV positive may have thrush rather than 89% don't.

Since your doctor said he'd do a culture why don't you follow up on that? Even if you test positive for some rarer form of thrush still doesn't make this an HIV situation.

You're obviously caught up in this so it makes sense to establish whether or not you really have thrush. And I don't care what you read elsewhere, thrush is absolutely not HIV specific.

And giving oral to a woman is strictly in the theoretical risk category. In the real world of HIV transmission doesn't happen that way. Really.

[belloq]

I appreciate your responses, I've tried to listen to my rational self about the "risk" I had but sometimes is difficult, my scared shitless self wins the arguments and I'll start surfing the net for something, but thank you, so finally none of you recommend me to test ? right ?

Thank you very much for the advice.

[Andy Velez]

Yes, testing is NOT necessary unless you can't give it up and let go of this unwarranted concern. In which case test at 13 weeks and collect the inevitable negative result.

You can also do yourself a big, big favor and stop surfing the net. No kidding. Surfing the net just feeds your fears and believe me, you'll find plenty to unnecessarily continue to scare yourself with.

Cheers,

[Ann]

Bell,

You need to be using condoms 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 sexually transmitted infections together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

While you do NOT need to test over this specific incident, anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.

If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results. Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple.

Ann

[belloq]

Hi , It's me again

I've resumed my worries because the oral discomforts on my mouth returned, I'm worried because before the advice you guys gave here, I read about ARS stuff specially thrush.

It would be in the millions the possibility I caught aids on the experience I told you about, but this thing on my mouth never happened to me before......

THANKS

[RapidRod]

See your dentist.