Aa
Confused...
This forum has been of great use since I have started worrying deeply about having contracted HIV 11 days ago. These 11 days have by far been the worst of my life.
I have had sex three times unprotected in the past 9 weeks. At the 8 week ,7 week, and 25 day point respectively I had an Elisa and a DNA/PCR test done. Both came back negative. However, I have experienced symptoms that lead me to believe I have thrush. I first had a sore on the bend of my lips, it went away as soon as I stopped picking at it. Then, I started getting a foul taste in my mouth and a white tongue every morning. (Not patched, all white). The sides of my tongue became very sensitive to alcohol, and my tongue gets whiter whenever I eat sugary foods or alcohol. Its the tastebuds that get enflamed.
This all started about one month ago. Then, two weeks ago, I started to lose my appetite, and have lost about 6 pounds. My stool has what looks like mucous in it, and if its stool its hard to get, if its diahhrea its like an emergency, I have to go, right then. I have seen a dentist and doctor who say it doesnt look like thrush, because of the absence of patches and bleeding. Yesterday my urine came back with no yeast in it, but I am skeptical. When I urinate at home, there is something in it, and it smells foul. I also have itchy eyes.
I am very scared, I can't shake this. With that background I have a few questions:
1. If I indeed have HIV related thrush, wouldn't the PCR test have picked up on it?
2. Is there a possibility I don't have HIV?
3. What other disorders can cause symptoms that I have described?
Any insight you could provide Dr HHH would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!
CEB
I have had sex three times unprotected in the past 9 weeks. At the 8 week ,7 week, and 25 day point respectively I had an Elisa and a DNA/PCR test done. Both came back negative. However, I have experienced symptoms that lead me to believe I have thrush. I first had a sore on the bend of my lips, it went away as soon as I stopped picking at it. Then, I started getting a foul taste in my mouth and a white tongue every morning. (Not patched, all white). The sides of my tongue became very sensitive to alcohol, and my tongue gets whiter whenever I eat sugary foods or alcohol. Its the tastebuds that get enflamed.
This all started about one month ago. Then, two weeks ago, I started to lose my appetite, and have lost about 6 pounds. My stool has what looks like mucous in it, and if its stool its hard to get, if its diahhrea its like an emergency, I have to go, right then. I have seen a dentist and doctor who say it doesnt look like thrush, because of the absence of patches and bleeding. Yesterday my urine came back with no yeast in it, but I am skeptical. When I urinate at home, there is something in it, and it smells foul. I also have itchy eyes.
I am very scared, I can't shake this. With that background I have a few questions:
1. If I indeed have HIV related thrush, wouldn't the PCR test have picked up on it?
2. Is there a possibility I don't have HIV?
3. What other disorders can cause symptoms that I have described?
Any insight you could provide Dr HHH would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot!
CEB
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Apparently you mean you started worrying 11 days ago, not that you contracted HIV at that time. You don't describe the nature of your sexual expsoures--whether you are male or female or the sex of your partners, and the nature of the exposures (oral, vaginal, anal)--all of which could make a difference. However, as I have said innumerable times, negative tests 7 and 8 weeks after exposure are 100% reliable and show that you do not have HIV and HIV cannot be causing your symptoms. Also, symptoms never are a relaible indicator of new infection, your symptoms don't sound much like HIV, and a health care provider has already reassured you that your oral symptoms are not thrush.
I don't know what you mean by a negative test for yeast. There is no such test. (If you're talking about the "spit test" or something like that, it is pure quackery.)
To answer your questions: 1) Yes, if you had HIV, the PCR (and antibody tests) would have picked it up. 2) No. You don't have HIV. 3) No STD causes such symptoms. Anxiety is a good bet. But you need to see a health care provider about them.
Bottom line: Mellow out. Follow your personal health care provider's advice.
I don't know what you mean by a negative test for yeast. There is no such test. (If you're talking about the "spit test" or something like that, it is pure quackery.)
To answer your questions: 1) Yes, if you had HIV, the PCR (and antibody tests) would have picked it up. 2) No. You don't have HIV. 3) No STD causes such symptoms. Anxiety is a good bet. But you need to see a health care provider about them.
Bottom line: Mellow out. Follow your personal health care provider's advice.
Thanks Dr H. I am awaiting another Elisa as we speak, taken at 32 days post the last possible encounter. Hoping for the best. Thanks again.
CEB
CEB
Just for clarification, it was unprotected vaginal sex.
Thanks again.
CEB
Thanks again.
CEB
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That's even more reassuring. No chance you have HIV.
HHH, MD
HHH, MD
To clarify my answer to your question no. 2: As you word the question, my reply should be "yes", there is "a possibility" [acutally, a certainty] you do not have HIV.
And my comment about the "spit test" for yeast refers to urine testing.
HHH, MD
And my comment about the "spit test" for yeast refers to urine testing.
HHH, MD
He said it was unprotected
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It was vaginal.
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