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HIV Prevention (Expert Forum)
Active Lymph Nodes-Early HIV Testing
Answered by
University of Washington
Seattle - WA
This forum is limited to prevention of HIV and to safe sex in general. If you believe you might have been exposed to HIV and want help to judge your risk, would like advice about HIV testing, or have questions about the effectiveness of condoms or the risks associated with specific sexual practices, this is the site for you.
IMPORTANT
No questions will be accepted on the treatment of HIV/AIDS or its complications, viral load, and similar topics. If you have questions about a specific STD other than HIV/AIDS, please visit the STD Forum. Questions that do not pertain to the above topics will be removed from the forum.
If you have not done so, please review other threads in our archives for questions similar to yours and Dr. Handsfield's replies. Questions that duplicate other frequent ones, for which abundant replies exist, and that have little educational value for other forum users, will be DELETED WITHOUT RESPONSE. YOUR PAYMENT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. The most common examples of such questions are those about low risk exposures to HIV, such as oral sex, condom- protected intercourse hand-to-genital exposure, and nonsexual contact with possibly infected blood or body fluids as well as symptoms of early HIV infection.
No questions will be accepted on the treatment of HIV/AIDS or its complications, viral load, and similar topics. If you have questions about a specific STD other than HIV/AIDS, please visit the STD Forum. Questions that do not pertain to the above topics will be removed from the forum.
If you have not done so, please review other threads in our archives for questions similar to yours and Dr. Handsfield's replies. Questions that duplicate other frequent ones, for which abundant replies exist, and that have little educational value for other forum users, will be DELETED WITHOUT RESPONSE. YOUR PAYMENT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. The most common examples of such questions are those about low risk exposures to HIV, such as oral sex, condom- protected intercourse hand-to-genital exposure, and nonsexual contact with possibly infected blood or body fluids as well as symptoms of early HIV infection.
Active Lymph Nodes-Early HIV Testing
by SS17, Feb 21, 2007 12:00AM
Dear Doc:
Had sex with a prostitute February 10th. During vaginal intercourse, condom broke & I ejaculated inside her. Tested for HIV, Chlamydia, & Gonorrhea Feb. 13. Began to experience frequent urination, slight burning during urination, & finally whitish discharge from penis Feb. 14. Dr. wrote script for both Chlamydia/Gonorrhea Feb. 15. Medication referred to as T-pack I think. Results for all tests received Feb. 15-all negative due to window period i assume. above symptoms have sense disappeared. Over the weekend began to notice area around neck/lymph nodes felt “active” & mildly sore. Didn't notice any swelling here-worried about HIV early symptoms involving swelling of lymph nodes b/w 2-4 weeks after infection. Sensations/mild soreness in neck area much decreaed as of yesterday. Understand HIV is more easily transmitted from a person with another existing STD at time of contact & given that sex was with a high risk person I am extremely stressed, unable to sleep much, loss of appetite, etc. Considering taking the HIV PCR with HIV EIA test thru Request a Test Monday which will be over 2 weeks, retest at 28 days w/antibody test at 6 weeks. Not clear whether PCR test covers all HIV-1 subtypes & the mention of increased likelihood of false positives a little scary but waiting 6 weeks, or worse 3 months, will be hell at this rate. Is 2 weeks to soon for the PCR test? What about 28 days? Or just wait it out for the antibody test, & if so, how soon can it be considered, if not conclusive, darn reliable? Thanks.
Had sex with a prostitute February 10th. During vaginal intercourse, condom broke & I ejaculated inside her. Tested for HIV, Chlamydia, & Gonorrhea Feb. 13. Began to experience frequent urination, slight burning during urination, & finally whitish discharge from penis Feb. 14. Dr. wrote script for both Chlamydia/Gonorrhea Feb. 15. Medication referred to as T-pack I think. Results for all tests received Feb. 15-all negative due to window period i assume. above symptoms have sense disappeared. Over the weekend began to notice area around neck/lymph nodes felt “active” & mildly sore. Didn't notice any swelling here-worried about HIV early symptoms involving swelling of lymph nodes b/w 2-4 weeks after infection. Sensations/mild soreness in neck area much decreaed as of yesterday. Understand HIV is more easily transmitted from a person with another existing STD at time of contact & given that sex was with a high risk person I am extremely stressed, unable to sleep much, loss of appetite, etc. Considering taking the HIV PCR with HIV EIA test thru Request a Test Monday which will be over 2 weeks, retest at 28 days w/antibody test at 6 weeks. Not clear whether PCR test covers all HIV-1 subtypes & the mention of increased likelihood of false positives a little scary but waiting 6 weeks, or worse 3 months, will be hell at this rate. Is 2 weeks to soon for the PCR test? What about 28 days? Or just wait it out for the antibody test, & if so, how soon can it be considered, if not conclusive, darn reliable? Thanks.
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Feb 21, 2007 12:00AM
, Feb 21, 2007 12:00AM
Even if your partner had HIV, the odds you caught it were in the range of 1 chance in 2,000. That risk is higher if you acquired nongonococcal urethritis (NGU), which seems likely, but still tghe odds are strongly in your favor. Statistically, it is not likely your commercial partner had HIV. Symptoms are never meaningful in judging new HIV infection, and you cannot judge yourself whether your lymph nodes are 'active'; without obvious swelling, probably not. If a health care provider experienced in new HIV infections recommends PCR testing, fine; but you should not request it on your own without an experienced provider's recommendation. If you just cannot handle a 6 week wait, have an antibody test at 3-4 weeks; although not definitive, a negative result after 3 weeks will be reassuring. Then have a second test a few weeks later.
Use the Search link and enter 'time to positive HIV test' and/or 'HIV diagnosis' (with the quotation marks) for over 150 threads with repeated discussions of test reliability at various intervals. Also search for 'ARS symptoms' for more information about why your symptoms probably are meaningless.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Use the Search link and enter 'time to positive HIV test' and/or 'HIV diagnosis' (with the quotation marks) for over 150 threads with repeated discussions of test reliability at various intervals. Also search for 'ARS symptoms' for more information about why your symptoms probably are meaningless.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
You don't mention when the condome broke but it would have protected you up until the time it broke. I have read that HIV transmission from a broken condom although it does happen is quite rare. There is an FDA approved PCR RNA test for the expressed purpose of diagnosing early infection. It is in part FDA approved because it has a low rate of false positives - the main reason most experts warn against this type of testing. Although you would still need to follow up with antibody testing to be conlclusive, a negative on this test at two weeks would go along way in relieving your anxiety. The PCR is called Aptima and was only recently approved for early detection of HIV before antibodies can be detected.
RB