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Worried and confused about Oral HIV risks
I would like to start by thanking you and the regular contributors for your excellent work on this forum. It has kept me going over the past 2.5 weeks from hell.
I am a male never had sex with a man before and am quite sexually inactive, 1 year or so since the last time I had sex of any kind. I got really drunk one night and I had unprotected receptive and insertive oral sex with cross dresser of unknown status. Without realizing that he ejaculated a few moments earlier I put his penis in my mouth for no more than 30 seconds or so. That was the extent of the contact.
Within 12 hours of incident I came down with somekind of chest cold which lasted for a week for the most part. I still have something going on with my chest but I dont think it has anything to do with ARS. My anxiety and regret over this is killing me. To make matters worse I made the stupid mistake of looking through internet for information. It just made me worse. Thank god for this forum.
My anxiety is causing me to hyperfocus on every twitch of my body. I have felt as though I may have been feverish but when I took my temp I was far from it. The highest temp I have reached is 98.9 with an average temp 97.8, even during my cold. So I haven't had a fever so that is helping me keep my sanity.
-I understand that anxiety can produce symptoms but could it make you to feel feverish? The actual body tempature is what determines if one has a fever is that correct?
(since I am only able to think in terms of the worst case scenario since this happened, lets assume the person is high risk or HIV+).
-In terms of level of risk I am not so concerned about the insertive oral but I am concerned with the receptive oral. I defintely tasted what I can only assume to be semen that is when I stopped. Did I increase the risk to the same level as if he would have ejaculated completly into my mouth?
-It is now 18 days into this nightmare, and I have read that a PCR test is pretty conclusive at 28 days. Based on my risk level would you advise against a PCR? or should I just hold out for the 6 week test?
-I still have a nagging chest congestion, it is in my upper chest, it feels like there is something is stuck there I don't have a sore throat but I am concerened it could be another STD. Should I also get tested for other STDs?
PS.-In many previous threads you have mentioned that unprotected oral sex is low risk but not zero risk. Why then does the San Francisco Dept. of Health City Hospital,which I would imagine to be literally Ground Zero for HIV/AIDS, not provide PEP under any circumstances to people who have been potentially exposed to HIV via oral sex under any circumstances. Is the risk that low? or could be some other reason? I know you can't answer for them but I was interested in your opinion as well as that of others.
Thank you.
I am a male never had sex with a man before and am quite sexually inactive, 1 year or so since the last time I had sex of any kind. I got really drunk one night and I had unprotected receptive and insertive oral sex with cross dresser of unknown status. Without realizing that he ejaculated a few moments earlier I put his penis in my mouth for no more than 30 seconds or so. That was the extent of the contact.
Within 12 hours of incident I came down with somekind of chest cold which lasted for a week for the most part. I still have something going on with my chest but I dont think it has anything to do with ARS. My anxiety and regret over this is killing me. To make matters worse I made the stupid mistake of looking through internet for information. It just made me worse. Thank god for this forum.
My anxiety is causing me to hyperfocus on every twitch of my body. I have felt as though I may have been feverish but when I took my temp I was far from it. The highest temp I have reached is 98.9 with an average temp 97.8, even during my cold. So I haven't had a fever so that is helping me keep my sanity.
-I understand that anxiety can produce symptoms but could it make you to feel feverish? The actual body tempature is what determines if one has a fever is that correct?
(since I am only able to think in terms of the worst case scenario since this happened, lets assume the person is high risk or HIV+).
-In terms of level of risk I am not so concerned about the insertive oral but I am concerned with the receptive oral. I defintely tasted what I can only assume to be semen that is when I stopped. Did I increase the risk to the same level as if he would have ejaculated completly into my mouth?
-It is now 18 days into this nightmare, and I have read that a PCR test is pretty conclusive at 28 days. Based on my risk level would you advise against a PCR? or should I just hold out for the 6 week test?
-I still have a nagging chest congestion, it is in my upper chest, it feels like there is something is stuck there I don't have a sore throat but I am concerened it could be another STD. Should I also get tested for other STDs?
PS.-In many previous threads you have mentioned that unprotected oral sex is low risk but not zero risk. Why then does the San Francisco Dept. of Health City Hospital,which I would imagine to be literally Ground Zero for HIV/AIDS, not provide PEP under any circumstances to people who have been potentially exposed to HIV via oral sex under any circumstances. Is the risk that low? or could be some other reason? I know you can't answer for them but I was interested in your opinion as well as that of others.
Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You're right about the timing of your symptoms; they cannot be due to the sexual exposure you describe. You caught a cold a few days earlier, that's all. The chance of getting HIV after that exposure is low enough that you really don't need testing at all--but if you're nervous, get a standard HIV antibody test 6-12 weeks after the exposure. Definitely do not waste your time and treasure on a PCR test.
You answered the question about PEP yourself, more or less: yes, the risk of catching HIV orally really is that low. You would probably have to treat 1000 or maybe even 10,000 people to prevent one of them from getting HIV, even if exposed to a person with known HIV infection (and you don't know that you were exposed to an infected person).
Good luck-- HHH, MD
You answered the question about PEP yourself, more or less: yes, the risk of catching HIV orally really is that low. You would probably have to treat 1000 or maybe even 10,000 people to prevent one of them from getting HIV, even if exposed to a person with known HIV infection (and you don't know that you were exposed to an infected person).
Good luck-- HHH, MD
I think the risk IS that low that they don't provide PEP. PEP itself carries some risk of health problems, some very severe. So they only use it if you were definately exposed during a high risk activity.
I am a HCW and couldn't get PEP after a needlestick from an unknown person (syringe sticking out of a needlebox). So I doubt that it would be necessary after a few seconds of oral sex. Your guilt and fear are making you believe that this exposure was somehow the exception and that it was "high risk". It wasn't.
I don't think the doctor here will recommend a PCR, either.
I am a HCW and couldn't get PEP after a needlestick from an unknown person (syringe sticking out of a needlebox). So I doubt that it would be necessary after a few seconds of oral sex. Your guilt and fear are making you believe that this exposure was somehow the exception and that it was "high risk". It wasn't.
I don't think the doctor here will recommend a PCR, either.
I am interested to see where the guidelines and opinions on prescribing PEP go in the near future, as influenced by lawyers. I just read the other day, I think it was in Britain, where there is a big lawsuit from some guy that got HIV and was either denied PEP or was not informed that it was available. I will see if I can find it again. The whole thing just seems like a lawsuit waiting to happen to me.
Particularly your case where there is about a 1/300 risk if that needle had been infected with HIV. If you are willing to sign for the risk of taking PEP, I think it should have been offered to you.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
