im afraid to get tested.and do think anxiety can cause this?

[robbmx]

im afraid ive contracted hiv.every one says tht i most likly dont have from like 7 differnet people but ive done so much reing and now my lymph nodes are swollen  my necks stiff and i have a headach and a sore throught.im sooo freakin scared,i dont want to get tested but i have to help me. also can messing with one lymph node(like under your chin)set off other ones to swell?and they arnt tender but my neck is sore.

[nursegirl6572]

HIV Anxiety is a VERY real thing, and sadly, pretty common.  All you have to do is read some of the threads in the HIV Prevention forum posted by people who cannot let their irrational fears go, no matter how much proof they have that they do not have HIV......and you'll see just how common it is.

Some facts...HIV is NOT an easy disease to contract.  In fact, quite the opposite...it's very very difficult.  MOST things that people think are risks are not.

What was your "risk"?  If it wasn't unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse, or sharing a needle with someone...you didn't have a risk, period.

If you did have a risk, it's simple...go take a test at about 8 weeks post the incident.  That will be a great indicator of your final result.  Follow that test up with a test at 12 weeks for a conclusive result.  NOT being tested if you truly had a risk is silly and makes no sense.  It wouldn't make it so that you weren't POS, and it would delay potentially life saving treatment.  There is no reason not to get tested...especially b/c most likely your result will be NEG and you can move on.  No excuse to avoid testing.

Lastly.....were your "swollen nodes" diagnosed by a health care professional, or are you ASSUMING they are?  If not Dxed by a doc, then you don't really know if they are swollen or not.  Normal lymph nodes are palpable....you have to know what you're doing when feeling for them.  IF you do truly have swollen nodes, about a million things could have caused them, the least likely being HIV.

On my profile page is a link to a journal I wrote called "HIV: The Facts".  Read that...it will put a lot about HIV into perspective for you.

[RubyWitch]

Unless we know what kind of exposure you had, and when, it's difficult for us to give you any real advice regarding your risks.

There are three ways you can contract HIV.

1) Unprotected anal/vaginal sex with an HIV+ partner
2) Sharing drug works with an HIV+ person
3) Mother to unborn child

If you do NOT fall into any of these categories..........NO RISK!

You CANNOT contract HIV from kissing, from oral sex, from fingering, from hugging or touching, from toilet seats or grocery carts, sharing a soda.............the list is endless.    
It is much, much harder to contract HIV than you think.

If you'd care to share with us what you believe your risk was, we can answer your question better.

Testing for HIV is only conclusive at three (3) MONTHS POST EXPOSURE.

I can understand your fear of being tested, but it is better to know than not.

And until you either accept that you were never at risk or get tested, you must use portection to safeguard any of your sexual partners! NO EXCEPTIONS!

I think all the reading you've been doing and your anxiety are creating physical symptoms which you are attributing to HIV.

It is far more likely that you have the flu or some other minor virus causing your nodes to swell, your sore throat and neck and your headaches are no doubt being caused by all the stress. Poking at your lymph nodes will cause pain. Nothing else. Stop doing it! And stop reading all the horror stories and misinformation out there!

If you haven't already been booted off the HIV Forum with a thousand "what if" questions, they would be the ones to assess your risk. They are the pros. Or call an HIV Hotline and talk to them. You really need to calm down. See your doctor if your other symptoms don't abait within a week.
Peace
Greenlydia