Hiv Testing and symptoms question

[tkassaii]

Hi doc, hope all is well. Here's my story, I'm a male and on Jan 3rd 05 I had unprotected vaginal sex for about a minute until I realized how stupid I was being, so I dont think I ejaculated inside other then pre-***. the follwing week on the 10th of Jan I had protected sex with the same person. On the 17th of Jan I went to my doctor and got tested for most std's including Hiv and all was negative, my doc told me that I did not catch anything so I need to stop stressing. I did not take his advice and I still continued to stress, so I started looking up symptoms of hiv, I know bad idea, nonetheless I was checking myself every second of the day. a few weeks ago I started to feel this lump in my throat everytime I would swallow my saliva, it felt like my lymph nodes were swollen. I dont know it could of been due to smoking or my stress and anxiety, but it was on and off every day. On one day I had one occurance of a little blood in diarraeh, but that day I drank alot of tea and had really bad chinease food so I dont think that its related since it never happened again. One more thing my armpits had a little on and off burning every once in a while but that could be due to the fact that I didnt wash my work shirt for one month. I got another hiv test done on the 7th of feb, 35 days after unprotected vaginal and 28 days after protected vasginal it was negative. Doc if you could please answer my questions with as much detail as possible I would greatly appreciate it.  

1. Do you think that my symptoms are at all related to ars or Hiv, or would you say that it is stress and anxiety related?

2. I've heard that you have to wait 12 weeks for the hiv test to be accurate, I tested at 2 weeks and 5 weeks both negative it has now been 8 weeks if I test now would you say that I'm in the clear or is my 5 week one good enough? What are the chances to remain negative after testing negative after 5 weeks?

3. Do you think that I am overly reacting this whole incidance considering my doc telling me that I'm stressing to much and my two test being negative?

4. what could be bothering my throat? The internet says that its a strees related disorder called Globus Hystericus or dysphagia, what do you. think?

5. The girl I was with said that she tested negative for Hiv in the beginning of Nov of 04 and that in the previous 3 months before her test she was with 2 people both protectred one in the beginning of Oct and one in July. I havent ha dany flu like symptoms other then the throat, that one time diarreah occurance and my armpits. please give me some advice?

Thank you so much for you patiance and support, and sorry for the length of my questions. Thanks.

[tkassaii]

Thank you all for your supprot, it really means alot to me. It's just one of the scariest things that has ever happened to me, and I cant even believe that I put myself in that situation. your right every small thing that happens I start to freak out so I think that I'm going to go get another test done in a few weeks to ease my mind and put this all behind me. I will be extremly cautious next time. Thanks again for everything.

[Fire190]

Hey there,
Im not a MD but I have done a tone of research on this because I had an HIV scare and some REALLY scarry ARS symptoms (so I thought).

I had a sore throat
Night Sweats
Loss of appetite
Fatigue
Etc.

It turned out negative.  In your case an ELSIA test should show up accurately after a month. It is said that it should be done at 3 months also but at 1 month your body should show some kind of response. I know the word SHOULD  worries you but from what I have found it's around 99%.  I actually got 2 HIV PCR test done also, which are accurate at 28 days. Either way, after 28 days or so that is an EXTREMELY good indicator that you are negative.  DON'T read ANY MORE about ARS symptoms  it will freak you out and any cough, sneeze, sore throat, or fatigue will make you think you are dying, I've been there!

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

1.  No, not HIV.  Yes to stress and anxiety.
2. Since you're so anxious, I suppose you can get another test at 12 weeks.
3. Yes, indeed, I think you are overreacting.
4. I agree with what you read.
5. My advice is to get another HIV test, and to get counseling or other help (such as medication) if you can't get past your anxiety.  Also, please avoid any risky behavior in the future, for your own peace of mind if nothing else.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[Deedesign]

Hey,

I am not a doc but your HIV risk is almost zero! Go to the STD site and see what others have posted. Your symptoms are not even related. If you are not a gay man, injection drug user, slept with people that you know are HIV I would not worry, you are in the lowest of  risk group. Hope this helps.