Are these HIV symptoms? Scared and alone

[Roscoe24]

Thanks for your time..

Back in late February (the 21st) I had intercourse with someone I just met. Unprotected oral, protected vaginal .. HOWEVER I believe I may have took the condom off for just a little bit and had unprotected vaginal (very intoxicated).

Almost 4 weeks exactly after (March 20th) I came down with some type of sickness - very flu like.  I was in bed all day and so sick.  I threw up a couple times and couldn't keep any food down.  I was so sick and dehydrated that night I decided to go to the emergency room hoping to get some fluids pumped into me. I was running a temp of 102.  The doctor did an "affluent test" but came back negative.  He did say it doesn't mean that I don't have some type of flu. He also did blood work and said everything was fine.  I got my fluids and went home feeling better.

A week or so passed and I still wasn't feeling 100% - tired, but still doing all daily activities and going to the gym.  Then on this past Monday I got an upset stomach and had some diarrhea until Tuesday (not sure if this was cause by new supplement I began taking- creatine). I also can't tell if I have a rash around my nipples/shoulders or if I'm just breaking out in acne.

This morning I woke up with a sore throat and am feeling rundown.

Are all these symptoms consistent with HIV?

When can I test to find out? And can I use the Ora quick test right now?

This who thing has put some serious stress on me and is hurting my ability to live my normal daily routine.  This is all I can think about. .

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your test results show that your symptoms were not due to HIV as I explained above.

At 42 days the OraQuick test detects over 95% of recent HIV infections- both thse in which people experience the ARS and those who do not.  EWH

[Roscoe24]

So I just took the at home Ora Quick test and happy to report that the test came back negative! However,  it's only been 42 days since the exposure.  Should I still be worried and just wait for the 3 month mark to confirm the results? Or do you think I can assume these are not ARS symptoms at all and that I should be fine?
Thanks!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, if this was ARS, it would mean you got it from your recent encounter.  This is most unlikely. Take the test- taking the test does not change the result, it just provides you with the power of knowledge.  You do not need the anxiety that you are expereincing at this time.  EWH

[Roscoe24]

Thanks.  And if this were ARS symptoms,  that would mean I would have received HIV from the girl I slept with a month ago, correct?   Because this is the only girl I have slept with in at least 6 months. So these ARS symptoms wouldn't be appearing from a girl I had sex with last year, correct?

I have just purchased the Ora quick test. Just trying to build up some confidence to take it. Real nervous.

Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome back to our Forum. I'll be pleased to comment. You do not know that your partner had HIV and even if she id, even if the genital contact was unprotected, there is little risk of getting HIV. Your flu-like illness however is similar to t he symptoms that we see in persons experiencing the ARS associated with recently acquired HIV.   These symptoms however are not by any means unique to HIV and in fact when it has been studied, over 99% of persons with symptoms such as yours do not have HIV but have the flu or some other, non-sexually transmitted viral infection of the sort that people get all the time. The way to sort this out is with an HIV test.  The symptoms of the ARS occur as people who have recently acquired HIV begin to make antibodies and therefore within a few days of the onset of symptoms nearly everyone with the ARS has a positive antibody test.  If you do an OraQuick test at this time and it is negative, this is strong evidence that your flu-like illness in not due to HIV.  

I hope this information is helpful.  Get tested now- if the test is negative your symptoms were not the ARS.  I anticipate that is what you will find out when you test.  EWH