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DOC PLEASE GIVE ME SOME INSIGHT
Doc, Here we go, I was in Singapore 3 weeks ago and had vaginal intercourse with a prostitute. During this revolting act the condom broke. I felt it break and immediately pulled out. I was inside her for approximately 2 seconds without the condom covering the opening of my penis. The condom broke right after I ejaculated. I washed in the shower after this happened. 5-6 days later I get flu like symptoms, sore throat, stuffed nose, all over sickness. I then have a herpes outbreak on my penis and around my eye which I had to take acyclovir to clear up. The doctor who gave me the prescription said I spread the herpes from my penis to my eye. I never had an outbreak like this. What a nightmare! This act took place on Halloween, so it has been 25 days. Right now I have an inflamed rib cage which I can't figure out where it came from. I no longer have the herpes outbreak. I also have a pain in my mouth on my wisdom tooth like it is growing out more. Upper left back tooth. It feels like it is behind my wisdom tooth on the upper part of the jaw, but touching the tooth for sure. Obviously the herpes outbreak from contact with the girl, right? If I contracted herpes from the girl (who was 22 years old from Vietnam) does this also symbolize I have exchanged fluids with her and more than likely caught HIV. I asked her if she had HIV, don't even know if she understood me, if she did at first she looked puzzled then laughed and said no. Could it be from the stress of having to tell my wife? Does it indicate that something has weakened my immune system like HIV? What is the likeliness I am infected? I was told to wait 3 months to get tested. I read in some of the forums testing at 6 weeks is over 90% correct, would you suggest getting tested then? I am really freaking out bad...
It simply doesn't matter. Follow Dr. HHH's advice regarding testing, regardless of the numbers game you are trying to play around with in your head.
I know you wont have any more comments, yet by saying "4 fold" and 2 Fold" do you mean 4 times more likely out of 1000 and 2 times more likely out of 1000 or do you mean 1 out of 4 and 2 out of 4? Please respond I will not ask any more questions to you. Thanks so much for your support.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The average increased risk of HIV transmission in the presence of new genital HSV-2 is around 4-fold. It's probably around 2-fold if the herpes was acquired earlier. But that doesn't necessarily translate to your situation; the issue is far too complex to come up with an accurate judgment in any particular case. Your actual chance is much lower, however, because the odds are your commercial partner did not have HIV.
With apology, I cannot speculate more than I have about the timing or source of your herpes infection. The way to sort it out is to know your virus type, either from testing the virus isolated from a lesion, if that test was done; or by blood test; or both. And for your wife to have blood tests for HSV-1 and -2. Those results may (but may not) resolve the question. It may or may not be in your interest to pursue it; that's something for you and your doctor to discuss.
You also should read up on genital herpes so you fully understand these issues. Start with the American Social Health Association (www.ashastd.org); you can also phone ASHA's Herpes Resource Center to have personalized discussions with experienced counselors, which ultimately will be more helpful than web searching or other reading. And you can order ASHA's excellent book Understanding Herpes (approximate title) by my colleagues and friends, Charles Ebel and Anna Wald. Other good web resources are www.westoverheights.com and the herpes information at my former health department (which I wrote), www.metrokc.gov/health/apu/std.
Cross the bridge about survival with HIV/AIDS if you come to that. With modern therapy, typical survival probably is 20+ years, perhaps a full normal lifespan as treatment continues to improve.
I won't have any further comments on this thread. You need personalized health care, not generalized advice from me or any other online source. Best wishes.
With apology, I cannot speculate more than I have about the timing or source of your herpes infection. The way to sort it out is to know your virus type, either from testing the virus isolated from a lesion, if that test was done; or by blood test; or both. And for your wife to have blood tests for HSV-1 and -2. Those results may (but may not) resolve the question. It may or may not be in your interest to pursue it; that's something for you and your doctor to discuss.
You also should read up on genital herpes so you fully understand these issues. Start with the American Social Health Association (www.ashastd.org); you can also phone ASHA's Herpes Resource Center to have personalized discussions with experienced counselors, which ultimately will be more helpful than web searching or other reading. And you can order ASHA's excellent book Understanding Herpes (approximate title) by my colleagues and friends, Charles Ebel and Anna Wald. Other good web resources are www.westoverheights.com and the herpes information at my former health department (which I wrote), www.metrokc.gov/health/apu/std.
Cross the bridge about survival with HIV/AIDS if you come to that. With modern therapy, typical survival probably is 20+ years, perhaps a full normal lifespan as treatment continues to improve.
I won't have any further comments on this thread. You need personalized health care, not generalized advice from me or any other online source. Best wishes.
Do we know a rough idea as to how much higher the risk is with herpes thrown into the mix? If it is 1 out of a 2000 from catching from a female to male (or 1 out of 1000?) With herpes is it like 1 out of 250? Higher or lower? I'm terrified!
Also about how long do people with HIV/AIDS live?
Also about how long do people with HIV/AIDS live?
Thank you for your prompt reply. I was never diagnosed with herpes, yet a girl I was with 6 or 7 years ago said she got herpes from me after being tested. Not sure what type? She was the last person I slept with other than my wife. My wife has not been with any other partners, over the last 7 years 100% sure of this... I also have only been with her up until this situation. I also did read that herpes on the first outbreak can be spread by touching one part of the skin after touching the exposed skin, after this the outbreak stays in one location, is this true? Also who long does it take after exposure to herpes does the outbreak usually take?
If this was the first Genital Herpes outbreak does the HIV virus attach itself to the herpes virus, do they go hand and hand if the host has both?
Does the sore by my wisdom tooth sound like an initial sysmptom of HIV?
Could of the flu like symptoms been from the Herpes Outbreak about to take place? This was about 6 days after exposure.
It has almost been the 1 month mark, since this episode (in this order) I have had: Flu like symptoms and swollen glands at 5-6 days, Genital Herpes outbreak also on the skin surrounding my eye started at 7-8 days over at about day 20. Inflamed left rib cage at day 12. Sore muscles (been working out hard and doing yoga to make me tired so I can sleep), Wound on and behind wisdom tooth at day 21 up to today. Should I be expecting anything at the 4 week - 6 week mark that would indicate HIV infection. I'm sorry I'm so scared, I just have the best wife and I really hurt her. I almost feel as if I deserve it.
If this was the first Genital Herpes outbreak does the HIV virus attach itself to the herpes virus, do they go hand and hand if the host has both?
Does the sore by my wisdom tooth sound like an initial sysmptom of HIV?
Could of the flu like symptoms been from the Herpes Outbreak about to take place? This was about 6 days after exposure.
It has almost been the 1 month mark, since this episode (in this order) I have had: Flu like symptoms and swollen glands at 5-6 days, Genital Herpes outbreak also on the skin surrounding my eye started at 7-8 days over at about day 20. Inflamed left rib cage at day 12. Sore muscles (been working out hard and doing yoga to make me tired so I can sleep), Wound on and behind wisdom tooth at day 21 up to today. Should I be expecting anything at the 4 week - 6 week mark that would indicate HIV infection. I'm sorry I'm so scared, I just have the best wife and I really hurt her. I almost feel as if I deserve it.
What is your view on the 6 month window period?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If you have never had genital herpes before, and if that diagnosis is correct, it is possible you caught it during the commercial sex exposure you describe. However, I'm not at all sure. First, the period of exposure without condom was very short; it would be surprising to catch herpes with such brief contact. Second, most of the symptoms you describe don't sound like herpes. On the other hand, simultaneous herpes of the genitals and "around" your eye suggests an initial HSV infection, not a recurrence.
Presumably you haven't had herpes before now or you would have said so. But even if it is a new infection, it is possible you didn't get it from the sex worker, but perhaps your wife. Knowing the virus type (HSV-1 versus HSV-2), whether you and your wife have oral sex, and whether she has had other partners (perhaps before you were married) would help to sort this out.
If you acquired a new HSV infection, your risk of catching HIV--if the sex worker had it--was higher than without herpes. Still, for any single sexual exposure, the HIV risk is low, and using a condom was highly protective, even though you were briefly exposed when it broke. Anyway, most people don't lie when asked directly about HIV; most likely your partner doesn't have HIV.
All things considered, it is very unlikely you acquired an HIV infection. But the only way to know for sure is to be tested. It rarely takes 3 months for a blood test to become positive. As you have read on this forum, most newly infected people have positive HIV blood tests by 4-6 weeks. Your doctor may still recommend a test at 3 months to be sure, but earlier test results usually are reliable.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Presumably you haven't had herpes before now or you would have said so. But even if it is a new infection, it is possible you didn't get it from the sex worker, but perhaps your wife. Knowing the virus type (HSV-1 versus HSV-2), whether you and your wife have oral sex, and whether she has had other partners (perhaps before you were married) would help to sort this out.
If you acquired a new HSV infection, your risk of catching HIV--if the sex worker had it--was higher than without herpes. Still, for any single sexual exposure, the HIV risk is low, and using a condom was highly protective, even though you were briefly exposed when it broke. Anyway, most people don't lie when asked directly about HIV; most likely your partner doesn't have HIV.
All things considered, it is very unlikely you acquired an HIV infection. But the only way to know for sure is to be tested. It rarely takes 3 months for a blood test to become positive. As you have read on this forum, most newly infected people have positive HIV blood tests by 4-6 weeks. Your doctor may still recommend a test at 3 months to be sure, but earlier test results usually are reliable.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
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