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Do I need testing for symptoms? Touched condom with dry cuts, urethra
Hi doc,At numerous places I have been told that my exposure is a zero risk but still anxious and depressed. Exposure being: protected vaginal sex for 2-3 mins and later after pulling out I went to the bathroom. And after one min or so I touched the condom exterior to seeif the tip was intact. Now, next day I realized I had some cuticle cuts - minor and not actively bleeding. Also I hv a habit of touching the foreskin while peeing. Thus this could be another form of exposure. I hv read numerous posts on fingering with cuts and mutual masturbation are near-zero risk. Thus my qns would be on my symptoms and if I can get an assessment if the symptoms are not ars-like, I could move-on. The symptoms double wammied myself n my gf. My symptoms: day 19. Stiff knee (extremely stiff) for 2 days, malaise and mild feverishness for day 21-23. Loss of apetite starting day 23 and lasted for one week or so. Most noticeable and stark symptom was unexplained weight loss of atleast 2-3 kgs in one weeks time. No sore throat, no rashes. In my case if at all I had fever, I had low grade fever for max 2 days. Absent weight loss, I wouldn't have been alarmed with my symptoms. However, this did not stop here. My gfs symptoms start after one week. Her symptoms: starts with a sore throat and fever. Fever close to 38 lasted for 1 and half day but she had rashes on her back. Red widespread papules. Sore throat lasted for 6 days. She was taking amoxicillin.
So doc, given these symptoms, classical for ars and their perfect timing, do you think I might hv got infected in this statistically close to zero risk situation? Or do you think all this is coincidence. Ars fevers we got were not long/high enough? Rashes could hv been penicillin allergy? Do you think testing is required?
A related discussion, Touched urethra was started.
Thanks a lot for the reply
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your new test, with negative results, is completely reliable. There are no health conditions that alter HIV test reliability, including chronic fatigue syndrome. You don't have HIV.
Dr Handsfield,
you hv been extremely helpful and so has been your forum which has kept me occupied over the last 5 months. Just wanted to update that finally I got tested at 5 months (1 day short) from the exposure through Eclia for HIV I and ii antibody + p24 antigen. Result negative (value 0.394- cut off 1.0)
One final word and I will never bother you.
I hope the test (eclia) is reliable and at 5 months is a sufficient timeframe. I have a history of chronic fatigue syndrome, pre diabetes? Can these delay antibody generation?
I really appreciate your great work.
Thanks and god bless you.
you hv been extremely helpful and so has been your forum which has kept me occupied over the last 5 months. Just wanted to update that finally I got tested at 5 months (1 day short) from the exposure through Eclia for HIV I and ii antibody + p24 antigen. Result negative (value 0.394- cut off 1.0)
One final word and I will never bother you.
I hope the test (eclia) is reliable and at 5 months is a sufficient timeframe. I have a history of chronic fatigue syndrome, pre diabetes? Can these delay antibody generation?
I really appreciate your great work.
Thanks and god bless you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Sorry, I have neither the time nor the energy to keep trying to reassure someone who has trouble accpeting the good news that they don't have HIV. So I am through trying. Read my replies above. This forum cannot help any further.
Doc, your finals will be highly appreciated.
Thanks.
Thanks.
One last thing and apologies for a piecemeal. Both myself and my gf came down recently (13th week from exposure) with bad bronchitis. Lasted 3 days for me and a week for my gf. Can this be connected to recent infection? Ant change in ur assessment. Thanks and his bless you.
Hi doctor,
many thanks and your reassurance is definitely useful. The only thing I wanted to add was that I have really did a lot of search on symptoms and the fact that they vary so much from mild to severe and also so common to other easily acquirable virals that it becomes extremely difficult to decipher real ars vs others. Hence ur expertise is what I rely on. If you could have given me answers/explainations specific to our symptoms that would have been great. I really appreciate your work, your support and have no one to fall back on. God bless you.
many thanks and your reassurance is definitely useful. The only thing I wanted to add was that I have really did a lot of search on symptoms and the fact that they vary so much from mild to severe and also so common to other easily acquirable virals that it becomes extremely difficult to decipher real ars vs others. Hence ur expertise is what I rely on. If you could have given me answers/explainations specific to our symptoms that would have been great. I really appreciate your work, your support and have no one to fall back on. God bless you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This has been discussed innumerable times on this forum. Use the search link and enter such things as "ARS symptoms" or "symptoms of HIV", etc. The main point is that all ARS symptoms are identical to those of a large number of other health problems that are much more common than ARS is. Therefore, even in people at risk for HIV and with classical ARS symptoms, most don't have ARS. Further, many people who post questions on this forum are worried about symptoms that simply are rare if ever caused by ARS l-- things like various aches, pains, tingles, rashes, etc to cold symptoms like stuffy nose and chest congestion, none of which are caused by ARS.
That will be all for this thread. Please accept the reassurance I have given as good news and move on with your life.
That will be all for this thread. Please accept the reassurance I have given as good news and move on with your life.
Hi doc,
your answer was not unexpected. However, the key line for me on your answer above is "neither her symptoms nor yours are classical for ars". I would really appreciate if you please elaborate on this point. From your years of experience what is it or absense of what in our symptoms, makes you form the above opinion. Many thanks in advance.
your answer was not unexpected. However, the key line for me on your answer above is "neither her symptoms nor yours are classical for ars". I would really appreciate if you please elaborate on this point. From your years of experience what is it or absense of what in our symptoms, makes you form the above opinion. Many thanks in advance.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the HIV forum.
I agree with the advice you already have had. The exposures you describe carry little or no risk for HIV. Cuticle cuts make no difference, and touching your genital area while urinating (or any other time) is no risk. And as we have said hundreds of times on this forum, symptoms NEVER help decide whether or not someone has HIV. The exposure history and test results tell the story; symptoms do not. Anyway, your symptoms do not suggest a new HIV infeciton. Same for your girlfriend. Neither her symptoms nor yours are "classical for ARS". But if the symptoms concern you, both you and your girlfriend should visit a doctor or clinic to learn the cause and perhaps receive treatment.
From a risk assessment standpoint, or on the basis of your symptoms, no HIV testing is necessary in this situation. However, because you are nervous about it, you should have an HIV test for peace of mind. You can expect it to be negative.
Regards-- HHH, MD
I agree with the advice you already have had. The exposures you describe carry little or no risk for HIV. Cuticle cuts make no difference, and touching your genital area while urinating (or any other time) is no risk. And as we have said hundreds of times on this forum, symptoms NEVER help decide whether or not someone has HIV. The exposure history and test results tell the story; symptoms do not. Anyway, your symptoms do not suggest a new HIV infeciton. Same for your girlfriend. Neither her symptoms nor yours are "classical for ARS". But if the symptoms concern you, both you and your girlfriend should visit a doctor or clinic to learn the cause and perhaps receive treatment.
From a risk assessment standpoint, or on the basis of your symptoms, no HIV testing is necessary in this situation. However, because you are nervous about it, you should have an HIV test for peace of mind. You can expect it to be negative.
Regards-- HHH, MD
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