Aa
Greatfull for some advice
Hello Doctors,
I'm in quite a panic over my situation and symptoms and would very greatful for your advice/opinions;
I'm a very healthy early 30's male cirrcumsized and straight and always, always, always use protection during intercourse. I just recently got out of the military after a long and difficult service overseas, and while vacationing in St. Petersburg Florida with some friends I met a girl in a club (black, 23 years old), we were having a good time and by the end of the night we ended up sleeping together. During the intercourse (which was only vaginal), my condom broke and I believe I was inside her at least somewhere around 30 seconds before I noticed! I jumped up ran to the sink, washed myself and rubbed alcohol all over my penis and genitals. I then put on another condom and completed having intercourse with her which lasted about 1 maybe 2 minutes. The next night I flew back home to Canada and 3 days later I had a flight to Japan for 2 weeks to work on a US military base there. This is the list and order of the symptoms I developed:
A sore throat 2 days after (it almost completely cleared up the next day but mildly lingered for 1.5 weeks), 7 days after a mild cold, extreme fatigue and malaise, 9 days after was prescribed Azithromycin, took first 2 doses and same day felt weak, light headed, at approx 2 weeks after (exactly when I flew back from Japan), I began having night sweats and severe nausia (lost apetite for almost 3 weeks, lost around 8 pounds!), had 1 more bout of diarreah, in week 3 and 4 night sweats continued, Although I havn't had any fever yet I think I'm getting hot flashes at night, had 6 red dots that appeared on the inside of my elbow and disappeared the next day, also noticed more red dots appearing on my torso and disappear in 1 to 3 days, and noticed 1 possible hive on my back that's still there (but I honestly can't remember if it's new or if it's a scar tissue from a removed mole!)
I'm in quite a panic over my situation and symptoms and would very greatful for your advice/opinions;
I'm a very healthy early 30's male cirrcumsized and straight and always, always, always use protection during intercourse. I just recently got out of the military after a long and difficult service overseas, and while vacationing in St. Petersburg Florida with some friends I met a girl in a club (black, 23 years old), we were having a good time and by the end of the night we ended up sleeping together. During the intercourse (which was only vaginal), my condom broke and I believe I was inside her at least somewhere around 30 seconds before I noticed! I jumped up ran to the sink, washed myself and rubbed alcohol all over my penis and genitals. I then put on another condom and completed having intercourse with her which lasted about 1 maybe 2 minutes. The next night I flew back home to Canada and 3 days later I had a flight to Japan for 2 weeks to work on a US military base there. This is the list and order of the symptoms I developed:
A sore throat 2 days after (it almost completely cleared up the next day but mildly lingered for 1.5 weeks), 7 days after a mild cold, extreme fatigue and malaise, 9 days after was prescribed Azithromycin, took first 2 doses and same day felt weak, light headed, at approx 2 weeks after (exactly when I flew back from Japan), I began having night sweats and severe nausia (lost apetite for almost 3 weeks, lost around 8 pounds!), had 1 more bout of diarreah, in week 3 and 4 night sweats continued, Although I havn't had any fever yet I think I'm getting hot flashes at night, had 6 red dots that appeared on the inside of my elbow and disappeared the next day, also noticed more red dots appearing on my torso and disappear in 1 to 3 days, and noticed 1 possible hive on my back that's still there (but I honestly can't remember if it's new or if it's a scar tissue from a removed mole!)
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Last answer. No! At 5.5 weeks a standard ELISA will detect about 90% of infections. This concludes this thread. Further answers will be deleted without ANY comment.
EWH
EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This will be your last answer. It is becoming clear that your interpretation of my statements and advice is selective and that you are not able to stop your inappropriate fixation on a non-specific rash which followed a low risk sexual encounter that you are having second, and third, and fourth thoughts about. "red dots" an perhaps "a hive" (never had a patient with a single hive, perhpas you ar ethe first. are not suggestion of ARS.
1. Yes, if you had ARS( which you almost certainly DID NOT), an it started after your blood test, the blood test could have missed. It also could get hit by a meteorite while reading this. I would guess that the chances are about equally high. So, as long as you can't stop worrying about HIV, what are you going to do about meteorites??
2. No, the side effects of azithomycin go away within a few days, and certianly within 3 weeks of stopping the medication.
3. You need a helath care provider to make the diagnosis. Trying to diagnosis it yourself and worrying about whiteness of your tongue is a waste of time.
Further anxiety driven questions will be deleted without comment. EWH
1. Yes, if you had ARS( which you almost certainly DID NOT), an it started after your blood test, the blood test could have missed. It also could get hit by a meteorite while reading this. I would guess that the chances are about equally high. So, as long as you can't stop worrying about HIV, what are you going to do about meteorites??
2. No, the side effects of azithomycin go away within a few days, and certianly within 3 weeks of stopping the medication.
3. You need a helath care provider to make the diagnosis. Trying to diagnosis it yourself and worrying about whiteness of your tongue is a waste of time.
Further anxiety driven questions will be deleted without comment. EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your concerns are out of proportion to your risk related to the exposure you describe. Your risk is low. As I answer your questions I hope you will come to agree with me.
1. You have already acknowledged that worrying about symptoms is a poor way to assess risk for HIV. Add to that the fact that the your symptoms are really not consistent with the ARS. They started too soon and don't follow the typical description of the ARS (an no, I am not going to list the typical symptoms of the ARS. It is a waste of your time and mine). A white tongue is not part of the ARS for instance. In contrast, your illness is consistent with the sort of every day viral illness the people who are traveling and under stress experience on a regular basis.
2. It is unlikely that your partner had HIV. she told you she did not and people typically tell the truth. Even if she had HIV (VERY unlikely as I said) the risk of getting HIV from a single episode of vaginal sex with an infected partner is about 1 infection per 1000 sex acts. In your case the exposure was brief making it still less likely.
3. The question of the mechanics of HIV transmission is a bit of a "what if" question for which there are no scientific studies to provide answers.
4. At 3 weeks a standard HIV antibody test would detect over 2/3 of infections. At 5.5 weeks around 98% of infections would be detectable.
5. Sorry, don't know the specific rate. St. Petersburg however is not a hotbed of heterosexual HIV infections however.
Hope these comments help, Take care. EWH
1. You have already acknowledged that worrying about symptoms is a poor way to assess risk for HIV. Add to that the fact that the your symptoms are really not consistent with the ARS. They started too soon and don't follow the typical description of the ARS (an no, I am not going to list the typical symptoms of the ARS. It is a waste of your time and mine). A white tongue is not part of the ARS for instance. In contrast, your illness is consistent with the sort of every day viral illness the people who are traveling and under stress experience on a regular basis.
2. It is unlikely that your partner had HIV. she told you she did not and people typically tell the truth. Even if she had HIV (VERY unlikely as I said) the risk of getting HIV from a single episode of vaginal sex with an infected partner is about 1 infection per 1000 sex acts. In your case the exposure was brief making it still less likely.
3. The question of the mechanics of HIV transmission is a bit of a "what if" question for which there are no scientific studies to provide answers.
4. At 3 weeks a standard HIV antibody test would detect over 2/3 of infections. At 5.5 weeks around 98% of infections would be detectable.
5. Sorry, don't know the specific rate. St. Petersburg however is not a hotbed of heterosexual HIV infections however.
Hope these comments help, Take care. EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Sorry, this thread is over. EWH
Thank you for your reply Dr. Hook,
I wasn't expecting any changes in your assessment. It's clear that my doctor is not extremely experienced when it comes to HIV, so I just wanted to conclude this issue with your opinion that's all.
Do I need to get another test or can I be 100% confident with my 6 week result.
Thank you again for everything Doctor!!
I wasn't expecting any changes in your assessment. It's clear that my doctor is not extremely experienced when it comes to HIV, so I just wanted to conclude this issue with your opinion that's all.
Do I need to get another test or can I be 100% confident with my 6 week result.
Thank you again for everything Doctor!!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
My comments to you have not changed. You should not be worrying about HIV at this time. End of discussion. EWH
Hello Dr. Hook,
I hope you are doing well.
I received my 6 week mark blood test result today, it was an Elisa test and came back negative for HIV 1 and 2. I am extremely relieved.
What are the odds that it can change to positive by week 12? The doctor is telling me I still have to get another test done at the 6 month mark for it be conclusive!
Thank you Dr. Hook!
I hope you are doing well.
I received my 6 week mark blood test result today, it was an Elisa test and came back negative for HIV 1 and 2. I am extremely relieved.
What are the odds that it can change to positive by week 12? The doctor is telling me I still have to get another test done at the 6 month mark for it be conclusive!
Thank you Dr. Hook!
Thank you Doctor.
I will update you with my results.
Take care.
Peter
I will update you with my results.
Take care.
Peter
Doctor,
I hope you didn't think I was beeing sarcastic when I said thank you and that you were a big help?! I was saying that sincerely!
As for my question, it was not an anxiety driven question, I was simply inquiring about the type of test. When I asked about the duo test you stated it would be 95% accurate at 5.5 weeks, given that I'm not sure if I'll have access to that type fo test, I just wanted to know if the standard Eliza would yield the same accuracy level as the duo at 5.5 weeks.
Once again thank you for your help.
Peter
I hope you didn't think I was beeing sarcastic when I said thank you and that you were a big help?! I was saying that sincerely!
As for my question, it was not an anxiety driven question, I was simply inquiring about the type of test. When I asked about the duo test you stated it would be 95% accurate at 5.5 weeks, given that I'm not sure if I'll have access to that type fo test, I just wanted to know if the standard Eliza would yield the same accuracy level as the duo at 5.5 weeks.
Once again thank you for your help.
Peter
Good day Doctor,
Please believe me when I tell you that your answers are actually helping me control my anxiety and become more relaxed! The larger part of my anxiety was in fact not understanding what is going on with me/my symptoms and not being able to get straight answers for my questions from everyone I have already spoken with! Maybe it's my background as a commanding officer in the military, I can't deal with a situation if I don't know anything about it.
By reading the other posts, I can understand why it's bothersome to you when individuals dwell on the same topic over and over, and that is not my intention. I'm trying to get over this as quickly and comfortably as I can, and you are helping with me accomplish that with simples answers I couldn't get from other professionals over the last 4 weeks! Although through a different field, like you Doctor I've devoted my life to helping others and I do understand you, so please, please, please bare with me Sir, I promise these will be my last questions related to my symptoms, after this my next post will be my test results to update you.
1 - if my rash occured several days after the test, could the test have missed the virus/antibodies in my blood?
2 - could I be having such adverse effects to the Azithromycin I took that I'm still experiencing side effects 3 weeks after taking my last pill of the 5 day dose?
3 - what is the difference between white tongue and oral thrush (look and feel)? Can oral thrush be localized to the tongue only? Although you mention white tongue is not part of ARS is oral thrush?
That's all doctor, I promise, and thank you tremendously!!! Have a great day.
Peter
Please believe me when I tell you that your answers are actually helping me control my anxiety and become more relaxed! The larger part of my anxiety was in fact not understanding what is going on with me/my symptoms and not being able to get straight answers for my questions from everyone I have already spoken with! Maybe it's my background as a commanding officer in the military, I can't deal with a situation if I don't know anything about it.
By reading the other posts, I can understand why it's bothersome to you when individuals dwell on the same topic over and over, and that is not my intention. I'm trying to get over this as quickly and comfortably as I can, and you are helping with me accomplish that with simples answers I couldn't get from other professionals over the last 4 weeks! Although through a different field, like you Doctor I've devoted my life to helping others and I do understand you, so please, please, please bare with me Sir, I promise these will be my last questions related to my symptoms, after this my next post will be my test results to update you.
1 - if my rash occured several days after the test, could the test have missed the virus/antibodies in my blood?
2 - could I be having such adverse effects to the Azithromycin I took that I'm still experiencing side effects 3 weeks after taking my last pill of the 5 day dose?
3 - what is the difference between white tongue and oral thrush (look and feel)? Can oral thrush be localized to the tongue only? Although you mention white tongue is not part of ARS is oral thrush?
That's all doctor, I promise, and thank you tremendously!!! Have a great day.
Peter
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your anxiety is out of control an my answers seem to be feeding it. A few short answers only.
Yes, anxiety can cause persistent nausea.
No, anxiety does not cause rashes. On the other hand, just about any garden variety viral infection can. I will say not more about rashes related to HIV. They are irrelevant to you. If your rash was due to HIV, your blood test will be positive. In your case, I am confident that your blood test will be negative.
A duo test is a combination antigen/antibody test. They are not routinely available in the U.S. At 5.5 weeks about 95% of infections will yield positve tests.
Yes, you can be stressed and still have normal blood pressure (sigh)
You need to get a grip on yourself. If you cannot do it yourself, you should find someone to talk to ( a counselor or mental health professional) EWH
Yes, anxiety can cause persistent nausea.
No, anxiety does not cause rashes. On the other hand, just about any garden variety viral infection can. I will say not more about rashes related to HIV. They are irrelevant to you. If your rash was due to HIV, your blood test will be positive. In your case, I am confident that your blood test will be negative.
A duo test is a combination antigen/antibody test. They are not routinely available in the U.S. At 5.5 weeks about 95% of infections will yield positve tests.
Yes, you can be stressed and still have normal blood pressure (sigh)
You need to get a grip on yourself. If you cannot do it yourself, you should find someone to talk to ( a counselor or mental health professional) EWH
Sorry sir, I forgot to add, as stressed out as I've been over the last 4 weeks, my blood pressure has remained absolutely normal. Is it possible to be stressed to the point of manifesting physical symptoms and still have a normal blood pressure reading?
Thank you again!!
Thank you again!!
Hello Dr. Hook,
Thank you so very much for your response! I can't tell you how greatful I am for the service you and your colleagues provide on this forum. I've had an extremely stressful career in the military and have been through so much, but all that pales in comparison to the stress I've gone through in the last 4 weeks over this situation. I've been to 3 very experienced doctors in my area to seek information and opinions about what I've been going through, and as far as HIV infection, no one seems to actually have any information or any experience in dealing with it to be helpfull in any way! I really appreciate that you Sir are providing your knowledge and experience to those who seek it, it truly does help put things into perspective and reduce a tremendous amount of the stress!
If you don't mind me asking Sir (I ask only because I couldn't get any clear answers from the doctors I have already visited), Given the field of your practice, I'm sure you have assessed more than enough people who have become extremely stressed with believing/thinking they may have acquired HIV, and although I'm intimately familiar with physical symptoms of stress, I have never experienced symptoms manifested by stress to this extent. Can my nausia be due to this anxiety and be persistant for 3 weeks? Also, I visited a dermatologist in reference to my rash, he attributed it to an irritation/exema and told me if he ever came across an HIV related rash he wouldn't even know it as he has never seen one. It seems that on the internet every single related site has a differing opinion on what the ARS rash resembles. Would be able to detail a little more clearly what the rash does in fact resemble, if not in everyone going through ARS, then at least what you observe on a more consistant basis? I'm not questioning your assessment of my situation, you have definitely settled alot of my concerns, but I truly would be interested in understanding these points a little further if that's ok.
One last question about testing, would there be a prefered/recommended type of test I should have done to provide more accuracy at 5.5 weeks? I only know what I've been reading here and don't understand all the terms completey. I'm seeing alot of reference to a DUO test which I believe I read would be 99% accurate at 28 days? Is this accurate and what exactly is a DUO test, would any regular doctor know what I'm refering to if I mention DUO test to them?
Once again Sir, thank you tremendously for your time and help!
Thank you so very much for your response! I can't tell you how greatful I am for the service you and your colleagues provide on this forum. I've had an extremely stressful career in the military and have been through so much, but all that pales in comparison to the stress I've gone through in the last 4 weeks over this situation. I've been to 3 very experienced doctors in my area to seek information and opinions about what I've been going through, and as far as HIV infection, no one seems to actually have any information or any experience in dealing with it to be helpfull in any way! I really appreciate that you Sir are providing your knowledge and experience to those who seek it, it truly does help put things into perspective and reduce a tremendous amount of the stress!
If you don't mind me asking Sir (I ask only because I couldn't get any clear answers from the doctors I have already visited), Given the field of your practice, I'm sure you have assessed more than enough people who have become extremely stressed with believing/thinking they may have acquired HIV, and although I'm intimately familiar with physical symptoms of stress, I have never experienced symptoms manifested by stress to this extent. Can my nausia be due to this anxiety and be persistant for 3 weeks? Also, I visited a dermatologist in reference to my rash, he attributed it to an irritation/exema and told me if he ever came across an HIV related rash he wouldn't even know it as he has never seen one. It seems that on the internet every single related site has a differing opinion on what the ARS rash resembles. Would be able to detail a little more clearly what the rash does in fact resemble, if not in everyone going through ARS, then at least what you observe on a more consistant basis? I'm not questioning your assessment of my situation, you have definitely settled alot of my concerns, but I truly would be interested in understanding these points a little further if that's ok.
One last question about testing, would there be a prefered/recommended type of test I should have done to provide more accuracy at 5.5 weeks? I only know what I've been reading here and don't understand all the terms completey. I'm seeing alot of reference to a DUO test which I believe I read would be 99% accurate at 28 days? Is this accurate and what exactly is a DUO test, would any regular doctor know what I'm refering to if I mention DUO test to them?
Once again Sir, thank you tremendously for your time and help!
Hello Doctor,
Thank you for the welcome and I appologize for the length of my post. These are my questions in relation to my above described exposure and symptoms;
1) I've read and completely understand that symptoms are a very poor guide for HIV infection, but are my symptoms consistent with ARS? SpecificallyI'm concerned with the nausia and the white tongue both of which I've had for approx 3 weeks now!
2) What is my risk factor for acquiring HIV based on my exposure? In some sites I've read 1 out 1000 in others 5 out of 10 000.
3) Assuming she was infected, and her vaginal fluid did in fact enter my urethra, would the fact that I ejaculated afterwards push her fluids out of my urethra?
4) What would be the accuracy of my test at 3 weeks? I've read the most effective test is a Western Blot? and I will be getting that done some time next week (which will be at the 5.5 week mark), what would the accuracy of this test be?
5) Would you know statistically what the HIV infection rate is for St. Petersburg Florida?
Thank you very much Doctors for your time and all you do for people on this forum, Iook forward to your response!
Thank you for the welcome and I appologize for the length of my post. These are my questions in relation to my above described exposure and symptoms;
1) I've read and completely understand that symptoms are a very poor guide for HIV infection, but are my symptoms consistent with ARS? SpecificallyI'm concerned with the nausia and the white tongue both of which I've had for approx 3 weeks now!
2) What is my risk factor for acquiring HIV based on my exposure? In some sites I've read 1 out 1000 in others 5 out of 10 000.
3) Assuming she was infected, and her vaginal fluid did in fact enter my urethra, would the fact that I ejaculated afterwards push her fluids out of my urethra?
4) What would be the accuracy of my test at 3 weeks? I've read the most effective test is a Western Blot? and I will be getting that done some time next week (which will be at the 5.5 week mark), what would the accuracy of this test be?
5) Would you know statistically what the HIV infection rate is for St. Petersburg Florida?
Thank you very much Doctors for your time and all you do for people on this forum, Iook forward to your response!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum. Your question is well over the character limit for the site. The reason for the charactr limit is that, among other things, if you cannot state your concnerns within the limit, it is probably too complex for an on-line response to be helpful. Please re-state your question more briefly. EWH
Sorry Doctors, didn't realize there was a character limit! continued;
My urine seems to be dark yellow most if the time, my tongue is still white, 1 doctor prescribed nystatin oral rinse, it seems to have worked a little bit, only about 40 - 50%, Also for the last 2 weeks I have a yellowish ring around my eyeballs it's only noticeable if I pull my eyelids down or turn my head to either side so that the corner of my eyes are exposed. My doctor says I don't have jaundice and I know this is not a symtpom of ARS, but would you perhaps have an opinion as to what this can from?
My concern, among all the symptoms, is that I've been remaining in contact with this girl and learned that althoug she is now a student, she use to be a stripper for 5 years and has in fact exchanged sex for money quite a few times! She is telling me that she has no STD's and that I have nothing to be concerned about, but I really don't know how much I can believe her. I already had a blood test done for HIV and all other STD's at 3 weeks, everything came back negative so far. My specific questions;
1) I've read and completely understand that symptoms are a very poor guide for HIV infection, but are my symptoms consistent with ARS? SpecificallyI'm concerned with the nausia and the white tongue both of which I've had for approx 3 weeks now!
2) What is my risk factor for acquiring HIV based on my exposure? In some sites I've read 1 out 1000 in others 5 out of 10 000.
3) Assuming she was infected, and her vaginal fluid did in fact enter my urethra, would the fact that I ejaculated afterwards push her fluids out of my urethra?
4) What would be the accuracy of my test at 3 weeks? I've read the most effective test is a Western Blot? and I will be getting that done some time next week (which will be at the 5.5 week mark), what would the accuracy of this test be?
5) Would you know statistically what the HIV infection rate is for St. Petersburg Florida?
Thank you very much Doctors for your time and all you do for people on this forum, Iook forward to your response!
My urine seems to be dark yellow most if the time, my tongue is still white, 1 doctor prescribed nystatin oral rinse, it seems to have worked a little bit, only about 40 - 50%, Also for the last 2 weeks I have a yellowish ring around my eyeballs it's only noticeable if I pull my eyelids down or turn my head to either side so that the corner of my eyes are exposed. My doctor says I don't have jaundice and I know this is not a symtpom of ARS, but would you perhaps have an opinion as to what this can from?
My concern, among all the symptoms, is that I've been remaining in contact with this girl and learned that althoug she is now a student, she use to be a stripper for 5 years and has in fact exchanged sex for money quite a few times! She is telling me that she has no STD's and that I have nothing to be concerned about, but I really don't know how much I can believe her. I already had a blood test done for HIV and all other STD's at 3 weeks, everything came back negative so far. My specific questions;
1) I've read and completely understand that symptoms are a very poor guide for HIV infection, but are my symptoms consistent with ARS? SpecificallyI'm concerned with the nausia and the white tongue both of which I've had for approx 3 weeks now!
2) What is my risk factor for acquiring HIV based on my exposure? In some sites I've read 1 out 1000 in others 5 out of 10 000.
3) Assuming she was infected, and her vaginal fluid did in fact enter my urethra, would the fact that I ejaculated afterwards push her fluids out of my urethra?
4) What would be the accuracy of my test at 3 weeks? I've read the most effective test is a Western Blot? and I will be getting that done some time next week (which will be at the 5.5 week mark), what would the accuracy of this test be?
5) Would you know statistically what the HIV infection rate is for St. Petersburg Florida?
Thank you very much Doctors for your time and all you do for people on this forum, Iook forward to your response!
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