HIV Fears

[Lvgay]

Good Afternoon Doctor,

If you see my prevous posts in the other forum, I have a severe paranoia of contracting HIV.

I have had oral sex, and both Insertive and Receptive Anal sex. I never allow semen to make contact with my mouth, meaning I never let a guy shoot it in my mouth. Also, with anal sex, I always wear a condom, and after intercourse, run the used condom under a faucet to check for rips, and tears.

I was fingered by a guy a couple weeks ago shortly after he had ejaculated. This week I now have a painful prickly rash on the back side of my right calf, as well as chest congestion, sinus pressure and a cough, no sore throat.

Could this be signs of Acute HIV?

I have only had anal sex literally enough times to count on one hand, but am extremely paranoid about this.

Thanks!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Your symptoms cannot possibly be due to HIV. And reliable testing depends on the time since exposure, regardless of symptoms.

That will in this thread. I will have no further comments or advice.

[Lvgay]

My HIV Test came back as negative. Would it have been positive if i was symptomatic?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Shingles is common in everybody.  It's just a recurrence of your childhood chickenpox virus, which has lived in your nerves all these years.  It's a little more common in people with advance HIV (AIDS), but not associated with recent HIV infection.  I had shingles myself a couple of years ago, and my 13 year old son had it many years ago.  We didn't give a thought to HIV and neither should you.

[Lvgay]

Dr,

My rash came back as shingles. Could shingles be a part of acute HIV?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I disagree.  This doesn't change my opinion or advice.

[Lvgay]

Dr,

I'm heading to test now. When they were surveying my risk, they told me I was at risk because of the oral?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

And by the way, fingering doesn't transmit HIV; and your symptoms do not sound like those of an acute HIV infection, which does not cause chest congestion, sinus symptoms, or cough (you have a cold, for goodness' sake!), or a localized skin rash.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome back to the forum.  But I don't think I can help much.  As was said on the HIV community forum, "You're not comprehending the answers you've been given. You never had a risk, therefore your 'symptoms' cannot be related to HIV.

There is no need to use water to inspect used condoms for leaks.  If the condom doesn't break wide open, protection was complete.  In addition to condoms for anal sex, I urge you to always discuss HIV status with your partners before sex, even if safe sex (oral, mutual masturbation, condoms for anal) is planned, and not proceed with those who are positive (and not on effective treatment), don't know, or are evasive about it.  Maybe you do this, but you don't mention it.

That you continue to have "severe paranoia" about HIV (and your reference to it twice, i.e. "extremely paranoid") despite the reasoned, science-based advice you have recevied on this forum from Dr. Hook and several times on the community forum is a mental health issue.  You clearly are obsessed and anxious about it.  In that state of mind, hearing the probabilities and scientific arguments one more time (or a hundred more times) is not going to get you beyond your fears.  You should seek professional mental health care about it.  I suggest it from compassion, not criticism.

In the meantime, it isn't going to help you to keep asking similar questions on this or any other online forum.  In addition, please note that MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on the professionally moderated forums (see Terms and Conditions).  Since this is your second on this forumn since June, it will have to be your last until next April.

I hope this has helped a little bit.  Please do take my suggestion about professional counseling seriously.

Regards--  HHH, MD