HIV Rsik

[simplequestion]

About 28 days ago I made the dumbest decision of my life. I live here in the United States (Florida). I met a friend of mine at a bar (white female of 23) and we went back to my place an started having protected moment. However in the heat of passion at some point, the condom came off (because i could not remain erect and i had sex with her (unprotected) for about 20 seconds before coming. The unfortunate thing too was that she was in her period. Now I did not know much about her HIV status and I asked her and she told me i had nothing to worry about. A week later i went and tested for herpes (Type 2) , chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and trichomoniasis and I came back negative for all of them.  However about a week ago, I have started feeling tired (but not deathly tired) and for about a week I have had a blocked nose with very few discharge, no fever, just tiredness and a blocked nose that won't go away. I am very worried as to whether or not this could be the first signs of ARS. It is now going onto day 28 today. I am going to get an HIV test done today and I am very nervous (especially because I cannot believe how stupid of a decision I made). I asked her quite a few times if I had anything to worry about and she told me once my tests come out okay i should not be surprised and now we aren't even friends anymore because this whole situation has ruined our friendship. Now its 3:21 AM I just woke up because I can't breathe through my nose, that's how blocked it is..and this has been going on for about a week. If its a cold its the strangest cold ive had because it isnt like hitting me hard but it isnt going away either...

I KNOW i messed up and it's been on my mind all day for 28 days and I go and get tested today, but i am so so scared. I am a grad student (working on my PhD) and i truly fear how one stupid drunken night could possibly ruin me for the rest of my life. What are my chances, esp since we had sex also during her period. Also I am circumcised.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, you are fine and really need not test further.  EWH

[simplequestion]

by the way ive decided to remain CELIBATE TILL marriage now

[simplequestion]

I TESTED NEGATIVE!! IM SOO HAPPY! I LOVE YOU DR. EDWARD W HOOK!!! im going to back to re-rest end of june (it will be exactly 3 months) i did the rapid test where they took my blood i waited and boom the lady showed me just one line came across that test thing...ur pretty sure im good to go right?! :)

[Edward W Hook, MD]

A 4 week antibody test will detect ofver 90% of recent infections or, if you can arrange for a 4th generation, combination HIV p24 antigen/HIV antibody test, you can have conclusive results at this time (4 weeks).  There is no need to any longer wait until 12+ weeks for test results.  At 8 weeks currently available antibody tests will be conclusive.

There is no reason to "work up the courage" to test- your test will be negative.  Further, testing will not change the fact, it will only provide you with useful information.  Go get tested and put this behind you. EWH

[simplequestion]

okay, thank you Dr Edward. I truly look forward to putting this behind me. I am  going to "try" and get myself to get tested today. I will simply just summon up the courage to do it. Is a 4 week test a good prediction of what the output would be in 13 weeks? ...sorry this is going to be my last question..

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  Unless you are talking about ruining a friendship because of your paranoia, it is tough for me to think that this was the worst decision you have ever made.  I think you are over reacting.  Your partner told you that your were not at risk, your STI tests were negative, most women in the U.S do not have HIV and fewer than 1 in 1000 unprotected exposures to infected persons lead to transmission of infection.  If I were to guess , your risk for having gotten HIV from this single exposure is less than 1 in a million.  

By the way, the fact that your partner was having her period would not change your risk for infection.  The amount of virus present in the genital secretions of infected persons is about the same, or sometimes even greater than the amount present in blood.

A stuffy nose is not  typically part of the ARS.  I suspect you have a cold.

My assessment is that your risk for infection from the encounter you describe is low. I anticipate that your HIV test will be negative today.  When it is, I recommend that you believe the result and then you may wish to apologize to your friend for your paranoid behavior.

I hope this perspective is helpful to you. EWH

[simplequestion]

And when i say discharge i mean nasal discharge