Aa
HIV
Hi Doctor,
I have been readinging this forum for a while now and after reading many posts I still feel my situation is slightly unique. So here it is...
I am a 22 year old male living in New York City, I just moved here a month and a half ago. I am in good health and rarely get sick, I have no got sick in 5 years.
Anyways, exactly 25 days ago I had protected sex with a prostitute. She was also 22 years old and informed me that she had been doing this for 2 years now. She seemed very clean and well kept. About 2 hours before she arrived I took a shower and shaved my pubic area because I thought it was unattractive, ha ha. I was extremely careful and 95% certain I did not cut myself shaving. If I did cut myself, it was not enough for me to notice it. I was extremely nervous when this occurred so not a whole lot happened. The only thing we did was have sex, and I was wearing a condom. We had sex for about 3 minutes before we stopped. She was on top the whole time. I'm teling you that is because her fluids could have ran down my genital area, as gross as that sounds. After we stopped, I turned over and she gave me a massage and I did not take the condom off for about 30 minutes. She then left and I took the condom off and disposed of it. Before I threw the condom away I filled it up with water to see if there were any holes and there weren't.
About 10 days after the incident I woke up with a really sore throat and my uvula was huge. Then about 16 days or so after the incident I started to get a cough. It was very strange because I did not feel bad at all, no fever, no allergies, nothing, just started to get a cough. The weirdest part of it is that I only get the cough in the afternoon around 1 or 2. In the morning and in the evening I have no cough at all. I still have the cough too (9 days later). Yet I feel good enough to go home and work out.
So these are my questions:
1. When you shave, especially sensitive skin around your genitals, doesn't it naturally tear up your skin? Maybe even the first few layers? Is that enough to get HIV from vaginal fluids?
2. If I cut myself, it would have had to been a very small cut that did not bleed long. Can HIV be transferred through a small cut that is not open and not bleeding, from vaginal fluids?
3. I can't remember the last time I got a cough, let alone a cough that only comes in the afternoon and sticks around for 9 days. Not to mention the timiing of the cough is inline with HIV. Does this sound more inline with a cough that is caused by HIV?
4. The far back part of my tongue is whiter than the front of my tongue, and I kind of got cotton mouth with white saliva today, is this a symptom of early HIV?
5. I know this is a question you get asked a million times, what do you think my chances are of having HIV?
6. I also got tested today (25 days after the incident) I will get the results tomorrow. If it comes back negative can I assume I don't have HIV?
Thank you for your time and help.
I have been readinging this forum for a while now and after reading many posts I still feel my situation is slightly unique. So here it is...
I am a 22 year old male living in New York City, I just moved here a month and a half ago. I am in good health and rarely get sick, I have no got sick in 5 years.
Anyways, exactly 25 days ago I had protected sex with a prostitute. She was also 22 years old and informed me that she had been doing this for 2 years now. She seemed very clean and well kept. About 2 hours before she arrived I took a shower and shaved my pubic area because I thought it was unattractive, ha ha. I was extremely careful and 95% certain I did not cut myself shaving. If I did cut myself, it was not enough for me to notice it. I was extremely nervous when this occurred so not a whole lot happened. The only thing we did was have sex, and I was wearing a condom. We had sex for about 3 minutes before we stopped. She was on top the whole time. I'm teling you that is because her fluids could have ran down my genital area, as gross as that sounds. After we stopped, I turned over and she gave me a massage and I did not take the condom off for about 30 minutes. She then left and I took the condom off and disposed of it. Before I threw the condom away I filled it up with water to see if there were any holes and there weren't.
About 10 days after the incident I woke up with a really sore throat and my uvula was huge. Then about 16 days or so after the incident I started to get a cough. It was very strange because I did not feel bad at all, no fever, no allergies, nothing, just started to get a cough. The weirdest part of it is that I only get the cough in the afternoon around 1 or 2. In the morning and in the evening I have no cough at all. I still have the cough too (9 days later). Yet I feel good enough to go home and work out.
So these are my questions:
1. When you shave, especially sensitive skin around your genitals, doesn't it naturally tear up your skin? Maybe even the first few layers? Is that enough to get HIV from vaginal fluids?
2. If I cut myself, it would have had to been a very small cut that did not bleed long. Can HIV be transferred through a small cut that is not open and not bleeding, from vaginal fluids?
3. I can't remember the last time I got a cough, let alone a cough that only comes in the afternoon and sticks around for 9 days. Not to mention the timiing of the cough is inline with HIV. Does this sound more inline with a cough that is caused by HIV?
4. The far back part of my tongue is whiter than the front of my tongue, and I kind of got cotton mouth with white saliva today, is this a symptom of early HIV?
5. I know this is a question you get asked a million times, what do you think my chances are of having HIV?
6. I also got tested today (25 days after the incident) I will get the results tomorrow. If it comes back negative can I assume I don't have HIV?
Thank you for your time and help.
I just got my test results back. They told me they performed a PCR test on me. My result was negative. It was approximately 3.5 weeks after the incident. I have been reading on the internet about PCR tests and how they are not the most accurate. Should I rely on this result?
Thanks for your help and time.
Thanks for your help and time.
I'm confused with your response to #1. You said:
"1, 2) Your exposure was too long before shaving to worry about it. No chance."
I shaved before the incident, so I am not certain what I was exposed to before shaving. Sorry if I sound dumb here. Could you clear this up?
Thanks a lot for your time and help.
"1, 2) Your exposure was too long before shaving to worry about it. No chance."
I shaved before the incident, so I am not certain what I was exposed to before shaving. Sorry if I sound dumb here. Could you clear this up?
Thanks a lot for your time and help.
dude....you were not at risk
Also, if the doctor says the chances are so low for getting HIV why are so many people infected every year? I'm saying this because it does not seem like the actual results are inline with the statistics provided in these discussions. One would assume HIV would not be spreading as fast as it is if the chances of getting HIV were 1 in 10,000 or something along those lines. Am I missing something?
I am confused too. I had a cut on my penis that came in contact with vaginal secreations from a sex worker. I was told my chances of HIV are so low that I shouldn't even worry. It just doesn't make sense. 27 days later and I have had every sypmtom in the book.
96.5 - 99.5 temp ranges
Sore throat
Cold sore, bumps on throat
diahria
night sweats
sore muscles
headaches
Should I get tested? Its not looking good for me and I was told my chances are soooo low.
96.5 - 99.5 temp ranges
Sore throat
Cold sore, bumps on throat
diahria
night sweats
sore muscles
headaches
Should I get tested? Its not looking good for me and I was told my chances are soooo low.
I feel you perfectmax. You should go get tested.
What makes my situation weird if that I ONLY have a cough. Generally a cough is caused by something right? I think it's very strange to get a mild cough that sticks around for over a week. This is not a bad cough at all, just a mild one and my body can't get rid of it. That's why I'm freaking out. Is this abnormal?
What makes my situation weird if that I ONLY have a cough. Generally a cough is caused by something right? I think it's very strange to get a mild cough that sticks around for over a week. This is not a bad cough at all, just a mild one and my body can't get rid of it. That's why I'm freaking out. Is this abnormal?
Also, I appologize for the uninformative subject, I was going to change it and forgot.
You know, those ARS symptoms as listed are so freaking generic, we have them all the time and hardly ever realize it. Muscle aches. Who hasn't had a sore back or aching joints--particularly when you're anxious and tense? Headaches. Again, who hasn't had a headache (again, particularly when you're anxious)? Diarrhea? Same thing (including the anxiety). Which brings me to my point... isn't it possible that now you're noticing what are perfectly normal bodily sensations? And isn't it possible that your anxiety is just triggering all those symptoms? Google anxiety symptoms, and I think you'll see what I mean.
I think your username probably says a lot about your self-image, and why this one tiny experience is causing you to completely fall apart. I really do hope you seek counseling. Your anxiety and fear and guilt over this event is causing your whole life to derail. Before it goes any further, and you completely destroy yourself and everyone around you over absolutely nothing, get help. Make an appointment with a therapist, and GO. And talk to your doctor about medication to help you get through this anxiety/obsession as well.
I think your username probably says a lot about your self-image, and why this one tiny experience is causing you to completely fall apart. I really do hope you seek counseling. Your anxiety and fear and guilt over this event is causing your whole life to derail. Before it goes any further, and you completely destroy yourself and everyone around you over absolutely nothing, get help. Make an appointment with a therapist, and GO. And talk to your doctor about medication to help you get through this anxiety/obsession as well.
You are right, they are very generic symptoms. The problem is that anxiety doesn't cause coughing, especially the type of cough I have. A very mild cough that won't go away. It's the strangest cough I have ever had. Its a cough that's so mild it doesn't make me cough over and over, but it's enough for me to notice it and want to cough. Something like this should go away in a couple of days right? Just seems really strange, which is why I started researching online and came across HIV. Now I'm freaking out.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
"Also, if the doctor says the chances are so low for getting HIV why are so many people infected every year?"
The premise is wrong. In the US, it is not true that "so many are are infected every year".
"I'm saying this because it does not seem like the actual results are inline with the statistics provided in these discussions. One would assume HIV would not be spreading as fast as it is if the chances of getting HIV were 1 in 10,000 or something along those lines. Am I missing something?"
Yes, indeed, you are missing something. You completely misunderstand the numbers and risks. In the US, there are an estimated 40,000 new HIV cases per year. Most of those (roughly 75%, I believe) are men who have sex with other men. So maybe there are 10,000 new cases per year in heterosexuals. The large majority of those are the REGULAR sex partners (mostly women) of men who are at obvious high risk, such as injection drug users or men who have had sex with other men, including men who don't consider themselves gay or bi--e.g., ex-prisoners who opportunistically or forcibly had sex with other guys. Many of those who become infected are simply unaware that their partners are infected or at risk, so they aren't using condoms.
Therefore, as an approximation, I would guess that in the entire country there are at most a few hundred people each year who catch HIV from one-time exposures. And virtually all those are in people who had vaginal or anal sex (not oral!) and didn't use condoms. Probably not one of them acquired their infections because condoms leaked, from fingering, or because they had razor burns in the pubic area.
Now think how many sexually active people there are and how many episodes per year there are of UNprotected sex between casual, non-committed partnerships. Millions upon millions.
Bottom line: The risks indeed are small, certainly so for the kinds of exposures that dominate questions on this forum. Most people who ask the questions here really are at much greater risk of dying from some unexpected illness (other than HIV/AIDS) or an accident in the coming WEEK than they are of catching HIV in their entire lives.
HHH, MD
The premise is wrong. In the US, it is not true that "so many are are infected every year".
"I'm saying this because it does not seem like the actual results are inline with the statistics provided in these discussions. One would assume HIV would not be spreading as fast as it is if the chances of getting HIV were 1 in 10,000 or something along those lines. Am I missing something?"
Yes, indeed, you are missing something. You completely misunderstand the numbers and risks. In the US, there are an estimated 40,000 new HIV cases per year. Most of those (roughly 75%, I believe) are men who have sex with other men. So maybe there are 10,000 new cases per year in heterosexuals. The large majority of those are the REGULAR sex partners (mostly women) of men who are at obvious high risk, such as injection drug users or men who have had sex with other men, including men who don't consider themselves gay or bi--e.g., ex-prisoners who opportunistically or forcibly had sex with other guys. Many of those who become infected are simply unaware that their partners are infected or at risk, so they aren't using condoms.
Therefore, as an approximation, I would guess that in the entire country there are at most a few hundred people each year who catch HIV from one-time exposures. And virtually all those are in people who had vaginal or anal sex (not oral!) and didn't use condoms. Probably not one of them acquired their infections because condoms leaked, from fingering, or because they had razor burns in the pubic area.
Now think how many sexually active people there are and how many episodes per year there are of UNprotected sex between casual, non-committed partnerships. Millions upon millions.
Bottom line: The risks indeed are small, certainly so for the kinds of exposures that dominate questions on this forum. Most people who ask the questions here really are at much greater risk of dying from some unexpected illness (other than HIV/AIDS) or an accident in the coming WEEK than they are of catching HIV in their entire lives.
HHH, MD
come on dude....i know hiv freaks people out. I know cause I was and still am a lil worried about it. BUT YOU HAD PROTECTED SEX....YOU CANT GET HIV FROM PROTECTED SEX. What is up with you guys freaking out about HIV when you have safe sex???? Do you not read what the doc says about protected sex before you post??? Every day I come here to read the posts and 90% of them are about protected sex or oral sex. PEOPLE MOVE ON!!!! If its unprotected sex vaginal or anal then I understand if you are scared....and i understand why you post (because i did). YOU ARE OK BRO....MOVE ONE...YOU ARE SAFE, IN THE CLEAR, AND HEALTHY!!!!! Congrats!!!
"You are right, they are very generic symptoms. The problem is that anxiety doesn't cause coughing, especially the type of cough I have. A very mild cough that won't go away. It's the strangest cough I have ever had. Its a cough that's so mild it doesn't make me cough over and over, but it's enough for me to notice it and want to cough. Something like this should go away in a couple of days right? Just seems really strange, which is why I started researching online and came across HIV. Now I'm freaking out."
That statement makes no sense, on several levels. With a symptom like cough, which can be due to hundreds of different things, ruling out one cause (anxiety) doesn't make some other unlikely cause (HIV) more probable. Anyway, you're probably wrong that anxiety cannot cause coughing; in fact, that sounds quite likely to me, given your description ("make me notice it and want to cough"). Anyway, I'll bet nobody in the world ever had mild persistent cough as the only symptom of HIV infection.
The only important information you provided in this thread is the description of your sexual encounter and shaving. Since those events were extremely low (perhaps zero) risk for HIV, none of the rest matters.
HHH, MD
That statement makes no sense, on several levels. With a symptom like cough, which can be due to hundreds of different things, ruling out one cause (anxiety) doesn't make some other unlikely cause (HIV) more probable. Anyway, you're probably wrong that anxiety cannot cause coughing; in fact, that sounds quite likely to me, given your description ("make me notice it and want to cough"). Anyway, I'll bet nobody in the world ever had mild persistent cough as the only symptom of HIV infection.
The only important information you provided in this thread is the description of your sexual encounter and shaving. Since those events were extremely low (perhaps zero) risk for HIV, none of the rest matters.
HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Almost certainly you caught a cold, and considered together, your symptoms do not suggest HIV.
1, 2) Your exposure was too long before shaving to worry about it. No chance.
3) Coincidence.
4) No, it is a symptom of any viral infection.
5) Zero, for practical purposes. You used a condom, that's all that matters.
6) Yes, you can rely on the test. I would have recommended against HIV testing at all.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
1, 2) Your exposure was too long before shaving to worry about it. No chance.
3) Coincidence.
4) No, it is a symptom of any viral infection.
5) Zero, for practical purposes. You used a condom, that's all that matters.
6) Yes, you can rely on the test. I would have recommended against HIV testing at all.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the HIV - Prevention Forum
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
