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Handjob / towel follow up
Hello Dr HHH or Dr Hook. It's been a while since my last post. I hesitated and struggled to post this for fear of being chastised. But new developments have happened and I just couldn't help it. They all still go back to the same exposure however; fear of being infected by semen on towel or handjob with semen on hands. I have been able to accept everyone's advice, yours specially, and for the most part live my life without succumbing to my "irrational" thoughts. Now here's why I'm writing. Symptoms. Yes I know, they can't be used to diagnose.
1. White tongue since January of 2013. Not sure if it's thrush. Based on pictures of what I have seen, don't think it is, but definitely white coating.
2. Just recently two weeks, I developed shingles. It goes around my back through the right side of my chest. Large band. Doctored confirmed it's shingles. Still dealing with it.
Nothing has worried me more than shingles. Everything I read says it is immune compromised related, I think of course HIV. Prescribed medicine acyclovir.
I'm only worried because I'm only 35. Young people like me aren't supposed to get shingles unless they have a suppressed immune system. Am I still worrying needlessly? Are my exposures and my symptoms still completely unrelated?
Please don't dismiss my query. The symptoms are real.
This will be my last post. I've made up my mind to get over my fears and get tested hoping that a negative test will give me the piece of mind that I need. Thank you for your time.
1. White tongue since January of 2013. Not sure if it's thrush. Based on pictures of what I have seen, don't think it is, but definitely white coating.
2. Just recently two weeks, I developed shingles. It goes around my back through the right side of my chest. Large band. Doctored confirmed it's shingles. Still dealing with it.
Nothing has worried me more than shingles. Everything I read says it is immune compromised related, I think of course HIV. Prescribed medicine acyclovir.
I'm only worried because I'm only 35. Young people like me aren't supposed to get shingles unless they have a suppressed immune system. Am I still worrying needlessly? Are my exposures and my symptoms still completely unrelated?
Please don't dismiss my query. The symptoms are real.
This will be my last post. I've made up my mind to get over my fears and get tested hoping that a negative test will give me the piece of mind that I need. Thank you for your time.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome back.
None of this information changes our previous opinions or advice.
It would seem you have been misled by misinformation on the web or your inability to put it into context. It is not true that "Young people...aren't supposed to get shingles unless they have a suppressed immune system." While shingles is more common in older persons and those with immune deficiencies, it is not rare in immunologically healthy people and younger persons. My son had it at age 13, and I've had an episode myself (although I'm afraid I can't call myself young anymore!). Most important, regardless of age the vast majority of people with shingles do not have HIV. White tongue is not evidence of HIV, and for the most part, neither is overt oral yeast infection (thrush).
I don't recall the details your past posts and didn't re-read them with care. But if you have had a negative HIV test more than a few weeks after your last possible exposure, that's what you need to focus on. Blood test results always overrule symptoms, exposure history etc -- and a negative result proves that you don't have HIV, no matter your shingles or any other symptoms that may concern you.
Of course if you have not been tested, you should do that. In the meantime, do your best to move on without worry.
Regards-- HHH, MD
None of this information changes our previous opinions or advice.
It would seem you have been misled by misinformation on the web or your inability to put it into context. It is not true that "Young people...aren't supposed to get shingles unless they have a suppressed immune system." While shingles is more common in older persons and those with immune deficiencies, it is not rare in immunologically healthy people and younger persons. My son had it at age 13, and I've had an episode myself (although I'm afraid I can't call myself young anymore!). Most important, regardless of age the vast majority of people with shingles do not have HIV. White tongue is not evidence of HIV, and for the most part, neither is overt oral yeast infection (thrush).
I don't recall the details your past posts and didn't re-read them with care. But if you have had a negative HIV test more than a few weeks after your last possible exposure, that's what you need to focus on. Blood test results always overrule symptoms, exposure history etc -- and a negative result proves that you don't have HIV, no matter your shingles or any other symptoms that may concern you.
Of course if you have not been tested, you should do that. In the meantime, do your best to move on without worry.
Regards-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I'm glad to have helped. Assuming no other risks, you can be sure of a negative test result.
Thank you Dr. HHH, In regards to testing I did not have a post handjob test. I did have one prior to it which came back negative but then I committed the blunder of going to the massage parlor one month later. I did not test after that and a few weeks later my symptoms started, with the white tongue 4 months later shingles over a year later. Thank you for your advice and I will set up an appt to test to clear my mind of the habdjob exposure which I've been advised is virtually zero risk. Thanks again.
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