Panic

Testing here I cant seem to get my thing to post.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You could not post becasue your question exceeded the word limit for the site.  No question that can be accurately addressed over the internet should take more than the allotted word limit.  Please re-post more succinctly and we will address you question.  EWH

[Pingpong669]

Hi there,

I'll try to cut to the chase as much as I can here. 32 year old Hetero male, Scotland, UK.

After a long term relationship with a partner for 5 years we split and I went a bit mad last year. Ex was medical worker who was tested for everything all negative around end of relationship.

Had unprotected sex with one girl, one night stand from club works as manager as shop in recollection, and as far as I can recall protected with another but from recollection ejaculated outside her, girl was student I think. Can recall first girl had a bit of a cough and as she smoked put it down to smokers cough.

Couple of weeks later noticed burning in Penis and was tested positive for Chlymidia. Pretty sure I caught it from first girl. Went to Doctor after positive result who gave me antibiotics, gave me talk of informing previous partners (I had no details of either) and advised me more or less to be on my way.

Then met another girl for 5 month relationship where she favoured no Condoms. Advised her of my 1 previous STD, she advised she was clean. About month or 2 months in recall she had insect bites on leg type rash, itchy (she had been horseriding previously), Flu like condition, and then a rash on breasts, maybe 5 red spots in total. Not a macropoplar rash. Her Doc took blood tests, all normal but globulets high. She had been tested for Leukemia as a kid andthis is something she had before.

Anyway, didnt think anything of this until was out one night and heard that an ex of 8 years ago was saying I have HIV. This girl in particular has been known to spread vicious rumours before. She met me out and about after I had split from my long term partner and pestered me for dates which I had continually refused, the most recent 4 months ago.

Anyway, I have become panicked about this. I checked and in my region there have been 7 new cases in 2007. This covers two cities and various towns, so realise this is a low amount. And in Scotland as a whole, most infections are in Gay Community, and Hetero infections largely acquired from Sub Sahara region.

What spooks me is that she has said her Doctor friend told her or something to that effect. I have never been tested so my status is surely unknown? And if a Doctor knew of of something would he not have an obligation to tell my own Doctor. Would someone not need to get in touch? Or in a bizarre coincidence could one of those girls in my summer of madness have some bearing in this. I think the fact she has mentioned a Doctor (this could of course be nonsense too) has spooked me.

Sorry for going on. Trying to assess my risk.

[Pingpong669]

Had unprotected Sex last year. Scottish UK Male, Straight. Was in a long term relationship for 5 years and partner negative for all STDs when tested for medical profession at end of relationship. After a one night stand after break up, Tested positive for Chlymidia.

Girlfriend I met after had some symptoms of ARS I think after we had unprotected sex . Routine Blood Tests did not suggest any immunity problem. She tested negative for Chlymidia as outine test.

A girl I went out on average 10 years ago is spreading a rumout that I have HIV and stating she knows a Doctor who confirms this despite me never having tested for HIV.

Puzzled and want to know my risk. This is probably too little information but dont know how much to give as went over limit with original post! Sorry.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Much better thanks.

Much better.  As a heterosexual male in the UK with a relatively modest number of partners, you have little be concerned about.  You have been tested at the time you had chlamydia and found not to be infected.  Odds are that you are still not.

As for your ARS symptoms, they are famously non-specific and when studied most people who seek care for "typical ARS symptoms" (i.e. fever, rash, muscle or joint aches) less than 1% turn out to have ARS, the ret having a viral syndrome due to the sorts of virus that everyone catches in the course of everyday life.  As a result, on this site we have told our clients innumerable times that symptoms are a notoriously unreliable indicator of HIV risk and should be ignored. I have the same advice for you.

Finally, you raise the issue of someone spreading malicious rumors.  My advice is to confront her and ask if she is saying this and why.  

Hope this helps.,  Your risk is low.  EWH

[Pingpong669]

Sorry, wanted to make clear, I was only tested for Chlymidia - it was when I went to Doctor with what I thought was Urine infection.

As for ARS it was my girlfriend at the time who experienced them. ( I met her after I had been treated for Chlymidia). She actually went for a routine test and told her she was slow risk and only offered her Chlymidia test which she came out as negative.

Personally, I have always had a bit of a dodgy stomach (its a family trait) and a bit of a runny nose but since this have got into my head that I have swollen glands.

I guess I am saying if you, as a Doctor, or any other Doctor for that matter was somehow aware of someone whose health was in danger and a danger to others and had an avenue of contacting this person, do you not have some moral obligation to do so and not be telling random people in a non confidential way?

[Pingpong669]

Sorry and it was my partner of 5 years who at end of relationship went to work in a hospital abbroad where she needed to be tested for pretty much everything who was negative.

And it was girl I met after two one night stands and had a five month relationship with who had ARS symptoms and was tested negative for Chlymidia.

I guess I wouldnt be writing this and pestering you if it wasnt for this girl who I have heard from people was 'obsessed' with me spreading this rumour.

I know the easy answer is just to get tested but totally paranoid and trying to evaluate risk - sorry I looked at this before and scoffed at multiple posters and here I am doing it too..

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your risk is low and you need to get tested to put all of this behind you.  The result will be negative. To be fearful of getting tested makes no sense at all.  Testing will not change whether or not you are infected, it will only provide you with reassurrance.  In the vanishingly rare situation that you turned out to have HIV, then you could get care.  Being tested is a no lose proposition - you are already overly anxious about all of this.

A further beneifit of getting teted would be that you could then confont the person spreading those rumors.  EWH

[Pingpong669]

Sorry to be a pain and this is the last I will bother you but my ex girlfriends rash, where it was a red hive type rash which then scabbed on her leg from knee to ankle, which lasted about a week, itchy, followed by a red acne type rash on collarbone/breast and flu type symptoms including runny nose  - does this sound like ARS?

And if I had been infected a year or so ago, what would my symptoms be like now? Would I have enlarged nodes? Would they be sore? Would I have a snotty nose?

Just trying to put my mind at ease her. Sorry for banging on.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Please read my earlier comments about symptoms.  Thinging about rashes, the presence or absence of swollen glands, etc is a waste of time.  If you have concerns, get tested.  EWH

[Pingpong669]

Hello Doctor bit of a development here.

Weds last week I noticed enlarged lymph node in groin. Then small itchy spots appeared in genital area (scrotum). I had a previous partner who was raped as a teenager, tested for everything as a result and had Herpes. She advised me that when she had no symptoms that she was not infectious but I read that may not be the case so guessing I got this from her. Anyway, they crusted over in about 2 days and continue to heal. One is left slightly crusted but reduces each day.

Anyway, yesterday, noticed tenderness in from back to front of thigh. No rash but feel work trousers rubbing against it and giving discomfort. I still have a slightly enlarged Lymph Node. At time of writing still no rash, but sensitiity. Whilst playing soccer yesterday got hit by ball on site of this pain so I dont know if this is a result of this or shingles. I've had Chicken Pox as a youngster and my Mother also had this in her 30's and it went in her mouth too.

I have been running to the toilet and stressed for about a month though can this cause Herpes and Shingles??

I need your reassurance that if I do go to get tested I still have a fair chance of getting a negative. All my life I have tried to practice safe sex and all partners have been from perceived 'low risk' areas.

Can stress cause all of this? Prior to this I was fit as a fiddle.

[lola1973]

Hi. I am not a Doctor, but Ia m a 34 year old mom who is always concerned about my health and well being. I am writing to you because Dr. Hook helped me out tremendously and I nearly drove him crazy. I had concvinced myself I had every symptom in the book, and in the end there was no reason to be concerned. I had hives for two weeks, sinus infection, neck pain, and so on and so on. He had told me not to worry about the symptoms because it could be anything. I dwelled on the symptoms for two weeks. I just wanted to let you know he is right, having symptoms DOES NOT mean you have HIV. Get tested you will feel so much better and I am sure you will be negative. I just wanted to post this to let you know I was in the same position as you a few weeks ago and I drove myself crazy. Get tested, find out you are negative and then you will have a new lease on life!!!Be safe.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Thanks lola, your message is the same as mine.

pingpong:  stop worrying about symptoms.  The symptoms you describe are not consistent with herpes.  On the other hand, if you want me to promise your test results over the net, you are out of touch and have unrealistic expectations. This forum is for advice. Diagnosis is performed by health care professionals who can examine you and perform tests if need be.  I am confident that what you describe is not herpes. Go get examined an find it out for yourself.  EWH