Paranoid.

[changetheworld123]

Hello Doc,

I am 20 yrs old female living in AZ and recently had an encounter with a male friend, unprotected while on period. I am now super paranoid.. i cant think about much else.  I have a bit of a phobia when it comes to HIV. I feel fine so far and I plan to get tested but wanted to know what you thought of my risk. maybe you could help me relax till testing, thanks.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No, this would not cause me to worry- for three reasons.  First, it happened a bit early to be a manifestation of early HIV, secondly, because isolated upper respiratory tract symptoms are only part of the symptoms of early HIV, and third becasue even when people have "typical" symptoms of early HIV, less than 1% of them have HIV - the rest just have every day colds and viral illnesses unrelated to sexual activity.  EWH

[changetheworld123]

Thank You doctor. One more thing, I have read about early symptoms.. and I developed sinus issues about a week later, sore throat, drainage and all that, is that anything to worry about?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  Presuming that your partner was a non-drug using man who did not have sex with other men, your risk for HIV from this encounter is very, very low.  In the U.S. fewer than 1 in 10,000 such men and probably far fewer, have HIV.  Even if your partner did (again, VERY unlikely), your risk for getting HIV from a single act of unprotected vaginal intercourse is less than 1 in 1000-2000.  Thus mathematically your risk for HIV is less than 1 in 10 million - not something to worry about.

That you were on your period does not change this.  You may wish to get checked for other, more common STDs (chlamydia, trichomonas) at some point in the not too distant future as part of routine health maintenance but HIV is not something to be worrying a lot about.  EWH

[changetheworld123]

It was unprotected vaginal sex only.*** sorry, im new at this!!