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Please Help Me - Really Worried
Dear Doctor,
I was on a trip to SE Asia about 15 days back and did something really stupid. I had insertive vaginal sex with a clean looking Thai prostitute. While performing sex and when I was on top, she freaked out and told me that the condom had broken. I would imagine the exposure to be < 1 minute (if at all that much). Dont seem to recollect too much liquid coming into contact. At that time, I had not ejaulated and neither had she. After this, she replaced my Condom and we completed our sex act. This time the condom remained intact and there was no contact with her body fluids. It then struck me that I could be exposed to HIV virus. I asked her if she was clean and though her English was poor, she kept saying "no problem".
After I returned to US, I told my doctor about the entire incident and she advised me to go through some blood test. The doctor mentioned that it usually takes 6 months for the HIV test to show up anything. She kept saying that you are "low risk, but there is some possiblity". She also asked me to test for STD and Hepatitis C, RPR etc.. The testing was done about 10 days after possible exposure.
My doctor called back and said my Lab results were fine. I also check my fever regularly and there is nothing. Only a couple of days back, I developed some dryness in my throat (still no fever or anything else) and it goes and comes.
My question to you are:
1. What are my chances of contracting the HIV virus? Does the 1 in 1000 ratio holds for me also?
2. Can I take any assurance from my HIV Antibody tests done 10 days after exposure. Even though they are not conclusive and done in Window period, can they point to a trend or anything?
3. Does the fact that I dont have any ARS symptoms mainly No FEVER even after 20 days of exposure mean anything?
4. Does absence of other STD's from my lab results make it difficult for me to contact HIV or there is no correlation whatsoever.
5. Do you recommend further testing.
I was on a trip to SE Asia about 15 days back and did something really stupid. I had insertive vaginal sex with a clean looking Thai prostitute. While performing sex and when I was on top, she freaked out and told me that the condom had broken. I would imagine the exposure to be < 1 minute (if at all that much). Dont seem to recollect too much liquid coming into contact. At that time, I had not ejaulated and neither had she. After this, she replaced my Condom and we completed our sex act. This time the condom remained intact and there was no contact with her body fluids. It then struck me that I could be exposed to HIV virus. I asked her if she was clean and though her English was poor, she kept saying "no problem".
After I returned to US, I told my doctor about the entire incident and she advised me to go through some blood test. The doctor mentioned that it usually takes 6 months for the HIV test to show up anything. She kept saying that you are "low risk, but there is some possiblity". She also asked me to test for STD and Hepatitis C, RPR etc.. The testing was done about 10 days after possible exposure.
My doctor called back and said my Lab results were fine. I also check my fever regularly and there is nothing. Only a couple of days back, I developed some dryness in my throat (still no fever or anything else) and it goes and comes.
My question to you are:
1. What are my chances of contracting the HIV virus? Does the 1 in 1000 ratio holds for me also?
2. Can I take any assurance from my HIV Antibody tests done 10 days after exposure. Even though they are not conclusive and done in Window period, can they point to a trend or anything?
3. Does the fact that I dont have any ARS symptoms mainly No FEVER even after 20 days of exposure mean anything?
4. Does absence of other STD's from my lab results make it difficult for me to contact HIV or there is no correlation whatsoever.
5. Do you recommend further testing.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Directly to your questions:
1. Yes, if she was infected. Statistically, even in SE Asia, she was not infected.
2. No, At 4 weeks about 75% of infections that are going to develop give positive tests and by 12 weeks the figure is nearly 99%, 10 days is too soon.
3. Sorry, most people who develop HIV do not have ARS symptoms and most people who think they have ARS do not have HIV but rather some other, community acquired virus.
4. If there were other STDs you might be more susceptible. On the other hand, the results you got for other STDs are accurate--you did not get them.
5..I'd get repeat HIV testing at some point, waiting until at least six to eight weeks and preferably 12 weeks to get tests. By then, if the tests are negative, given the low risk of your exposure you will have nothing more to worry about.
Hope this helps. EWH
1. Yes, if she was infected. Statistically, even in SE Asia, she was not infected.
2. No, At 4 weeks about 75% of infections that are going to develop give positive tests and by 12 weeks the figure is nearly 99%, 10 days is too soon.
3. Sorry, most people who develop HIV do not have ARS symptoms and most people who think they have ARS do not have HIV but rather some other, community acquired virus.
4. If there were other STDs you might be more susceptible. On the other hand, the results you got for other STDs are accurate--you did not get them.
5..I'd get repeat HIV testing at some point, waiting until at least six to eight weeks and preferably 12 weeks to get tests. By then, if the tests are negative, given the low risk of your exposure you will have nothing more to worry about.
Hope this helps. EWH
A related discussion, Thanks for all help was started.
why does this guy get so many questions answered and others are told this thread is over like i was told shoot mine even got deleted this seems to be way over board here
Dear Doctor,
In your experience and Dr. HHH's experience how many cases have you come across such as mine where the first time low exposure turned out to be postitive.
Also an update on my situtation, its week 3 after possible exposure and i am still checking my fever regularly and there is nothing. Still some on and off dryness in throat, but nothing else.
Looking forward to gettting your reply.
In your experience and Dr. HHH's experience how many cases have you come across such as mine where the first time low exposure turned out to be postitive.
Also an update on my situtation, its week 3 after possible exposure and i am still checking my fever regularly and there is nothing. Still some on and off dryness in throat, but nothing else.
Looking forward to gettting your reply.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Medically you do not need testing. You have personal concerns however and my guess is that getting tested, once, would make you feel much better. thus, from this perspective, I would suggest getting tested one, at least 4 weeks and preferably 6 or more weeks after your exposure. When the result comes back negative, then know that you do not have HIV. EWH
Thanks a lot for your replies. I really appreciate your patience as you deal with stupid and anxious idiots like us.
After reading your replies, do you still recommend that I go for further testing or not.... it would be a great relief to put this behind me. I have learned a valuable lesson.
After reading your replies, do you still recommend that I go for further testing or not.... it would be a great relief to put this behind me. I have learned a valuable lesson.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Having summarized the reasons that you are not at risk, I'm perplexed that you seem to not be ready to accept this. My answers and recommendations stand. On the other hand, you can find sites elsewhere on the net which will tell you just about anything you want to hear about HIV, STDs and personal risk--you decide.
A flu shot would not mask ARS and would not change your vulnerability or risk for HIV which was VERY, VERY low. I will not go into the symptoms--you can search them or review them on this and other sites if you wish to fuel your paranoia but I choose not to contribute (read the beginning of this thread about ARS symptoms).
As for other STDs, as I also said, believe the tests. They were negative then, they would be negative now. They are good tests and once negative people do not spontaneously develop "immaculate infections" EWH
A flu shot would not mask ARS and would not change your vulnerability or risk for HIV which was VERY, VERY low. I will not go into the symptoms--you can search them or review them on this and other sites if you wish to fuel your paranoia but I choose not to contribute (read the beginning of this thread about ARS symptoms).
As for other STDs, as I also said, believe the tests. They were negative then, they would be negative now. They are good tests and once negative people do not spontaneously develop "immaculate infections" EWH
Thanks again... This has really helped me in putting my mind at ease.
I wanted to check one other thing with you. A couple of months before I went on my trip to SE Asia, I took the Flu vaccine shot. I know you mentioned that symptoms are not a good way to find if you are HIV infected or not, but I was wondering if this vaccine would have casued suppression of my ARS symptoms or there is no such correlation. Do symptoms come in group i.e. most people will get a few bunched together at the same time? What are the leading symptoms indicators of ARS s?
Finally, do you recommend that I do another STD panel tests soon or there is no need even though the one I did 10 days ago was all clear and there are no visible signs of any disease. I read somewhere that STD tests are also unreliable and they too take a long time before they can be conclusive.
I wanted to check one other thing with you. A couple of months before I went on my trip to SE Asia, I took the Flu vaccine shot. I know you mentioned that symptoms are not a good way to find if you are HIV infected or not, but I was wondering if this vaccine would have casued suppression of my ARS symptoms or there is no such correlation. Do symptoms come in group i.e. most people will get a few bunched together at the same time? What are the leading symptoms indicators of ARS s?
Finally, do you recommend that I do another STD panel tests soon or there is no need even though the one I did 10 days ago was all clear and there are no visible signs of any disease. I read somewhere that STD tests are also unreliable and they too take a long time before they can be conclusive.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Low risk if at all. Your chance is 1 in 1000 at most and likely lower due to the circumstances.
There is no good scientific evidence regarding people getting HIV after having condoms break. This would be very difficult to study and since the risk is so low and since people who condoms break on generally use condoms regularly there is no way to put an accurate number on your risk.
Many visitors to our site seem to assume that CSWs are HIV infected--this is incorrect, most are not. Even in parts of the world where HIV is most common, most CSWs are not HIV infected.
Similarly, the stories about "super HIV" coming from ___________ (fill in the blank, Africa, SE Asia, etc) are urban myths which should be ignored.
Time for you to relax and move on. Your risk from the exposure you describe is miniscule. EWH
There is no good scientific evidence regarding people getting HIV after having condoms break. This would be very difficult to study and since the risk is so low and since people who condoms break on generally use condoms regularly there is no way to put an accurate number on your risk.
Many visitors to our site seem to assume that CSWs are HIV infected--this is incorrect, most are not. Even in parts of the world where HIV is most common, most CSWs are not HIV infected.
Similarly, the stories about "super HIV" coming from ___________ (fill in the blank, Africa, SE Asia, etc) are urban myths which should be ignored.
Time for you to relax and move on. Your risk from the exposure you describe is miniscule. EWH
Thanks a lot for responding. Overall, how would you classify my case? Is it still low risk or not really?
I wanted to know if there is any information that points to people getting HIV from condom breakage, especially if the exposure was for a brief moment?
Do you have any information about the prevalance of HIV in Thai CSW?
I have also read somewhere that the HIV strain in SE Asia is different and more likely to cause HIV than in industralized countries like US. Is that true?
I wanted to know if there is any information that points to people getting HIV from condom breakage, especially if the exposure was for a brief moment?
Do you have any information about the prevalance of HIV in Thai CSW?
I have also read somewhere that the HIV strain in SE Asia is different and more likely to cause HIV than in industralized countries like US. Is that true?
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