Aa
Reassure or Retest
Doctor,
Thanks so much for this forum it is great.
At the end of march I had a brief encounter with a SW, protected vaginal (I know the odds are 1-1,000 even if they were infected) about three weeks later I had night sweats/feve/sore throat/post nasal drip, the fever only lasted a day but the sore throat continued and occassionally felt sweaty/cold sweats, I also had a canchre sore in my mouth that took a while to heal.
I googled potential causes and then got severe anxiety (not able to sleep, etc) I was tested 28 days after my potential exposure with ELISA 4th Generation at Labcorp, I was also tested for six other STDs and all came back negative. It is my understanding that after 28 days 90% of cases would have been caught, so that combined with the 1 in 1000 chance makes it very very unlikely I have HIV.
After getting the negative test back i went to my general practicioner (who I don't have much confidence in) she attributed it to stress/anxiety said I had nothing to worry about and should get retested in December she gave me a nasal spray. Now she didn't even look in my mouth/throat which makes me think she wasn't very thorough and wanted me out of the office within the 15 minute appointment time.
Since that appointment my sore throat / white covering on tongue (not really crusty like some of the pictures on the internet just furry) has continued, and I remain a bit anxious but I have been sleeping fine for the last two weeks.
Do you think I am in the clear? I am planning on getting retested in 2-3 weeks at the two month mark to make sure and I have an appointment with an ENT so someone specifically trained will take a look. That being said the $15 is well worth any extra comfort to alleviate my concerns.
Thanks in advance
Thanks so much for this forum it is great.
At the end of march I had a brief encounter with a SW, protected vaginal (I know the odds are 1-1,000 even if they were infected) about three weeks later I had night sweats/feve/sore throat/post nasal drip, the fever only lasted a day but the sore throat continued and occassionally felt sweaty/cold sweats, I also had a canchre sore in my mouth that took a while to heal.
I googled potential causes and then got severe anxiety (not able to sleep, etc) I was tested 28 days after my potential exposure with ELISA 4th Generation at Labcorp, I was also tested for six other STDs and all came back negative. It is my understanding that after 28 days 90% of cases would have been caught, so that combined with the 1 in 1000 chance makes it very very unlikely I have HIV.
After getting the negative test back i went to my general practicioner (who I don't have much confidence in) she attributed it to stress/anxiety said I had nothing to worry about and should get retested in December she gave me a nasal spray. Now she didn't even look in my mouth/throat which makes me think she wasn't very thorough and wanted me out of the office within the 15 minute appointment time.
Since that appointment my sore throat / white covering on tongue (not really crusty like some of the pictures on the internet just furry) has continued, and I remain a bit anxious but I have been sleeping fine for the last two weeks.
Do you think I am in the clear? I am planning on getting retested in 2-3 weeks at the two month mark to make sure and I have an appointment with an ENT so someone specifically trained will take a look. That being said the $15 is well worth any extra comfort to alleviate my concerns.
Thanks in advance
A related discussion, Negative Test 9 months! was started.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You misinterpreted the context of that information about seborrheic dermatitis. This is not an issue for early HIV, only as the first sign of overt AIDS in someone infected for several years, and almost always in a person who otherwise looks and feels very sick. And the seb derm in that situation is much more than garden variety dandruff.
You came to the forum for reassurance. Please accept it and move on. Stop trying to convince me (and yourself) that you might be infected. And stop searching for symptoms and other information on line.
That's all for this thread. I will delete any further comments.
You came to the forum for reassurance. Please accept it and move on. Stop trying to convince me (and yourself) that you might be infected. And stop searching for symptoms and other information on line.
That's all for this thread. I will delete any further comments.
Doctor,
A bit of confirmation, that I shouldn't be worried about my severe dandruff/hair loss that has been going on for the last two weeks. I have never had these issues, granted my stress level has been higher the last two months than normal but I just read the following...I am 99.9% safe with the 10 week rapid test at the clinic right...the dandruff is just coincidental?
"A sudden, strong tendency to flaking or seborrhoeic dermatitis in a middle-aged person who has never had such problems before can be a sign of HIV infection."
Source;
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/dandruff.htm
Based on a text by Dr Flemming Andersen
Last updated 06.03.2007
A bit of confirmation, that I shouldn't be worried about my severe dandruff/hair loss that has been going on for the last two weeks. I have never had these issues, granted my stress level has been higher the last two months than normal but I just read the following...I am 99.9% safe with the 10 week rapid test at the clinic right...the dandruff is just coincidental?
"A sudden, strong tendency to flaking or seborrhoeic dermatitis in a middle-aged person who has never had such problems before can be a sign of HIV infection."
Source;
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/health_advice/facts/dandruff.htm
Based on a text by Dr Flemming Andersen
Last updated 06.03.2007
Thanks Dr. HHH your advice helpmed me make it from my week 4 negative to a just today week 10 negative (which is good enough for me)
I was trying to hold out until 12 weeks but my anxiety started kicking up again so I decided just to get a 10 week exam and move on.
I had started to convinve myself again based on minor issues, dandruff, thinning hair, growling stomach, dry eyes, dry skin, etc. but I am sure that was all getting helped along by anxiety or remnants of whatever I did have that caused my sore throat, nasal drip, etc.
So to all those on the board or reading this listen to Dr. HHH!
I was trying to hold out until 12 weeks but my anxiety started kicking up again so I decided just to get a 10 week exam and move on.
I had started to convinve myself again based on minor issues, dandruff, thinning hair, growling stomach, dry eyes, dry skin, etc. but I am sure that was all getting helped along by anxiety or remnants of whatever I did have that caused my sore throat, nasal drip, etc.
So to all those on the board or reading this listen to Dr. HHH!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
And just what did you not understand about "Let's end this thread"?
One more comment and the entire thread will be deleted. If you want to carry on a discussion, do it on the HIV community forum.
One more comment and the entire thread will be deleted. If you want to carry on a discussion, do it on the HIV community forum.
okay, this week I have been totally relaxed and feeling good had put it behind me. I am done again, thanks alienshadow.
one word ANXIETY. When someone is totally stressed out the immune system breaks down and you have all sorts of symptoms. Relax and stop and think Now Dr Handsfield has told you to end it and you said okay to it. He isnt going to carry this thread on. Take it to the Hiv prevention forum. And remember CHILL out
Doc sorry to be back but these coincidental issues I am having can't just be random.
I now have pink eye and are trying to get to my DR ASAP. My derm said it is Keratosis Pilares (KP) on the back of my arms which is very common. But how can my acute sinusitus followed by dehydration for a week, followed by a sore throat for two week and KP and now pink eye not be related?
You are telling me none of these are signs of ARS/HIV? I was just starting to return to normal for the last week and now this is driving my stress up again.
I now have pink eye and are trying to get to my DR ASAP. My derm said it is Keratosis Pilares (KP) on the back of my arms which is very common. But how can my acute sinusitus followed by dehydration for a week, followed by a sore throat for two week and KP and now pink eye not be related?
You are telling me none of these are signs of ARS/HIV? I was just starting to return to normal for the last week and now this is driving my stress up again.
ok, ended sorry to bear it out...
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
There is no point in continuing to post symptoms that cannot possibly be due to HIV. Let's end this thread.
Thanks Doc,
My throat feels better now just a bit dry sometimes, I have developed small red dots (looks like millions but not really like a "rash") on the back of my arms I am hoping that is stress induced (it doesn't look like any of the more serious rashes that I have seen pictures of).
My throat feels better now just a bit dry sometimes, I have developed small red dots (looks like millions but not really like a "rash") on the back of my arms I am hoping that is stress induced (it doesn't look like any of the more serious rashes that I have seen pictures of).
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The additional information doesn't change my opinion. There is usually nothing to see in the throat of HIV infected persons, and in any case your doc's failure to look obviously says nothing about the cause of your symptoms or the chance that you caught HIV.
DR.
Thanks for the quick response, I did have a fever for two days and night sweats associated with my sinuses flaring up and constricting, now I have had a persistent sore throat, dry mouth, white tongue for two weeks and instead of too much mucus the first two days I don't seem to have any.
That was the only episode so the only way I got it so I will take comfort knowing that protection + odds are in my favor big time.
I just wasn't reassured by my DR when she didn't even look in my mouth/throat and she basically said 'o its allergies' here is a sample. In any case I feel better about things.
Thanks for the quick response, I did have a fever for two days and night sweats associated with my sinuses flaring up and constricting, now I have had a persistent sore throat, dry mouth, white tongue for two weeks and instead of too much mucus the first two days I don't seem to have any.
That was the only episode so the only way I got it so I will take comfort knowing that protection + odds are in my favor big time.
I just wasn't reassured by my DR when she didn't even look in my mouth/throat and she basically said 'o its allergies' here is a sample. In any case I feel better about things.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
As ceegunz replied before me (below), you can be sure you don't have HIV. Symptoms are meaningless, as has been said in at least 1-2 threads every day for several years on this forum. Things other than HIV are infinitely more likely, and anyway HIV doesn't cause sore throat without fever and other symptoms.
The 1 in 1000 risk you quote is IF your partner had HIV, and IF you hadn't used a condom. When you factor in those issues plus 90% reliability for a negative test at 4 weeks, the odds you have HIV are one in several billion. In other words, forget it. You didn't need testing at all and therefore do not need any more testing. You could not have acquired HIV. If you want further testing, it's fine with me -- but should it be positive, the first task would be to work with you to figure out how and where you caught it. Because it would not be from the exposure you describe.
Regards-- HHH, MD
The 1 in 1000 risk you quote is IF your partner had HIV, and IF you hadn't used a condom. When you factor in those issues plus 90% reliability for a negative test at 4 weeks, the odds you have HIV are one in several billion. In other words, forget it. You didn't need testing at all and therefore do not need any more testing. You could not have acquired HIV. If you want further testing, it's fine with me -- but should it be positive, the first task would be to work with you to figure out how and where you caught it. Because it would not be from the exposure you describe.
Regards-- HHH, MD
thanks that is reassuring, I am guessing the sore throat is just a result of anxiety also or maybe just summer allergies (although I never got them before).
My main concern is just that even with a condom on the base of the penis would be potential transmission, I will get retested and hopefully all okay.
One thing is for sure that i won't ever put myself in position to worry about this again.
My main concern is just that even with a condom on the base of the penis would be potential transmission, I will get retested and hopefully all okay.
One thing is for sure that i won't ever put myself in position to worry about this again.
Hi,
I'm not the expert, but you are very much in the clear--condoms, when properly use, completely prevent the transmission of HIV. Assuming your condom did not break, your risk of contracting HIV from your protected intercourse is not 1 in 1,000, but zero. And from what I understand, you would know if your condom broke.
Aside from all symptoms being meaningless, they are also unreliable given your state of admitted anxiety. Especially your tongue--it is very probably just coated tongue. I first noticed that my tongue was coated when I became concerned about a sickness, but it has been that way in the years since, and I have been treated by many physicians and dentists, none of whom were concerned. In fact, I'm sure I had this all along, and never thought to inspect my tongue until I was looking for symptoms. Get a tongue scraper; a few scrapes and much of it will be gone (then repeat daily). Here is a pamphlet for your tongue symptoms: http://www.aaomp.org/brochures/Hairy-CoatedTongue.pdf
Go ahead and get another test for anxiety, but that is the only purpose it would serve. I imagine you're refreshing the forum many times today, so hopefully this post will relieve some anxiety. Cheers.
I'm not the expert, but you are very much in the clear--condoms, when properly use, completely prevent the transmission of HIV. Assuming your condom did not break, your risk of contracting HIV from your protected intercourse is not 1 in 1,000, but zero. And from what I understand, you would know if your condom broke.
Aside from all symptoms being meaningless, they are also unreliable given your state of admitted anxiety. Especially your tongue--it is very probably just coated tongue. I first noticed that my tongue was coated when I became concerned about a sickness, but it has been that way in the years since, and I have been treated by many physicians and dentists, none of whom were concerned. In fact, I'm sure I had this all along, and never thought to inspect my tongue until I was looking for symptoms. Get a tongue scraper; a few scrapes and much of it will be gone (then repeat daily). Here is a pamphlet for your tongue symptoms: http://www.aaomp.org/brochures/Hairy-CoatedTongue.pdf
Go ahead and get another test for anxiety, but that is the only purpose it would serve. I imagine you're refreshing the forum many times today, so hopefully this post will relieve some anxiety. Cheers.
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