Still concerned

[Dunkel13]

Since my protected sex exposure which I had a rip/tear/abrasion (about 3/4 inch away from the base of my shaft) I have not felt the same physically.  I forgot  to mention in my previous posts I usually have a lower temp. average in the low 97 range.  The 8-24 days that I was experiencing my flu like symptoms I was averaging in the high 98 range, one time reaching 99.1.  I didn't think I had a rash, but now the more I've come to understand it, the more I realize I probably had it.  I had a distinct redness around my armpit/pectoral area on my right side, and it was uncomfortable feeling.  My forearms and backs of my hands, and even the palms of my hands were really red more red than the rest of my body.  I never attributed that to a rash because when I thought of a rash, I thought of poison ivy type rashes.  Accompanying all that was night sweats, the chills, hot flashes, white coated tongue, irritated stomach, loose stools, and enlarged lymph nodes in neck, armpit, and groin.  The nodes all have been verified by 2 doctors.  It's been 9 weeks since the incident.  I am still experiencing all the enlarged nodes mentioned before, my tongue has remained white coated, and my stomach continues to torment me, and stools still loose.  When I try to exercise I get physically exhausted pretty easily now, and I'm an extremely fit guy.  I get so exhausted and out of breath with a headache and a really dry mouth/tongue.  I could exercise moderately and my tongue will feel like I've been in the Sahara trudging for days.  And weirdly, I have this nasal popping sound that comes from behind my nose like air popping at night when I go to bed, and in the morning when I wake up.  Sometimes it will happen if I press on one of my enlarged lymph nodes.

1) Do you know if the body develops antibodies slower for HIV-2?
2) You say 8 weeks "virtually" everyone develops antibodies to HIV, but who are the people that don't?
3) Do my symptoms sound like anything else in particular?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I'm glad I could help.  EWH

[Dunkel13]

88 days and Negative, Doc!  I am truly pleasantly shocked.  You do a wonderful and tiring job on here!  I don't know how you do it!  I wished now I had never doubted what you were saying to me.  You got skills Doc. Hook!  Thanks again.  Crazy person, out!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You are over reacting.  Your lymphocytes are NOT "alarmingly low".   I suspect your anxiety is contributing to your symptoms.  If these doctors are not helping you, perhaps you should see someone else.

I will have nothing more to say. EWH

[Dunkel13]

I am going for another test on the 29th of April and it will have been 88 days by that time.  I am still experiencing the symptoms I listed above.  About a week ago I have encountered tiny mouth ulcers continuously, my arms are experiencing significant numbness from the elbow down, I've had numerous random muscle twitching, and last night I woke up in agonizing pain from heartburt.  Add on top of those things, my lymphocytes are alarmingly low: 14% and my neutrophils are 78%.  My CBC 1 month prior was 18%- Lymphocytes and 72% Neutrophils.  Which was low, but it's getting lower.  Doctor's initially thought Gilbert's syndrome, but since i raised the HIV alarm to them, and with my lymphocytes dropping, they're wanting me to test at 3 months and 6 months.  6 months!  I have told them about this website, and even what the UK sexual health recommendations are.

I'm having difficulties coming to terms with everything right now.  My GPs are not actively searching for what's wrong with me, they're more or less waiting on results for the HIV tests.  

Is their thinking appropriate?  

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I think you are worrying entirely too much about this. your self manipulation, squeezing and application of things like scholls's solution will only irritate you and make things worse.  I think you need to work with your own doctor to attend to your problems. This clearly is not HIV or any other STI.  EWH

[Dunkel13]

Nothing has come to light for any other diagnosis.  My GP was thinking something to do with my liver a couple of days ago, but nothing has panned out so far.  I don't know if this makes a difference, but I was burning my Genital warts myself with over the counter Dr. Scholl's.  I did this a couple of weeks before the incident.  I don't claim to be the sharpest tool in the shed...  I'm wondering how much that makes me more susceptible to STIs because of the scarring it has caused?  

The cut I initially reported to you about, it was red, and circular, but small indeed.  Probably smaller than 1mm.  It was located inside the scarring area where I had burned my wart.  Anyway, this morning, it made a return appearance.  A little smaller than when I first saw it 9 weeks ago.  I pushed on it like an non-smart person would only to see if blood would come out and sure enough a little blood came out.  And it stung afterward.  I know it's difficult for you to assess something like this, and I should have brought it up to my GP today.  It's definitely not a wart.  Any ideas what this could be?  Do warts increase HIV transmission as much as herpes, syphilis and gonorrhea do?  Could this actually be syphilis?

I'm not going to go down the symptom road again, but a lot of them are still here, and nothing points to anything else.  My doctors can give me nothing, besides my lymphocytes being down, and my symptoms too vague to point to anything in particular.  And I'm no longer so naïve in thinking this is stress anymore.  I'll leave you alone after this, but I am curious to know what you think?  Thanks doc.      

  

[Edward W Hook, MD]

None of these problems are particularly suggestive for HIV and they are trumped by your multiple negative tests.  Having another doctor think about other possible causes is appropriate.  I wish you well.  Please let us know if your doctors come to a conclusion as to what is going on. EWH

[Dunkel13]

I should mention that my GP is growing increasingly concerned for me.  And is now recommending me to meet with another GP on Monday to get an unbiased and objective assessment on me.  My GP did a CBC for me last week, and he noted that my % in lymphocytes had gone down, and my bilirubin had increased as well.  He did a CBC a month prior and said my lymphocytes were higher, but not by much.  But that CBC was taken around the 24th day after exposure.  The sexual health doctor took a swab from my tongue to determine if it's actually thrush or not.  I will also request a EBV/CMV blood test on Monday, but I doubt it will have any relevance since I did not have a sore throat, and the symptoms came on too fast.  It's just irritating at this point.  I am concerned for HIV, but I'm also concerned for my health too.  I'm not going to stop being paranoid about HIV I'm afraid, until something is narrowed down.  But I will stop bugging you, Doc.  Thanks again.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You have exceeded the 2000 character limit on posts, failing to follow our rules.  More importantly, your paranoid anxiety has kept you focused on something that you do not have - HIV (1 or 2).  You seem unwilling to accept that NONE of the symptoms that you report are specific for HIV and that if you had ANY form of HIV, your tests would have been positive long ago.  I will briefly address your questions.

1) Do you know if the body develops antibodies slower for HIV-2?
No, it does not. Antibody production is similar for HIV-1 and HIV-2.

2) You say 8 weeks "virtually" everyone develops antibodies to HIV, but who are the people that don't?
The persons who do develop antibodies are persons taking cancer chemotherapy drugs or high doses of steroid medications.  In general they are in very poor health before their exposures.  Even then, most such people develop antibodies.  

3) Do my symptoms sound like anything else in particular?
The symptoms you complain are are non-specific.  Many are the sorts of aches, pains and discomforts that most people have regularly and ignore unless something else, like anxiety and paranoia causes them to focus on them.  If these symptoms are truely troubling you, you need to have them addressed by a thorough evaluation by your doctor, not with on-line questions.

It is time for you to accept that you did not get HIV of any sort from the exposure you describe.  Your 8 tests over the past two months prove this. Further testing is a waste of time and money.  As I said above, if you are truly ill, then you need to see your own doctor for evaluation, not perseverate about something that you do not have because of guilt, shame and anxiety.  EWH

[Dunkel13]

I've had tests at: 11 days 3rd gen (lab), 17 days 4th gen (lab), 26 days 3rd gen (lab), 31 days 4th gen (lab), 41 days Insti finger prick, 48 days 4th gen (lab), 56 days Insti finger prick, and 61 days 4th gen (lab) and all have come out negative.  I'm confused.  I'm worried since she was an immigrant from West Africa this might be HIV-2, and maybe my antibodies are developing slower than normal?  Would that make sense?  My sexual health doctor doesn't know enough about HIV-2