Symptom timing and duration

[going crazyyy]

Hi, first off, this site has really helped me cope with the anxiety that i have been experiencing over the last 7 weeks.  My situation is as follows:  had sex with prostitute on Dec 30/06 in CUBA.  i was drunk and dont really remember too much which is the reason i am very concerned.  I remember putting a condom on but do not remember taking it off.  The sex did not last long, a few minutes tops, but i did ejaculate.  Came back to Canada and had cold like symptoms (runny nose, Phlegm in throat) but made nothing of it.  However, i was also experiencing some pain in the testicle and groin so i went to a walk in clininc where the doctor gave me pills for an tract infection (or something like that).  Pills did not help so i went to a mens clinic where the Dr told me i have Chlamydia (without actually testing for it) and gave me Doxycycline.  testicle discomfort went away but by Feb (1 month after possible exposure) i started experiencing frewuent urination, dark cloudy urine, a sore lower back and very loose, watery diarrhea.  After researching symptoms on the internet, i came across HIV which caused me to panic.  I then felt very weak, depressed and developed a sore throat soon after (felt enlarged, although not diagnosed).  Today, 3 weeks later, i finally got tested but have to wait 2 weeks for the results.  Am i high risk and is this indicative of HIV?          

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

A very brief response, since your question is just like the majority of questions on this forum.  Pick just about any 10 threads at random on this forum and you will find the answers to exactly your questions.  In summary, the risk of HIV iswas low, even without a condom; your symptoms don't suggest HIV, and to the extent some are consistent with that infection (like sore throat), a giant number of other things cause the same thing and are much more common than HIV.  Also, testicular pain (by itself) and the other urinary symptoms you describe do not suggest chlamydia.

Searching the web for symptoms of HIV is a big mistake.  Almost every symptom human beings get from any infection or disease sometimes can be seen in HIV infected people. Even the healthiest person cannot look at a list of HIV symptoms without seeing something that s/he has had recently.

Finally, I don't know why you need to wait 2 weeks for your test result.  Routine HIV test results generally are available within a couple of days.  In any case, you can expect a negative result.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[going crazyyy]

forgot to add that i haven't been able to sleep a full night and i've had a very dry mouth/lips in the morning.  

[going crazyyy]

thanks for the prompt response doc but i'm still unclear about something.  Is frequent diarrhea (>2weeks) and urination with cloudy, dark yellow urine a symptom of an STD?  I'm convinced that my Dr was right about the chlamydia even though he did not test me for it because the doxycycline he gave me cleared all my symptoms.  I also forgot to mention that i have developed a varicocele on the left side of my scrotum and a discomfortable, itchy feeling where my left testicle and left leg meet.  Does this change your response at all?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

No, none of that changes my response.  Those are not STD symptoms, period.

[eaman]

Hey, cloudy urine is a sign of hyperglycemia (spelling?); and not sleeping well at night is assuredly from anxiety.

E

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I have never heard of cloudy urine as a sign of hyperglycemia.  Urine cloudiness is mostly the result of variations in diet and fluid intake and closely related to urine pH (acid/alkali balance).  Add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar to a couple ounces of cloudy urine and 90% of the time the urine will turn clear.

[notAnExpert1]

Also for further reassurance:Cuba has one of the lowest HIV infection rates in the world.

[going crazyyy]

thanks for the feedback guys, its definitely helping me get through this.  Is there any relation between cloudy urine and diarrhea?  I've been drinking lots of water but my urine is still yellow and cloudy.  There is no doubt in my mind that anxiety is contributing to some of the symptoms i am experiencing but what scares me the most is the timing of symptoms (although i've read 1 million times on this site that symptoms are never a good indicator of HIV).    

Also, is it possible to get Chlamydia even with a condom?  

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You cannot get chlamydia wearing a condom. Your symptoms don't suggest chlamydia anyway.  Diarrhea can be due to anything.  Cloudy urine means nothing; see my comment in response to eamon, just above.

This thread is over.  Good luck.

HHH, MD

[quintonmed]

I visited a sex worker in Douala Cameroon in January.  I used a condom but i realised it was not properly lubricated.  I then licked my hand to put saliva on it.  This was after i had penetrated the girl.  I did not ejaculate.  Afterwards I washed my penis with water.  Exactly three weeks to the day I got a fever for about 12 hours.  Then the next day the fever was gone.  The same day I had the feeling like  I was catching a cold.  This was the same feeling I always had for catching a cold.  The symptoms ended in three day in total.  I did not feel like I had the flu but I am still worried. That I might have contracted the HIV.  I took a HIV test the after after my possible exposure.It was negative.  But I am still scared because of the fever I got.  I wanted to know if I was at high risk.  Thank you in advance

[Ali81]

A related discussion, Help me was started.

[donab]

A related discussion, HIV worries was started.

[invictuscool]

hi doc,
im frm india. I had sex wid a prostitute and d condom broke twice. Ths happened last night. What are the chances of me getting the dreadful disease ? Should i go for a test just to be sure. If yes how soon should i go for one. I washed my genitals with water and soap as soon as i found out that the condom had broken. Please help.