Unprotected Vaginal

[wantinfo2]

I will try and be brief. I am a 39 y/o heterosexual male (never any gay sex or drugs except alcohol in my life). From west central Illinois. January 16, 2010 met and picked up 46 year old female in bar. Both of us very drunk. Engaged in brief unprotected vaginal intercourse for no more than a couple of minutes. No ejaculation. Went to ER doc and he prescribed one 500 mg Cipro and a 14 day course of doxycycline. And I talked him into a PEP regimine which I only took 3 tablets then became scared of the toxicity and stopped. The ER doc said they don't usually even prescribe PEP for this sort of concern.
Since then I have been having some odd symptoms. About 3 weeks after sex began to develop some pains in the neck and dull aches in the groin. Felt for lymphnodes but could not feel anything raised. About 5 weeks past exposure became very fatigued for about a week and had one case of dirrahea and have been constipated ever since. Very gassy. And now for about the pat week to 8 days have developed very dry mouth and tongue. Chewing gum seems to alleviate this while I am chewing. Still get an occasional ache in the groin every now and then.
As far as fever goes I don't believe I ever had an actual flu-like fever. I have had the flu before and felt terrible. My body would, and still does, heat up for about 5-10 minutes then cool back down so I am not sure if that is considered fever.
Doctor, my anxiety and stress over this matter is through the roof. I have come clean about this with my wife (whom I have NOT had sex with since incident) 1.Could my very dry mouth and costipation be related to my anxiety? 2.If I was infected would I develop such a dry mouth this early in infection. 3. What are the chances of cipro and doxy not doing thier job for more of the common STD's.
I am really scared doc. It just seems these symptoms may be right on target for HIV. I really appreciate any and all professional opinions on this matter.
Thank you

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to help. Take care.  EWH

[wantinfo2]

Thank you for the prompt reply. Your words are very encouraging. My wife too feels that it is nothing but anxiety that I am feeling. I am fortunate to have a wife who is a nurse on an infectious disease and oncology department who can help put things into perspective. To have put everything I and she have worked for at risk is one of the most selfish and stupid things I could have ever imagined. To all who read this, if there was a case of infidelity that led you here, lever with your spouse or significant other. It does help in every way.
Thanks again Doctor Hook, I will post later with my results.
Have a good evening.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. You sound miserable with anxiety and guilt, not with HIV or an STD.  You had a single unprotected sexual exposure. The chances that your partner had any STD are low and even if she did, the chances that you might have gotten an STD from her are statistically less than 1 in 5. Then you took antibiotics which would be effective therapy for chlamydia, non-gonococcal urethritis, syphilis an most gonorrhea.  There is very, very little chance that you have an STD from this exposure.  As for HIV, you live in a part of the nation where HIV is relatively uncommon, overall the infection is uncommon in heterosexual men and women and even in the unlikely circumstance that your partner had HIV, your risk of infection from a single exposure is less than 1 in 1000.  Your risk for HIV is miniscule.  Taking PEP was rather silly (and I expect, expensive)

At this time I suggest you take an HIV test.  It has been about 8 weeks since the exposure you mention.  At this time, nearly all HIV infections acquired 8 weeks earlier would normally be detectable le.  Having taken the beginning of a PEP regimen could have delayed a blood test from coming positive but not much.  When you get your negative 8 week HIV test result, take it as strong evidence that you did not get HIV from this exposure.  Then re-test at 12 weeks to be 100% sure (because of the PEP).  I really have no concern that you might have gotten HIV from this exposure.

As for your specific questions:
1. The symptoms you mention do not sound at all like those of early HIV.  And yes, dry mouth and constipation could certainly be due to anxiety.
2.  Dry mouth is not pat of early infection, it too is part of anxiety.
3.  The cipro and doxy would have been effective therapy for most STDs.  

Hope this helps.  Take care.  EWH