Aa
Unsure if i need testing
Hello Doctors, I don't especially suffer from anxiety but I saw a rather disturbing documentary that made me make this post.
Around 10 years ago I had a one off homosexual experience with someone. It involved the other person rubbing his penis around my anus. I remember that I felt a sudden quick thrust that lasted for about 0.5-1 second. I stopped after that.
I personally don't think there was penetration, because although I have never been in that situation I certainly felt no pain, or noticeable friction. Also I assumed HIV is passed through "abrasion" allowing bodily fluids to be transferred. I don't think that is likely in this situation.
I have no symptoms now except I keep on getting patches appear on my skin, that come go and then replaced in a near location, my doctor says they are fungal infections. They are all the same type. I would add if photo if required but there is no option.
Also what especially alarms me, is that around the same 6 months of the exposure, I think I suffered from a small period of night sweats, with no other symptoms.
Do you mind if I ask.
1. Does this require testing? (would you if in my place)
2. Can I continue having unprotected sex with my girlfriend?
3. Do night sweats with no other symptoms suggest anything?
Around 10 years ago I had a one off homosexual experience with someone. It involved the other person rubbing his penis around my anus. I remember that I felt a sudden quick thrust that lasted for about 0.5-1 second. I stopped after that.
I personally don't think there was penetration, because although I have never been in that situation I certainly felt no pain, or noticeable friction. Also I assumed HIV is passed through "abrasion" allowing bodily fluids to be transferred. I don't think that is likely in this situation.
I have no symptoms now except I keep on getting patches appear on my skin, that come go and then replaced in a near location, my doctor says they are fungal infections. They are all the same type. I would add if photo if required but there is no option.
Also what especially alarms me, is that around the same 6 months of the exposure, I think I suffered from a small period of night sweats, with no other symptoms.
Do you mind if I ask.
1. Does this require testing? (would you if in my place)
2. Can I continue having unprotected sex with my girlfriend?
3. Do night sweats with no other symptoms suggest anything?
Thank you doctor, you comments are reassuring enough, that I do not feel that I require a test. ( especially since I do not have along line of partners)
Again thank you.
Again thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
As I said, night sweats alone, without other symptoms, do not suggest HIV or any other serious medical condition. This is not at all typical of ARS.
Feel free to post the result in a follow-up if and when you are teated for HIV. But it is pointless to speculate when a definitive answer is so easily available, so I won't have any other comments or advice until then.
Feel free to post the result in a follow-up if and when you are teated for HIV. But it is pointless to speculate when a definitive answer is so easily available, so I won't have any other comments or advice until then.
Thank you very much doctor. But I think I may have described something unclearly.
In the 6 months that my exposure happened was when I had the sweats with no other symptoms. I was concerned if this was typical of ARS or something similar?
In the 6 months that my exposure happened was when I had the sweats with no other symptoms. I was concerned if this was typical of ARS or something similar?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Only if an actual HIV test was done.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
The risk of catching HIV during any single sexual exposure is always low. Even the highest risk sexual practices, like unprotected anal sex with an infected male partner, transmit the virus once for ever few hundred exposures. And in this case, it seems very unlikely there was anal penetration -- probably it isn't something you would have trouble remembering! Further, if you had HIV for 10 years, by ths time you probably would have been sick and your HIV would have come to light -- you might even have died by now. Finally, all symptoms of HIV/AIDS also occur commonly in many other minor infections; your episode of night sweats a few months ago does not imply you might have HIV.
1) Do you "require" testing? No, not from a medical or risk standpoint. But you definitely should be tested for reassurance. The negative result probably will be more reassuring than anything I can say.
2) There is no reason you should not continue unprotected sex with your partner.
3) As discussed above, your occasional night sweats are not alarming. Anyway, I doubt you had true night sweats, which almost never occur as the only symptom of anything. Night sweats are the result of a high fever that breaks during the night. Without fever, almost always with other symptoms, a little sweating during sleep doesn't mean anything.
So my advice is to stop worrying about this and have an HIV test. Every adult is supposed to have an HIV test once, even if not apparently at risk. This would obviously be a good time, while it's on your mind. Feel free to return with a follow-up comment and let me know the result. But stay mellow in the meantime; there is no reason to suspect it will be positive.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
The risk of catching HIV during any single sexual exposure is always low. Even the highest risk sexual practices, like unprotected anal sex with an infected male partner, transmit the virus once for ever few hundred exposures. And in this case, it seems very unlikely there was anal penetration -- probably it isn't something you would have trouble remembering! Further, if you had HIV for 10 years, by ths time you probably would have been sick and your HIV would have come to light -- you might even have died by now. Finally, all symptoms of HIV/AIDS also occur commonly in many other minor infections; your episode of night sweats a few months ago does not imply you might have HIV.
1) Do you "require" testing? No, not from a medical or risk standpoint. But you definitely should be tested for reassurance. The negative result probably will be more reassuring than anything I can say.
2) There is no reason you should not continue unprotected sex with your partner.
3) As discussed above, your occasional night sweats are not alarming. Anyway, I doubt you had true night sweats, which almost never occur as the only symptom of anything. Night sweats are the result of a high fever that breaks during the night. Without fever, almost always with other symptoms, a little sweating during sleep doesn't mean anything.
So my advice is to stop worrying about this and have an HIV test. Every adult is supposed to have an HIV test once, even if not apparently at risk. This would obviously be a good time, while it's on your mind. Feel free to return with a follow-up comment and let me know the result. But stay mellow in the meantime; there is no reason to suspect it will be positive.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I also forgot to mention, that around 5 years ago I got my blood tested for stress related reasons. If I infected with HIV do you think they would of noticed?
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