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Avatar universal

Worried again at 9 months

I appreciate all that you both do here.  I had unprotected sex once with a woman last July here in the SE US.  I began to worry to so I ended up testing three separate times during the next 3 months with the last one at 88 days.  These were all blood tests with 3rd generation and all came back negative for HIV.  This was one of those private test facilities where I just walk in and do the test, they send it to LabCorb. After the last test I thought I could move on. It was still in the back of my mind because of the remote possibility of all this information about some not showing antibodies until after 3 months.  (I know all about your thoughts and have read the many links about 6-8 weeks and so I understand your view) What has happended is a few weeks ago I got an ulcer inside my right check towards the top and so of course I worry a little.  I have had a few ulcers during the window period and beyond and they all healed within 7 days.  This one went into a second week and then I began to feel gum pain near there.  I went to the dentist a few days ago and they found a lesion about 10mm long under a couple of teeth in the posterior upper gum in that same area.  Having read so much I asked about LGE and they did not think so but were concerned that the lesion has not gotten better since it began to hurt.  The tooth actually hurts the most and when I eat it actually does not hurt.  The dentist asked because it looked like trauma or a burn which I have no recall of anything like that.
My concern is that why has it not healed and its something I have never had before.  I had a physical in early February and it came back normal.  My WBC was a little low but it was actually higher than my physical two years ago.  I have to imagine it would be unlikely that I would not show on a test up to 88 days and then I would have symptoms within basically 8 months of being infected.  Then I read about fast progressors and such and cannot help but be worried.

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300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Anything is possible but oral ulcers are not a typical finding in persons with recently (within a few years of infection) acquired persons with HIV.  EWH
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Avatar universal
Thanks Dr. Hook.  I figured I would be taking another test because I cannot seem to shake the fear.  If God is willing I hope it is negative for HIV again and I feel I could move on completely.
I would like to at least get your view on the possibility symptoms could occur within the first year, after the acute stage.  My understanding is that after the acute stage the asymtomatic  stage would not show any symptoms beyond maybe swollen lymph nodes.  And that this stage would last at least a few years.  So is it is possible to have symptoms caused by HIV during this stage?  Finally, would someone already be into the early symptomatic phase within 8 months?  I understand that symptoms can never be used for diagnosis but I just wanted to know how possible it would be that my mouth issue could possibly be a symptom at 8-9 months.
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300980 tn?1194929400
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome back to the Forum.  I am sorry that this exposure continues to worry you.  I remain confident, based on your tests that you do not have HIV.  The oral ulcers and gum problems that you describe sound like canker sores which (unfortunately since we do not have a good understanding of how to manage them) are common and can be particularly troublesome for persons who are anxious.  In general however, when symptoms and test result for HIV, taken at the appropriate time, disagree, the test results are always right.  

All I can do is to urge you not to worry or, perhaps, to suggest that you test again 1 more time, to prove that this is not HIV.  I am confident that it is not.  EWH
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