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ars rash & slight sore throat- worried
Hello Doctor,
On 2/15 I engaged in unprotected receptive anal sex. On around 2/20 I noted a small itchy spot on my right arm (I googled HIV symptoms and got very worried) and on the 2/22 noted another itchy spot on my right side just below my armpit. I used to suffer from eczema as a child and generally have sensitive skin. However, on 2/24 I noticed my chest area had a reddish rash (there did not appear to be any raised pumps, but it was red/pinkish (it didn't look like specific red dots, just uniformly pink/red) it didn’t itch or feel painful and was located around my collar bone and above my nipples). The following night, 2/25, I felt what can best described as nasal drip in the back of my throat and the following morning, 2/26, I woke up with a mild sore throat. The sore throat never hurt to where it was painful, it was more of a scratchy feeling and at some points I would not even feel it. I also experienced a stuffed up nose and nasal drainage. Today, the sore throat is none existent (I don't think my throat is sore, but I keep thinking maybe it could be) and I don’t have nasal congestion. The rash seems to have diminished in brightness & size, but is still present. My concern is the closeness of these “symptoms” of ARS arriving and them seemingly become less severe at the same time.
I took an HIV test 2/27 and it came back as negative. On 1/1 I engaged in oral sex with a male, who didn’t ejaculate in my mouth, and I engaged in the same activity on 1/26.
I was wondering if the test I took, that gave a negative result, would be relatively reliable for the two experiences in Jan?
Also do the “symptoms” I described above sound like they could be caused by HIV ARS? I know you cannot diagnose based on symptoms, but I am driving myself crazy and am worried sick. My partner took an at home HIV test yesterday and got a negative result, he has not been with anyone since the first of Feb. As far as I know I have not had a fever, I started checking daily on 2/26.
On 2/15 I engaged in unprotected receptive anal sex. On around 2/20 I noted a small itchy spot on my right arm (I googled HIV symptoms and got very worried) and on the 2/22 noted another itchy spot on my right side just below my armpit. I used to suffer from eczema as a child and generally have sensitive skin. However, on 2/24 I noticed my chest area had a reddish rash (there did not appear to be any raised pumps, but it was red/pinkish (it didn't look like specific red dots, just uniformly pink/red) it didn’t itch or feel painful and was located around my collar bone and above my nipples). The following night, 2/25, I felt what can best described as nasal drip in the back of my throat and the following morning, 2/26, I woke up with a mild sore throat. The sore throat never hurt to where it was painful, it was more of a scratchy feeling and at some points I would not even feel it. I also experienced a stuffed up nose and nasal drainage. Today, the sore throat is none existent (I don't think my throat is sore, but I keep thinking maybe it could be) and I don’t have nasal congestion. The rash seems to have diminished in brightness & size, but is still present. My concern is the closeness of these “symptoms” of ARS arriving and them seemingly become less severe at the same time.
I took an HIV test 2/27 and it came back as negative. On 1/1 I engaged in oral sex with a male, who didn’t ejaculate in my mouth, and I engaged in the same activity on 1/26.
I was wondering if the test I took, that gave a negative result, would be relatively reliable for the two experiences in Jan?
Also do the “symptoms” I described above sound like they could be caused by HIV ARS? I know you cannot diagnose based on symptoms, but I am driving myself crazy and am worried sick. My partner took an at home HIV test yesterday and got a negative result, he has not been with anyone since the first of Feb. As far as I know I have not had a fever, I started checking daily on 2/26.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. Sorry for the delay-I missed your question earlier today. I'll try to help. here are the facts. If your partner had HIV, on average your risk from receptive rectal intercourse is about 1% or one infection per 100 sex acts. In contrast your risk from performance of oral sex on an infected partner is less than 1 infection per 10,000 sex acts. When persons acquire HIV less than half develop symptoms or the so called ARS. These symptoms include sore throat, a generalized rash, muscle and joint aches and fever. When person have the ARS, their HIV blood test is typically positive within a week of the onset of symptoms. The problem is that these symptoms are non-specific and are the same as the symptoms of far more common viral infections such as the flu and the sort of viral infections that most people get from time to time. When studied, less than 1% of persons with flu-like illnesses which resemble the ARS turn out to have HIV.
In your case the odds are in your favor that your recent symptoms are coincidental. You do not have the full symptom complex (the patchy rash sounds like a flare of your eczema) and the fact that your partner had a negative test yesterday, more than two weeks after your receptive rectal exposure practically guarantees that he does not have HIV and thus cannot infect you. I would not worry a this point.
That said, testing for both HIV and other STIs at about a month after your last exposure is reasonable (just to be sure- I anticipate the results of testing will be negative). More importantly, in the future please use condoms with new or casual partners. they will keep you safe.
I hope these condoms are helpful. EWH
In your case the odds are in your favor that your recent symptoms are coincidental. You do not have the full symptom complex (the patchy rash sounds like a flare of your eczema) and the fact that your partner had a negative test yesterday, more than two weeks after your receptive rectal exposure practically guarantees that he does not have HIV and thus cannot infect you. I would not worry a this point.
That said, testing for both HIV and other STIs at about a month after your last exposure is reasonable (just to be sure- I anticipate the results of testing will be negative). More importantly, in the future please use condoms with new or casual partners. they will keep you safe.
I hope these condoms are helpful. EWH
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Glad to help. Take care. EWH
Thank you very much, that helps put me at ease some. I hope you are right. Thanks again!
I'd really appreciate any assessment of the "symptoms" I have described. I know my actions were foolish, but I have been worried sick sense the first spot on my arm appeared. I plan on getting another HIV test done tomorrow morning, but I am not sure if that will do any good.
Thank you again.
Thank you again.
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