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Avatar universal

is chronic insomnia a symptom of hiv

hello

I am a 21 year old male from the UK.

I done my blood test 2 weeks and 3 days after protected sexual encounter with a spanish escort, and it came back negative.

The day or the day before I took my blood test I started having sleeping problems. I did have stress and have anxiety and the first 1 week I did have sort of night sweat a lot thinking about the blood test.

Its been 2 months now and I have chronic insomnia, I wake up 4 or 5 times in the night within 5 or 6 hours of sleep. I have 2 or 3 hours full sleep and I wake up and sleep for 1 hour every time. and I also have dreams before I wake up. I went to doctors 2 months ago and Dr prescribed me with zopiclone 3.5mg which helped temporarily. I went back again and the Dr prescribed me amitriptyline which did not help me much. I still woke up 4 or 5 times in the night.

Another problem is that some nights my pinky and ring finger gets numb its been going on for a month now. is this normal and what kind of symptom is it?

Is chronic insomnia a symptom of hiv?

and should I get my blood test done again?
I did go for blood test again in the clinic but the Dr said I am fine and my urine test sample is negative and it was protected and my insomnia is stress related. I did not tell him I paid for it.
12 Responses
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239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Glad to have helped.  Take care and good luck.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
sorry for the late reply. All my test for HIV, syphilis and others is negative.

The problem I have is chronic insomnia which I recovered last week but came back again. Pinky and ring finger numb when I wake up most nights. And sometimes the hand. Its been like this for over 2 months now.

So I will have to get checked out for other problems.

thanks for your advice doctor

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
and by the way I have done the blood test for hiv and syphilis 2 days ago. I didn't see the GP.
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Avatar universal
Thank you doctor for the advice. I'll let you know the outcome once I have been evaluated.

I would have went straight away to the clinic buts its closed in the weekends. This stuff is really stressing me out.
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239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Masturbation cannot cause urethral discharge with crusting.  As you suggest yourself, this indeed is probably nongonococcal urethritis (NGU); or it could be a non-STD prostate problem.  You need to be evaluated once more.  This time, I would suggest a visit to your local NHS genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic, where the care will probably be more expert than from your GP.  Try to be seen first thing in the morning, without urinating since the night before (avoid excess fluids that evening).  Do not take any antibiotics or any other kind of treatment before being seen.

I'll be interested to hear the outcome after this has been professionally evaluated.  In the meantime, none of this changes my opinion or advice about HIV.  That's not the problem here.
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Avatar universal
I did masturbate yesterday morning, can masturbation be the cause?
Sorry doctor for asking you a lot of questions. Sometimes I feel like talking to someone as I cant tell this to anyone. and it is so frustrating.
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Avatar universal
Well I don't think I am having any bowel movement But I did release a lot of gases this morning. It mostly happens when I go to urinate. I see a crust on the tip of penis or sometimes I squeeze it and see a white cloudy discharge and its in very small amount.

I think it started today as I have noticed it. I haven't seen a doctor yet but I will on Monday. I have been taking nytol tablets for over 2 weeks now for my chronic insomnia.

I have had 3 urine tests for chlamydiae and gonorrhea and the most recent one in February a month after sexual encounter and it all came back negative. Can it be any other type of STD such as Non-gonococcal urethritis or urinary track infection?
Helpful - 0
239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
HIV does not cause penile discharge.

Tell me more about the discharge.  How often have you noticed it? Does it stain your underwear?  Does anything seem to trigger it, such as having a bowel movement?  Has this been evaluated by your doctor?
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Avatar universal
thank you for your answer and sorry for the late reply.

I done my blood test 2 days ago and I am waiting for my result. I have been getting cloudy white discharge from penis since today and I hope its not HIV
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239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No STDs cause insomnia -- except that anxiety over STDs of course is always possible.

Don't request a blood test of any kind.  Just follow your GP's advice about how to evaluate your insomnia.
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Avatar universal
thank you so much for answering my question

i'm going to see my GP again after 2 days for blood test for other problems that is causing chronic insomnia. I didn't really tell him of my STD test as I done it in nhs clinic.

Condom never broke or split, and also I have no symptom of any STD. Its the chronic insomnia which is seriously making me suffer and I only find my sexual encounter to blame. I feel like my health is deteriorating because of this severe insomnia at such a young age.

I will get tested again in NHS clinic just for a peace of mind.

Is severe chronic insomnia related to any STD?

sorry for asking you this question, since you helped me a lot.
Helpful - 0
239123 tn?1267647614
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.  Thanks for your question.

Responding first to the question as you posed in the title:  No, insomnia is not known to be a symptom of HIV.

Congratulations for having the good sense of using a condom for this sexual exposure.  Given the relative infrequency of HIV on commercial sex workers in London, plus use of a condom that didn't break, this was a completely safe sexual exposure with no risk of HIV.  I agree exactly with your doctor about the probable cause of your insomnia.

That said, 2 weeks is too soon for valid testing.  No HIV testing was necessary based on either the risk or your symptoms -- but since you've already done one test, I suggest another so you have the additional reassurance of a definitive blood test.  Enough time has passed for valid testing.  You could either see your GP again, or visit your nearest NHS GUM clinic.  If you decide to re-test, you definitely can expect a negative result.

Best regards--  HHH, MD
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