Aa
worried and not feeling well
Hi Dr.
About two weeks back, I had an encounter with a TV escort. I'm straight and on occasion do this. Have never had anal sex either way. This time, we kissed deeply for a while...additionally, she stuck her penis in my mouth for a minute, no ejaculation, but unsure if there was pre-cum. He penis was in my throat. This week, I've encountered a severe sore throat, muscle aches, exhaustion, etc. I went to the Dr. and she put me on a Z-Pack as she saw bacteria in my throat. I've been on a 5 day pack for 4 days now. I still have a sore throat and am tired, and feel this is tied to the Z Pack. I'm also feeling dizzy.
I'm also thinking that the sore throat may be gonorrhea from what I've read as her penis was in my mouth? Again, no ejaculation. If so, with throat gonorrhea do u take meds?
I've been pretty stressed about this and the anxiety is killing me. I've read time and time again that there is no risk with oral sex (receiving) and kissing, but I find it ironic to have all of these f'n symptoms 2 weeks after this encounter with a sex worker who's status is unknown to me.
I would appreciate your thoughts and thank you.
About two weeks back, I had an encounter with a TV escort. I'm straight and on occasion do this. Have never had anal sex either way. This time, we kissed deeply for a while...additionally, she stuck her penis in my mouth for a minute, no ejaculation, but unsure if there was pre-cum. He penis was in my throat. This week, I've encountered a severe sore throat, muscle aches, exhaustion, etc. I went to the Dr. and she put me on a Z-Pack as she saw bacteria in my throat. I've been on a 5 day pack for 4 days now. I still have a sore throat and am tired, and feel this is tied to the Z Pack. I'm also feeling dizzy.
I'm also thinking that the sore throat may be gonorrhea from what I've read as her penis was in my mouth? Again, no ejaculation. If so, with throat gonorrhea do u take meds?
I've been pretty stressed about this and the anxiety is killing me. I've read time and time again that there is no risk with oral sex (receiving) and kissing, but I find it ironic to have all of these f'n symptoms 2 weeks after this encounter with a sex worker who's status is unknown to me.
I would appreciate your thoughts and thank you.
Thanks Dr...i'm an educated man and i appreciate your time. I really do. I just can't believe this sore throat doesn't go away, i'm dizzy and have a headache that won't subside with tylenol which used to be guaranteed for me. I'm thinking that stress is leading to this....or possibly another std. However, Im 40 and have never had these feelings for such a prolonged time. Thanks
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Transmission of HIV by oral sex is very rare. This has been discussed intensively on this forum; use the search function to find literally hundreds if not thousands of discussions. Or just scan the threads.
just to confirm, you're certain that oral sex doesn't lead to HIV right?
very helpful thank you
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the HIV forum. I'll try to help. The bottom line is that there is no significant risk here and certainly no suggestion that you caught HIV.
You were given accurate responses on the HIV community forum, both about the virtually zero risk of catching HIV from the sort of exposure you describe and that symptoms of HIV cannot start a couple days after exposure; the minimum is 7-10 days and usually it's 10-14 days.
Almost certainly your sore throat was a garden variety respiratory virus -- or maybe a strep throat. The azithromycin Z-pack would not help a virus, so your doctor must have thought a bacterial infection like strep was possible. However, with the symptoms continuing, a virus is much more likely.
As for the "ironic" timing with your sexual exposure, maybe the two events in fact were related; i.e.you might have caught that from your escort partner, since sex is obviously close enough contact to transmit garden variety cold viruses, strep, etc. Or it's truly a coincidence. Just think it through logically: millions of people in the US (or any other large country) catch colds each week, and millions of people have new sexual exposures each week. It stands to reason that both things happen to many, many people. Most likely you're just one of those people. Such a "coincidence" is hundreds of times more likely than the possibility that a rare event like HIV explains your symptoms. In addition to the sexual event, in the 1-2 weeks before your symptoms started you also shook hands with people, met with co-workers, exchanged money with clerks, etc etc. The occurrence of those events before onset of your symptoms was no more "ironic" than the sexual exposure.
As for gonorrhea, over 95% of cases of gonorrhea of the throat are completely asymptomatic. Anyway, if you had gonorrhea the azithromycin would have cured it.
Bottom line: You had a case of viral pharyngitis; if it's anything more than that, maybe a strep throat. Return to your doctor if you remain concerned. And of course if the combination of his or her reassurance and my own don't completely settle your fears, go ahead and have an HIV test. If this is your only potential exposure, you can be sure of a negative result.
Regards-- HHH, MD
You were given accurate responses on the HIV community forum, both about the virtually zero risk of catching HIV from the sort of exposure you describe and that symptoms of HIV cannot start a couple days after exposure; the minimum is 7-10 days and usually it's 10-14 days.
Almost certainly your sore throat was a garden variety respiratory virus -- or maybe a strep throat. The azithromycin Z-pack would not help a virus, so your doctor must have thought a bacterial infection like strep was possible. However, with the symptoms continuing, a virus is much more likely.
As for the "ironic" timing with your sexual exposure, maybe the two events in fact were related; i.e.you might have caught that from your escort partner, since sex is obviously close enough contact to transmit garden variety cold viruses, strep, etc. Or it's truly a coincidence. Just think it through logically: millions of people in the US (or any other large country) catch colds each week, and millions of people have new sexual exposures each week. It stands to reason that both things happen to many, many people. Most likely you're just one of those people. Such a "coincidence" is hundreds of times more likely than the possibility that a rare event like HIV explains your symptoms. In addition to the sexual event, in the 1-2 weeks before your symptoms started you also shook hands with people, met with co-workers, exchanged money with clerks, etc etc. The occurrence of those events before onset of your symptoms was no more "ironic" than the sexual exposure.
As for gonorrhea, over 95% of cases of gonorrhea of the throat are completely asymptomatic. Anyway, if you had gonorrhea the azithromycin would have cured it.
Bottom line: You had a case of viral pharyngitis; if it's anything more than that, maybe a strep throat. Return to your doctor if you remain concerned. And of course if the combination of his or her reassurance and my own don't completely settle your fears, go ahead and have an HIV test. If this is your only potential exposure, you can be sure of a negative result.
Regards-- HHH, MD
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