A Chance Its HIV?

[UnitedKingdom]

Hi all.

I cannot believe my stupidity.

On a night out with 'the lads' I met a girl (I don't know who she is, I don't have her number and she is from a City, over 100 miles away from mine). We had unprotected vaginal sex... Afterwards, I jokingly asked whether she had HIV, and she said 'No - I had a test 2 weeks ago'

...I left her hotel thinking...'why would she need to test for that...2 weeks ago???'

So 12 days after exposure I went for tests (swab, urine, blood).

The clinician said that she didn't think I had gonorrhoea, but due to the amount of 'pus cells' they discovered, they gave me a dose of to combat NSU/NGU/Chlamydia.

I'm a married man with children, and I did something similarly ridiculous like this less than 12 months ago (albeit protected sex) - fortunately it seems like I 'dodged a bullet' on that occasion... There is nothing wrong with my marriage and I had never done anything like that and as I type this email, I am shaking my head - asking myself WHY WHY WHY would I do something like that again?...

My current symptoms are as follows:

- Sore throat & swollen-ish glands
- Neck ache
- Lower back & leg & buttock pain
- Left side of my groin feels swollen (clinician said I shouldn't worry, but I'm not convinced)
- Spot/lump in my groin - no ooze, no blister (same side as swollen groin)
- Spot in my pubic region, above my penis (clinician said this was an ingrown hair)
- Strange tingling in knee joints and feet
- Slight headache (I appreciate this could be due to the stress of the situation)

No - individually, I'd look at these things and say; tiredness, stress from work, pain from the gym...but they are all happening at the same time.

I am planning on taking an HIV and Herpes test in 3 months time - but in the mean time it is going to be virtually impossible not to sleep with my wife without raising alarm bells.

Do my symptoms sound like Herpes, Syphilis or HIV?

What can I do in this predicament?

Please help!!

[RubyWitch]

Once again, I must reiterate that symptoms are NEVER used to diagnose HIV.

That you probably got an insect bite while working in the yard and your kids did not means exactly NOTHING. Symptoms mean NOTHING.

It's good that you'll be having a 4th generation DUO test soon, but you can be tested for other sexually transmitted diseases NOW. Have a full STD panel done, which will detect herpes. Having this test done now will relieve at least some of your anxiety and if you do have an STI, the sooner you begin treatment, the better.

I understand your fear and I wish I could tell you that you have nothing to worry about, but lying is not what we do here. I believe the odds are in your favor, but that does not negate the fact you engaged in risky behavior.

Please stay off the symptom sites. The ONLY thing that will come of that is exacerbating your already inflamed anxiety, which, BTW, can actually cause symptoms to appear. The mind is frighteningly powerful.

Please stay in touch. Get the STD panel done now and hopefully in 2 weeks you can put all of this behind you. Continue to think positive.
Warmly
RubyWitch

[RubyWitch]

First of all, symptoms are NEVER used to diagnose HIV. ONLY a blood drawn test can detect the virus.

Because you had a definite risk for HIV, have a 4th generation DUO test 28 days post this exposure and adhere to any and all follow up testing recommended by your doctor or HIV clinic.

Have a full STD panel run now for other sexually transmitted diseases. If you have further questions about STI's, post your questions on our STD Forum.

You also wrote......."I am planning on taking an HIV and Herpes test in 3 months time - but in the mean time it is going to be virtually impossible not to sleep with my wife without raising alarm bells.
What can I do in this predicament?"

I'm afraid, lad, on this forum we only assess your risk for HIV. We do not do marriage counseling.

I wish you the very best of luck
RubyWitch  

[UnitedKingdom]

Hi RubyWitch.

I appreciate from this 'forum' I can only expect 'sound and solid advice/opinion' and not a 'scientific/medical conclusion' on my symptoms, but I hope you can help further.

Since we last spoke, I have developed a small, raised rash on my left forearm. I applied some cream and it seems to have gone down a bit but still tingles. (I was in the garden cutting the grass yesterday, so it could be an insect bite - but so was my son and daughter - and they don't have a bite) The back of my throat is still a bit red. I have a 'dry' cough' and the insides of my thighs and my neck have a 'dull' ache to them.
I am desperately trying to stay positive - but this does sound a bit like either HIV or the making of a Herpes outbreak.

I'm planning a 4th generation blood test on 1st July (27 days after exposure) for HIV and Herpes - but in the mean time I am absolutely losing my mind.

Please advise.