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ARS SYMPTOMS

I know I have a lot of questions but 3 months is so long to wait and I have tested twice already and its only been a month :( can someone tell me DEFINATE symptoms of ARS? does it ALWAYS come with a high fever or rash? or will just some symptoms be present? (not all) sorry I just would like some more information on ARS and the symptoms and how long it last for and what are DEFINATE symptoms of it... thank you again.
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Avatar universal
Do not pull up old threads and post to them. This thread is over 3 years old.
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Avatar universal
Sam I Have had Chronic Lyme since the 90's and have been reinfected with Lyme twice since then. Lyme disease can have all of the above symptoms you mentioned. Lyme can make you feel like you are dying. And can also magnetize Anxiety disorder by 100%  And also can take a long time to feel better. Weeks Month or even years. I know I've been sick with it for 15 years. But went undiagnosis for Lyme for many years . So it went into the Chronic Stage.I have had every symptom you are mentioning and so much more. Now you tested Positive for Lyme so Odds are It Is Lyme that you have not HIV. You do need to calm down and just take the meds for Lyme that your Doctor prescribed for you and be patient and wait to feel better. Don't try and diagnose yourself. I hope this was helpful.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for all of your detailed responses and help with everything I have been going through...I really really really appreciate everything you have done. You three as well as others are so very helpful. You all have been so nice and patient eventhough I know it is hard with people like me who are going crazy over every single thing wrong with them... but I am obsessing and I know this. again thank you so much for all of your help, (I can't say this enough) I wish everyone on here truly the best!
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480448 tn?1426948538
Like lizzie said...you need to calm down.  This thread is 15+ posts long already...and all you're doing is repeating yourself in a rephrased sentence.  You've given us all the facts, and we've given you our risk assessment.  The odds are very much in your favor that you will be just fine...this is NOT something to lose sleep over while you are waiting to be tested.  If we were highly conncerned, you'd know it.

Test at 6 weeks......MOST newly infected people will test POS by that point.  That will give you a great amt of reassurance....then test again at 3 months.

Your symptoms mean absolutely nothing.  We've told you that repeatedly, yet you keep going right back to that.  The symptoms you describe aren't even CLOSE to true ARS symptoms.  Just because you may have one or two "common" ARS symptoms means nothing.  Most people that are newly infected never have a symptom...and the ones who do...who actually have TRUE ARS usually have a very specific GROUP of symptoms...and the most important thing is....they are very ill....down and out with the symptoms, not just a few aches and pains.  High fevers, bed soaking night sweats, and many more.  Your "symptoms" are not even close.  So, quit examining yourself (and I know you are...we've been down this road before with people), and get OFF the internet.  That is the BEST thing you can do for yourself.  Otherwise...you are literally torturing yourself for NO reason.

Testing is advised b/c of the unprotected sex...however, again.....DO NOT LOSE SLEEP OVER IT!

This forum has nothing more to offer you at this time.  Come back and post your results, but until then....our advice isn't going to change, and unfortunately...we do not offer a counseling service, like lizzie said.  This forum is crazy busy...and we simply CANNOT take all of our time with just one poster...it wouldn't be fair.  So.....come back when you've tested.  Good luck, and hang in there.
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Avatar universal
those 2 guys are the only partners that have been very recent...
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Avatar universal
Lizzie I want to thank you so much for helping me, you are so sweet and so patient to everyone that is on here and of course I wish the best for you always!

... its just my anxiety is so high in the roof right now...I do trust him because he is not the type to sleep around but on the other hand these "symptoms" will not put my mind at ease. I understand what you are saying it is just so hard to wait so long for this when this is all you can think about...I was also worried about other partners that I had had in the past... the last one being January and since I recently tested (June 11th) I am negative... The thing that is really throwing me off is this Lymes Disease test which I heard HIV can cause a false positive in... I have had no recollection of a tick bite or rash this is why I am thinking it might not be it (eventhough you don't have to have that to have Lymes, and this is random because I am not an out doors person. eventhough you can get it from just stepping outside anywhere I have heard.) and this has all "seemed" to come within those ARS symptoms timelines...this is why I am literally freaking out everyday thinking about this...I hope you understand where I am coming from...
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186166 tn?1385259382
you need to calm down...

i have been on this forum for over two years and if my memory serves me right...i have only seen two ppl who tested positive.

as i'm sure you know...ars symptoms can never be a good indicator of one's status, because those same symptoms can, #1...be associated with a multitude of other illnesses (common) and #2...anxiety can bring on physical symptoms or cause you to be in such a state that everyday things are now magnified.

ars comes at 2-4 weeks after infection and lasts for 1-2 weeks.  the symptoms come at once...and leave at once.  you dont get one symptom one week...another the next week.

now...

you are basing most of your fear on the "what ifs".  you had protected sex with one guy and he has told you that the condom did NOT fail.  the other guy had a negative test result and assured you that he had used protection with his last g/f.  you call this guy your b/f...but you dont trust him...hhhuuummmmmmm.  most ppl do NOT have hiv...it is HIGHLY UNLIKELY that your b/f does ! ! ! ! !

staying on the internet searching is doing nothing but adding fuel to the fire of your anxiety.  my advice to you is to get off hiv sites...including this forum.  if you are concerned about a recent infection...then test.  you have been given the facts regarding transmission and testing guidelines...there is nothing more that this forum can do for you.  we are not a psychological counseling service...so come back with your results.

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Avatar universal
This all started around May 19th, white tounge seemed to go away today. still a little there (not much) could this be from ARS? I don't think its from antibiotics (stopped augmentin 875 about the 31st of May then went on Doxycycline...I could have had this white tounge before and not noticed it but ended up checking online as one of the symptoms and mine looked gross...Ive have also been brushing it often... im sorry im paranoid. could you tell me what you know about ARS symptoms please? and what are the most common ones? and exactly how ARS symptoms come and go? thank you sooo much for being so nice and so patient.
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Avatar universal
thank you again...yes it was diagnosed by a doctor and I took antibiotics...what about all of the other symptoms? stiffness,jaw,achyness,headaches? could this be Lyme or could HIV be giving me a false positive for the Lyme? the thing thats scaring me most is the Lyme test related to me really thinking its HIV...
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186166 tn?1385259382
swollen lymph nodes can only be diagnosed by your doctor.  most ppl who "think" their's are swollen...find that they werent...once they see their doc.

coating on the tongue?  we all have YUCKY tongues...it's just that we dont go around "inspecting" it.

everything else can be caused by anxiety.

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Avatar universal
can I please have some more advice? answers? opinions? :( thank you
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Avatar universal
Thank you Lizzie for responding...I don't mean to question you but what about the swollen glands in neck(pn both sides under the jaw)? stiffness in neck? achyness? white tounge? jaw pains? headaches? these are a lot of symptoms and are just honestly freaking me out so much it consumes my mind that it might really be HIV. and like I said I read that it can make a false positive in Lymes Disease tests which is scaring me even more :-/
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186166 tn?1385259382
your "symptoms" are NOT indicative of hiv.
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Avatar universal
I have also had very dry skin...(lips and hands) what do you think about all of these things? im totally going crazy out of my mind...
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Avatar universal
this all started around May 19th and I have also had on and off jaw pains and pains on both sides of my temple it hurt when I was touching it and when I wasn't touching it. (those pains started on Thursday the 11th) and I have had 1 or 2 headaches within that time. I am still very achy basically from knee down and my stiff neck is still here and white tounge is still here too...I was on Augmentin 875 atarting Thursday May 21st and finished that in 10 days and after started Dixycyline for the Lyme and I am still on the Doxycyline. (I also have diareeah but I believe its from the medicine because it started right after the Augmentin and is still here sometimes with the Doxycycline too.) thank you again for your help...hopefully this can give you a little more insight on my specific case...
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your quick response...a lot has really been going on and I have posted a lot on here because my mind is seriously going crazy and I haven't been myself....I have had a lot of "symptoms" swollen glands in neck only, white tounge, achyness swollen tonsils (very red) and cough, stiff neck and back hurting too...no rash no fever. The swollen glands and tolsils went away with antibiotics but the rest are still here...Ive been tested for Lymes Disease and it came up positive on a Western Blot (2bands) but I have also heard HIV can affect these test results so I am evern going crazier because of that... thinking I have HIV now instead... I tested at 2 weeks for HIV and at about 1 month for HIV I know that this is too soon but yea I did this anyway. I have had 2 recent partners, on pretected and one unprotected the unprotected one was about 3 or 4 times. And now he is my boyfriend. He had gotten tested on June 4th and tested negative. I am just really really really going crazy, and honestly can't stop thinking about it. What if his isnt conclusive? eventhough hes had one girlfriend since before we broke up the first time and said he had always used condoms with her. and the other guy (protected) which I know is no risk I keep thinking what if it broke? which he is positively sure it didn't...sorry I am just going crazy but I thought if I typed it all out you could help me more and I don't mean to repeat myself on here... (the type of sex was vaginal sex, I am female.)
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480448 tn?1426948538
Teak already answered your question.  ARS has NO specific consistent symptoms, and in the majority of new HIV infections.....there are NO symptoms.  It varies so much, it is almost impossible to classify "ARS symptoms".

When a person has TRUE ARS...the symptoms are usually very obvious....with a high fever (over 101) in most cases, and lymph node swelling that is very significant in many many locations (not just ONE node).

I must have missed your "exposure"..but the vast majority of people who "think" they had a risk didn't...and the people who really DID have a risk don't end up infected.  HIV is NOT an easy virus to transmit.  That is a fact.

I suggest if you had a true risk (UNPROTECTED VAGINAL OR ANAL SEX...OR SHARING A NEEDLE WITH SOMEONE)....that you just keep yourself busy until you test.  If you didn't have a risk...then you don't require testing at all.
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Avatar universal
Most websites have a lot of symptoms listed and most say rash, fever, swollen lymph nodes, cough/sore throat, white coding on tongue, achyness, diareah? is this true? what do people usually have (symptom wise) if one does have ARS? what are most apparent? thank you again for youe help... and again sorry for all of the questions I am just freaking out...
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Avatar universal
ARS has NO specific symptoms. ARS if one has it comes 2-4 weeks post exposure and lasts 1-2 weeks.
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