Aa
Anxiety/ED vs. ARS
hello doctor,
(apologies in advance for the long question but i wanted to be precise)
my high risk exposure was in MID AUGUST (17th?). a combination of unprotected/protected sex 3-4xs with male of unknown status (a few minutes of mild penetration then a condom for the finish...no ejaculation inside)
but i'm not sure if i am experiencing symptoms of ARS or the HIV virus.
and around late (NOVEMBER 24th (3 months/14 weeks after) i began to undergo extreme stress as my father was hospitalized and I believed he was dying. thereafter i began experiencing generalized fluctuating body temperatures(early morning ~98deg to late evening ~99.4def), depression, headaches, spontaneous crying spells, loss of appetite, breakouts, chest pains, a forceful hear beat, pallor,fatigue. I self medicated myself with alcohol.
after my father was released he was hospitalized again on 2days later on Dec 1st
.
while i was in the ER room with him i began experiencing peripheral neuropathy (?) which lingered for about 3-4weeks. i had also taken pseudoephedrine/ been taking high dosage birth control pill which was congruent to the onset of the weird sensations in my feet, legs, arms. afterwards i started googling symptoms and HIV came up which added to my anxiety 10 fold. I read about lymph nodes and began feeling for them. I can feel four small movable non tender nodes in my neck and i started freaking out! around december 18th i think i had a night sweats along with some nightmares but i woke up a couple of times with a wet neck and that's about it...i noticed it only occured when i was really stressed and/or took a pain reliever before bed. ive experienced this before years ago when i was undergoing major depression where i basically didn't leave the house for 6months and gained 30lbs.
and just last week my neck and armpits feel tight and tense...like i think it's because i've been extremely stressed /depressed for two months now. my thoughts of suicide are recurrent. ive had them years ago but now i've begun thinking of scenarios to end my life. i know i need to seek professional help in area and i will.
>>>my history includes a 4yr ongoing battle with chronic bulimia/ednos/laxative/diuretic abuse which is related to my gum disease (periodontal: receding gums, change in bite, loosened tooth) which has been ongoing...way before i ever had sex. i lost my virginity in august with the high risk encounter.
>>>i also have a history of migraines that began when i was about 17..(im 22 now)
>>>prior to that i have had several cavities and and a root canal and a wisdom tooth extraction. I also have TMJ.
>>>my dermatologist examined me last year and predicted that i have a hormonal imbalance (i produce too much testosterone) and referred me to an endocrinologist. I've always suspected this.
>>>joint problems that have been ongoing for years since my eating disorder began.
my questions vary:
1) is that i read that cervical lymph node enlargement (the lowest one is the Jugulo-omohyoid) can be due to severe dental problems like mine as bacteria drains into various cervical sites. is that true?
i don't really know if they are swollen, i have to dig around to find them and i keep poking them everyday. i don't have any idea how long they've been there. when i dont touch they shrink. i dont have enlarged nodes anywhere else.
2) are my symptoms most likely related to extreme anxiety...i'm already a chronic worrier and insomniac which is probably why i am bulimic...when i get stressed i have episodes...stemming from being a part of a longterm childhood abuse scenario.
3) is it feasible to develop ongoing ARS symptoms 14-15 weeks after exposure? would they last for 5+ weeks?
4) am i experiencing peripheral neuropathy or is it nerve damage?...i heard pseudoephedrine/naproxen can cause tingling burning sensations etc...and thats what i took the day it started bc i had a headache and couldn't find advil (150-mg in 48hrs). it also started directly after wearing 4 1/2 inch heels nonstop that weekend to the mall/out dancing and i'm flat footed. it felt like the balls of my feet were strained and burning. but it has disappeared after almost a month
5) is it possible the tingling, fatigue and other symptoms are related to anemia or a vitamin/mineral deficiency...like B12? ive had tingling before 1yr and a half ago and i was still a virgin with NO sexual encounters. i attributed it to severe laxative abuse and vomiting ...which is still ongoing. I don't eat much meat besides tuna and chicken and i used to be a strict vegetarian.
i keep looking for symptoms but all i have are enlarged(?) cervical lymphnodes and formerly what i think was PN and recent fatigue. i think it's due to my major depression tho...
please help me. any opinions are greatly appreciated.
(apologies in advance for the long question but i wanted to be precise)
my high risk exposure was in MID AUGUST (17th?). a combination of unprotected/protected sex 3-4xs with male of unknown status (a few minutes of mild penetration then a condom for the finish...no ejaculation inside)
but i'm not sure if i am experiencing symptoms of ARS or the HIV virus.
and around late (NOVEMBER 24th (3 months/14 weeks after) i began to undergo extreme stress as my father was hospitalized and I believed he was dying. thereafter i began experiencing generalized fluctuating body temperatures(early morning ~98deg to late evening ~99.4def), depression, headaches, spontaneous crying spells, loss of appetite, breakouts, chest pains, a forceful hear beat, pallor,fatigue. I self medicated myself with alcohol.
after my father was released he was hospitalized again on 2days later on Dec 1st
.
while i was in the ER room with him i began experiencing peripheral neuropathy (?) which lingered for about 3-4weeks. i had also taken pseudoephedrine/ been taking high dosage birth control pill which was congruent to the onset of the weird sensations in my feet, legs, arms. afterwards i started googling symptoms and HIV came up which added to my anxiety 10 fold. I read about lymph nodes and began feeling for them. I can feel four small movable non tender nodes in my neck and i started freaking out! around december 18th i think i had a night sweats along with some nightmares but i woke up a couple of times with a wet neck and that's about it...i noticed it only occured when i was really stressed and/or took a pain reliever before bed. ive experienced this before years ago when i was undergoing major depression where i basically didn't leave the house for 6months and gained 30lbs.
and just last week my neck and armpits feel tight and tense...like i think it's because i've been extremely stressed /depressed for two months now. my thoughts of suicide are recurrent. ive had them years ago but now i've begun thinking of scenarios to end my life. i know i need to seek professional help in area and i will.
>>>my history includes a 4yr ongoing battle with chronic bulimia/ednos/laxative/diuretic abuse which is related to my gum disease (periodontal: receding gums, change in bite, loosened tooth) which has been ongoing...way before i ever had sex. i lost my virginity in august with the high risk encounter.
>>>i also have a history of migraines that began when i was about 17..(im 22 now)
>>>prior to that i have had several cavities and and a root canal and a wisdom tooth extraction. I also have TMJ.
>>>my dermatologist examined me last year and predicted that i have a hormonal imbalance (i produce too much testosterone) and referred me to an endocrinologist. I've always suspected this.
>>>joint problems that have been ongoing for years since my eating disorder began.
my questions vary:
1) is that i read that cervical lymph node enlargement (the lowest one is the Jugulo-omohyoid) can be due to severe dental problems like mine as bacteria drains into various cervical sites. is that true?
i don't really know if they are swollen, i have to dig around to find them and i keep poking them everyday. i don't have any idea how long they've been there. when i dont touch they shrink. i dont have enlarged nodes anywhere else.
2) are my symptoms most likely related to extreme anxiety...i'm already a chronic worrier and insomniac which is probably why i am bulimic...when i get stressed i have episodes...stemming from being a part of a longterm childhood abuse scenario.
3) is it feasible to develop ongoing ARS symptoms 14-15 weeks after exposure? would they last for 5+ weeks?
4) am i experiencing peripheral neuropathy or is it nerve damage?...i heard pseudoephedrine/naproxen can cause tingling burning sensations etc...and thats what i took the day it started bc i had a headache and couldn't find advil (150-mg in 48hrs). it also started directly after wearing 4 1/2 inch heels nonstop that weekend to the mall/out dancing and i'm flat footed. it felt like the balls of my feet were strained and burning. but it has disappeared after almost a month
5) is it possible the tingling, fatigue and other symptoms are related to anemia or a vitamin/mineral deficiency...like B12? ive had tingling before 1yr and a half ago and i was still a virgin with NO sexual encounters. i attributed it to severe laxative abuse and vomiting ...which is still ongoing. I don't eat much meat besides tuna and chicken and i used to be a strict vegetarian.
i keep looking for symptoms but all i have are enlarged(?) cervical lymphnodes and formerly what i think was PN and recent fatigue. i think it's due to my major depression tho...
please help me. any opinions are greatly appreciated.
hello, my story is like this: i'm 18 years old and had intercourse with a girl who works at erotic massage(though i wore a condom). my condom slipped twice and every time i put it back on though it didn't present any holes or ruptures. after a week, i developed flu-like symptoms, including: dry cough, fever, sore throat and general fatigue. i took antibiotics which caused me yeast infection though my health recovered in the following weeks, except the anxiety, fatigue and muscle aches. i also have diarrhea though this is the 7th week after possible exposure. my friends who made me meet this girl said that the girls working there take medical tests often so there shouldn't be any risk. the intercourse was vaginal and she also gave me a handjob at the end. i have no lymph nodes or rash, night sweats and so on. i'm currently waiting for my test results though i just want to know: should i worry much about it or it might be just anxiety and obsession? i admit that i'm scared about the whole situation and all... Thanks for listening.
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