Anyone had ARS symptoms and been diagnosed positive??

Hi All,

Really just wanted to share my anxiety with someone who's been through or had a a similar experience. I'm fairIy certain i contracted hiv during a very high risk sexual exposure three weeks ago, condom broke with a thai sex worker. I'm fairly certain she was HIV+ due to the way she acted afterwards.

However my main anxiety and acceptance i caught HIV is from the symptoms i'm experiencing (I know we're told symptoms aren't a good indicator but mine seem to reflect exactly what all the websites tell us). Two weeks post exposure developed a sore thorat which is still sore today and have swollen lymph nodes in my neck and groin. I never had a fever and have also generally not been feeling great since the exposure, although admittadly this could be due to anxiety and generally worrying sick.

I'm booked in for a HIV test at 9 weeks and just really wanted to hear from others experience of ARS symptoms and how they dealt with it. I've not really got anyone i can share my concerns with at the moment.

[vrider]

You are pretty much in the clear. No fever is a really strong indictor against ARS. Fever occurs in over 90%. Also there is a rash which is also very common.

Actually, sore throat is one of the less common symptoms. This is after the fever, rash and fatique. You have a cold from anxiety. You are a lucky *******.

[billy13]

Thanks for the reassurance vrider but i'm reluctant to believe it.

Definitely didn't have a cold as was experiencing a very dry sore throat (i.e. no phlem) with no other common symptoms such as runny nose, congestion, sneezing and cough. Went to the doc and got some antibiotics but this didn't clear the probelm up. Also a cold does not explain the swollen lymp nodes!!

[vrider]

no rash, no fatique, no malaise. no diarrhea. Lymphnode and a sore throught are a cold. Believe me. You really must have a fever, and you can't create one from anxiety. I would stop worrying at this point. Did you look at my symptoms. Just be thankful you're not me right now.

[vrider]

I know this is true, but what other ailments are there that would present these. There's really nothing I could find.

When you have so many symptoms, it seems to be conclusive. If there's only 1 or 2, or a true flu, like a 3 day stomache flu or something. I would be much less worried. Anyway, thanks, but now you can see what I should be more concerned than you. I hope this has put you at ease a bit.

[vrider]

Did you have symptoms 2-4 weeks after an exposure. This is my concern. The timing, as well as the fever, papular rash, fatique, diarrhea, and myalgia. All in the same 10 days,

[billy13]

Yeah the onset of symptoms came exactly 15 days after exposure, prior to that i'd been feeling pretty **** anyway, but that could be due to generally crapping myself!! The reason i pretty much am expecting a positive test is two of the most common symptoms exactly on the typical post exposure time of 2-4 weeks. Ohh ****.....

[Teak]

Billy, you can't diagnose HIV by symptoms. I had no symptoms.