Condom mishap

Hi there
Im a 28 year old australian travelling round south america and made a stupid mistake 10 days ago...got drunk and was on viagra and  went to a brothel in argentina...and well having sex im pretty sure the condom slipped off into her vagina and when i pulled my penis out to my great shock the condom was off....I don´t have too much idea how long the exposure could have been but is likely to have been less than 15 minutes...have been reading about the possible risks on the internet which has helped with my fears, but have had a mild headache for the last two  days and have felt a wee  bit lethargic...could these symptoms signify that there´s a significant risk that I could have HIV....I also have a girl that I have been seeing here which makes me feel terrible...is it safe to have sex with her?
Thank you so much for your help!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum. Before I do, let me plea with you to stay off the internet. The internet has great power not only to inform but also to mislead.  While there is much useful information available on the internet, much of it is also taken out of context or a bit unbalanced and some of it is just plain wrong.  Typically all searching the internet does is needlessly raise anxiety.

Your risk for HIV from a single exposure is low. Most commercial sex workers do not have HIV and even if your partner did, the risk of getting HIV form a single exposure is less than 1 infection in 1000 exposures.  Your symptoms are likewise unlikely to be due to early HIV, the began sooner than early HIV symptoms typically occur (between 2 an 4 weeks) and mild lethargy an headache are not particularly suggestive of HIV is more like a flu-like illness.  

I would suggest however that you get checked for other, far more common STDs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia and NGU, all of which can be asymptomatic.  

While your overall risk of any ST is low, you will have to decide if you feel confident enough to have unprotected sex with your regular partner.  Personally, I would suggest you get checked for the common STDs before you have unprotected sex.  

Hope these comments are useful. EWH

[weeman26]

Hi there
Thanks so much for your advice! I´m going to go and get a test for everything tomorrow, this is 22 days after the exposure, can I rely on the STD tests at that point. Also I was  wondering...I´ve developed a very sore throat over the last 2 days...is this a bad sign, and my mild headache has stayed with me off and on for the last 3 weeks.
Thanks again for your help

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, at this time your STD tests wil be reliable.  

Your sore throat in not a bad sign.  Get checked as you plan to do but don't worry.  EWH

[weeman26]

Sorry to bother you again, this will be the last time!
My sore throat has been diagnosed as tonsilitis, is this a possible HIV symptom on it´s own without a fever? And a negative test at 23 days will give me a good sign I´m not infeted with HIV?
Thanks again

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No, tonsilitis is not suggestive of HIV.  Your negative test is a goo sign. EWH

[weeman26]

Hi there
Just got tested for everything at 8 weeks and 1 day in new zealand...regarding HIV...i take it that it does not matter what generation of test it was...my test at 8 weeks is completely conclusive at this time? From reading your information I gather that these days all tests are conclusive for hiv after this time?
Thanks once again!

[weeman26]

and just to let you know my test was negative for everything as well so just want to move on...

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your results can be relied upon.  No need for further testing.  You did not get HIV from the encounter you describe.

This will conclude this thread