Confused eith symptoms

Hi doc, I posted a question a little more than 3 months ago.

My story was met up with a woman I didn't know well and had protected vaginal sex & unprotected oral. She told me her status was HIV negative but she had been seperated from her husband for half a year or so... he slept around a lot from what I get.

I had a 7 week negative HIV test. Slightly before or after than I think I might have had ars symptoms (doc confirmed swollen lymph node below my ear, still swollen). Put everything behind me a week or two later because it didn't seem likely since my risk was extremely low.

But at 12 weeks, I started having pain throughout my neck/head again. It started in the middle back of my head, intense pain then a bump forming a day or two later (almond llike but slightly longer). After I would feel pain and then bumps in those areas, except for my underarms/groin (I felt only pain but no swelling I can say for sure).

Here are my questions.
1. Would my lymph nodes have flared all at once, say in one day, during ARS and not again afterwards?
2. When Lymph nodes flare due to HIV, are they easily seen? All mine I can find because of the pain in the area, not really by looking unless I look hard. (no one can see unless I point them out specifically).
3. If I had ars at 7 weeks, would I experiance node flaring again a few months later?
(started again at 12 weeks still pain/bumps forming in other areas at slightly more than 14 weeks).
4. I still have swollen lymph nodes starting from two weeks ago (back of head), should it be gone by now if now due to HIV?

The way it goes I feel the pain then feel in the area and find the bumps. I felt pain earlier this morning in front of my ear slightly up a little, now I feel a bump forming there.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Your test result show that your symptoms are not due to HIV. It is theoretically possible you had a false negative test at 7 weeks, but that is very rare with currently used HIV tests.  It is a waste of time and energy to answer your specific questions:  if they cannot be due to HIV, the questions are irrelevant.  The answer is in testing, not online searching about symptoms.  I'm not even convinced you have enlarged lymph nodes at all; that requires professional assessment--self assessment of enlarged nodes often is wrong.  (Any healthy person can find a lump here and there if they try.)

Bottom line:  Have another HIV test (the result will be negative) and ask the provider who tests you to evaluate your symptoms.

HHH, MD

[WorriedG]

What I really mean is , when lymph nodes flare, will they flare all in one day or continue flaring for weeks before they stop?

[WorriedG]

I'm probably going to have to take another test for piece of mind or put this behind me.

I'd apperciate it if you left the thread open for me to post my results after you comment on my questions.
I will not post again until I get my results.

Thank you.

[ExtremeStress]

Protected sex is protected sex and unprotected oral isn't really a risk. Add on top of that that you had a 7 week negative. You seem to be in the clear test wise, but not mentally. If you want you can test again, but you are only wasting money! You will get the same result, Negative!

[woodstock83]

I also want to know about lymph nodes! I have swollen lymph nodes under my arm that lasted two days then went away. I am a bit painful behind the knees but not sure if its swollen lymph nodes or just my imagine from my constant worrying!!! Doc help!

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I don't speculate about non-HIV causes.  There are too many possibilities, and as I said above, many (most?) people who think their nodes are enlarged are wrong.  Since you're not even sure, almost certainly you are correct:  just your imagination due to anxiety.

No online advice from me or anyone else is going to help you through this, and this forum is not intended for ongoing emotional support.  If you need that, which seems likely, seek professional counseling.  Or take it to the HIV support forum.  Therefore, despite your request, this thread is closed, unless you want to come back to report your negative test result. I will delete any other follow-up comments by you or anyone else.