Exposure and Testing worry

Hi Guys,
I have been a constant reader on this forum for the last month or so due to a high risk encounter I had in April of last year in a brothel in Liverpool United Kingdom with a Filipino CSW after my girlfriend of 6 years ended up going with my best friend (excuse i know).  I will explain the situation and when I was tested etc:

Went to the brothel totally drunk, not much memory.  What I do remember is that a condom was initially put on my by the sex worker with gloves on and lube and alot of the time we weren't having intercourse but we did on at least two seperate occasions during my session. She had cocaine on her in her bag so I can assume she was an IV drug user also.  I was not erect alot of this time so I am of the belief there is no hope the condom stayed on the entire time.  I did not climax and im unsure if she did or not but she probably did.

Since then I have had every symptom in the book, from the night sweats, diahrrea, rash on my feet and under arms, coldsores and mouth ulcers, sore throat, sinus infection etc. Also I have longstanding (over 2years constant) jock itch in the inner groin flaps and on my buttocks - I believe it to be jock itch or some sort of fungal infection but it has not responded to any treatment since my exosure. (Terbinafine, clotrimazole etc).  It however seemed to respond to fungal creams before this incident.

Everytime I went to the gum clinic they said they were full for the day, so anyway I decided to go to a private clinic, supposedly my countrys number one sexual health specialist. I had a full std check hiv, chly, herpes, hep b/c, syph etc and I checked out negative for everything except a small amount of chylmidia apparently..which cleared up after 4 tablets of azrith..? The hiv test I had was a rapid finger prick one and im unsure of what type but the Dr stated there was two hiv tests (I did notice somethin that looked like a western blot strip and a device with a digital screen on it).

I still have a fear that I have hiv, and if it hasnt shown up with this test (or 2 tests) after a year that it will in a year or so down the line, im now scared to have sex in the fear of passing it on even though my tests said i was negative.  I questioned my doctor about it as he gave me his mobile number and he categorically said that the test is totally reliable, to forget about rare strains,and that there is no way he can see that this could be a false result that my tests are definitely negative.

I also have muscular dystrophy and was wondering if this could upset the test result but he said that it definitely wouldnt.

Should I be worried about testing positive down the line due to this one mistake?  Do I need further testing?

[convincedni]

think my post is too long to get any feedback here lol

[saradeen]

Maybe you have to Test for it and see.

[convincedni]

11 months after I had the test.

[convincedni]

thanks i appreciate the support.  Still I bit nervous because of the symptoms.

I hope like me people who make one mistake, learn from it and never put them selves at risk again, i know i never will.  Simply not worth it.

Hope you are negative loverboy9995

[convincedni]

Any of the experts on here got an opinion on my post?

Thanks

[convincedni]

as long as you had vaginal sex with a condom that stayed in tact, you will not get hiv is pretty much the opinion.  The odds are like 1 in 10:000 episodes without a condom for that risk.  Your grand man..don't worry about it.  move on

[nursegirl6572]

OP, your test was conclusive and proves you did not get HIV from your encounter.  I strongly suggest profesional help if you can't move on and put this behind you.

[nursegirl6572]

OP means "original poster".

YOu never had a risk and never needed testing.  Only unprotected anal or vaginal sex is a risk, sexually speaking.

[convincedni]

Is there a chance the physician misread the results, (Read them too early or something)? it was a finger prick rapid test in a private clinic ran by a top nhs physician in this country..my tests cost £410
Would a muscular dystrophy condition affect results?
my main worry is the jock itch not responding to treatment whether it was orally or creams.

should i get anymore tests?

sorry to be a pain just worried.

[ashler1977]

To start, you had protected sex which IS NO RISK.

Then you have an HIV test long after the window period (which is 3 months after a KNOWN exposure) which is Negative.

And you are asking here if you can trust your results?

No risk situation + Negative test = You can't get more Negative than that.

Enjoy your Sunday and move on.

[convincedni]

I got chlymidia from her though I believe so condom must have slipped or broke...

I believe this to be risk of exposure.  Thanks for the support though I appreciate the work the frequent posters and the Doctors do on these HIV forums.

Just worried I am positive and pass this on to someone innocent :-(

[ashler1977]

You can get chlamydia from oral sex. Did she performed a fellatio?

Anyway this does not affect your HIV status: You're HIV negative.

[convincedni]

no fellatio, I did have unprotected sex with a one or two other girls before this incident..but none of which where CSW's so I have no worry about them as HIV prevelance in the straight population in my country is almost zero.  Just this discretion has left my worried and guilt ridden.

[Teak]

You had a test 11 months post exposure you don't have HIV.

[ashler1977]

"I did have unprotected sex with a one or two other girls before this incident..but none of which where CSW's so I have no worry about them"

If you continue thinking this way you may get HIV. There are no risk groups but rather risk behaviors (as having unprotected sex). You had protected sex with the sex worker and you're worried, yet you have UNPROTECTED sex with "other girls" and you're not worried. It's about the latter that you should be concerned.

Anyway, as you had your risk (I am talking about the unprotected sex with the two girls) long before your test, you're HIV negative. Keep this status by protecting yourself in the future: wear a condom ALWAYS, no matter who the person you're having sex is. If you don't want to use condoms, both you and the girl must be tested for HIV and all STDs at the proper time.

[convincedni]

Thanks teak.

Avayln3 i completely here what your saying, and there wont be any unprotected incidents ever again no matter if they are a sex worker or not, to be honest il never be near another sex worker again in my life it has really shaken me up..completely my fault, i was lonely what can i say? lol.

ive had every symptom under the sun, itl take about 6 years to convince me i dont have hiv  :-(

[convincedni]

Still fairly worried, I feel the timing of my symptoms and all can only point to one thing.  

Is it possible that the physician read the test too early? 'It didn't feel like 20minutes I was waiting and that is what the time was advertised as being before I booked with the clinic.
Should I be worried about rare strains?

I feel like I could already have developed AIDS in that year because I have something that resembles kaposis sarcoma in my pubic region (i showed the physician this and he dismissed it but didnt say what it might be but it looks like alot of the pictures I saw online, i've lost a stone and a half in the last couple of months and my brain function and short term memory has decreased considerably.

I'm sorry to keep harping on at you guys, fact is im terrified, i can barely sleep, eat or work the last few weeks.

[nursegirl6572]

You would know if you had AIDS, or a related opportunistic infection, like KS, because you would have been in the hospital, likely more than once.

Anxiety is talking, as you are questioning the validity of your test, rare strains, etc.  That's irrational thinking.

We can't convince you that nothing you have described sounds like HIV and that your test shows you don't have it.  You have to believe in your test results, and because you can't do that, the only choice is to seek professional help.  Tests don't lie.

You don't have HIV and you have a test taken WAY outside the window period that proves that.

There isn't anything else this forum can do for you.

[convincedni]

I really appreciate the time taken by yourself and the other regular expert posters.  I understand that I do anxiety issues unfortunately and I'm taking prozac currently for this so hopefully that clears that up.  I guess the constant minder of the yeast infection/fungal infection in my groin area that wont clear up with treatment had convinced me.  

Going to try and put my faith in the scientific research and experts on forums such as this one, I've came across alot of people who claim to be late seroconverters etc on different sites but I guess those incidents are few and far between and the information provided may not be factual.

I will seek a little more help with the anxiety issues, and just go to the gum clinic once a year to get tested (not that I will be putting myself at risk again!)

Thanks

[convincedni]

what are the chances of a false negative in two rapid tests carried out 11 months post exposure?

Am I right in saying jock itch/fungal infection would be a later sign of hiv/aids?  as ive said before it not responding to treatment since the exposure is my main worry (when it did respond to the same treatment before), but i also had diahrrea and nightsweats and a sore throat a few weeks after the exposure.  The only testing I have done was after 11 months but i keep on thinking what if:

Its a false negative
Im a late seroconverter
The Physician made a mistake (everyone can make mistakes from time to time)

I couldnt forgive myself if ive picked up hiv this away, and im deathly scared of passing the virus on.

The clinic I went to was a high charge private nhs clinic in my country of northern ireland, it was only the finger prick test however.

[RainLover71]

You would never get a false negative 11 months post-exposure.The chances are zero.You seem to be struggling to accept your negative results.There are posters on this forum that would give their right arm for your results.I really think it's time you accept the facts,stay away from these other rubbish HIV websites that are confusing you and move on with your life,that's the best advice I can give you.

[been_there123]

You are HIV negative no question about that. Your test at 11 months is accurate to the 99.999%

What you have is a combination of Guilt, grief and anxiety... Mix those together and they are more deadly than HIV itself.

I think you should not waste your time and money on testing for a Virus that you don't have. Rather you should spend some money and time talking with an anxiety specialist.

Look, when you test for HIV you are testing for the antibodies for the virus. You will produce those almost immediately after infection. The time it takes for your body to have enough to show up on a test if 90 days. You are way past the window period.

Move your questions to the anxiety forum and stop worrying.

[convincedni]

Is there anywhere you guys could point me in the direction of for my hiv anxiety issues?  As mentioned by rainlover there are alot of less professional websites out there that put the fear in you after a scare so I don't really want to go out and look blind again.  I limit my reading on hiv to this and the freedomhealth website (which is ran by the doctors on the international forum on here).

Thanks for your time guys.

[RainLover71]

YES,the HIV anxiety support group here at medhelp founded by Joggen.

[convincedni]

Back at work today and always struggle not letting my mind wonder into the what if the physician made a mistake and all that.

Has there been any reports of false negatives over the last few years?

Is fungal infection in groin that doesnt respond to treatment a factor of hiv or aids?

[convincedni]

Just wanted to post that I am currently waiting on full blood draw results, antibody and pcr tests are being completed.  I had the blood drew on wednesday at the nhs gum clinic, I could be waiting a total of 2 weeks for the results but if something shows up im sure I will hear before that.  I have had two determine rapid tests both negative well outside the window period.  If this comment doesn't get deleted I will post my results when I get them.  I just want to thank you guys for helping me with my anxiety over this troublesome period and encourage all the worried souls to heed your advice.

[RainLover71]

Why are you testing again and having PCR tests.You don't have HIV.Seek some therapy for your anxiety.

[convincedni]

Just went to the gum clinic for peace of mind.  Its the usual way people get tested in my community, I just couldn't get the time off work for it so when I could I just went for it.  I am an anxious person by nature and due to this I wanted the blood draw and lab tests, I do highly believe my rapid test results though and they are encouraging. I think my exposure warrants this final test to put it to bed once and for all.  The gum clinic doctor chose the tests to put me through after I explained my exposure and a medical condition I have.

I understand where you're coming from I just find on here helpful and wanted to post my situation.

Thanks

[RainLover71]

At the end of the day it's up to you but you will find that you have wasted time and money for nothing.You know the test results will be negative.

[convincedni]

Our health service is free in the UK, that being said I have spent £590 at a private clinic for the determine rapid test twice and the other std checks.  One of main reasons I am getting this one is because I can't recall buffer solution being used (the doctor said it was when i asked him) but the tests were done infront of me and i never saw it.  maybe that was due to my anxiety at the time however just need to be sure.

However I do encourage posters to believe the expert's on this forum, you guys know what you're talking about.  The 3 month window period is more of a less a fact, false negative's rarely occur if ever.  Majority of the posters on here haven't had what I would deem to be a proper exposure (unprotected vaginal or anal with a high risk group partner).  I'd never get tested after Oral or anything that didn't involve penetration.  I however had both probable vaginal and anal exposure to a female sex worker.

Thanks

[RainLover71]

God bless

[convincedni]

You were indeed correct rainlover71, I tested negative.

Worried souls - listen to the expert advice on these forums.  If you test negative at the appropriate interval with a reliable test - you are indeed negative.  No exceptions.

[a7801]

U said after 11months he is 99.999% .
What is that ???? Still there is a posibility of 0.001% ??
I think it should be 100% after 100 days. As fda & cdc says as long as someone is not seriously ill or drug abuse??

[convincedni]

0.001% is not representative of a 'possibility'.  In science nothing can be said to be a 100%.  In my opinion something at 99.9% is a 100%.