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Avatar universal

Getting tested and pretty scared

I am 20 year old guy who is now scheduling to get my first HIV test. Unlike most people I probably have much more to fear, I have had unprotected sex with 4 people in the past 2 years. Their status, unknown but I can't believe how stupid I was. My last unprotected encounter was July 16th, and since then I have had sore throat, 2 lymph nodes that are swollen (arm pit and one on the side of my chest) I also feel that I have a slight fever, the sore throat came 5 weeks post exposure. Though up until a week ago I JUST thought of the consequences I might be facing after reading symptoms of sore throats. Since having an unbelievable amount of anxiety I started having both those lymph nodes enlarged and have had 5 pounds weightloss. I am not sure if anxiety could cause this, I know lymph nodes cannot expand on their own but I might of out of fear touched them too much and irritated them? Not likely I know.

I REALLY hope this is just a case of mono, but it's not looking like it. I don't feel like crap, besides the sore throat and lymph nodes I feel fine besides all of the anxiety, but what scares me it's not mono is that most people get bed bound with mono. I really wish I knew my partners status's.... I'm such an idiot and I hope my results come out negative. I was going to test at the 3 month point, but I can't stand to wait any longer. Also I don't know if I haven't gotten it already in the past 2 years! I'm screwed =/
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Avatar universal
7 weeks post exposure, negative. Will test again in 3 months to be conclusive, but that knocks off my other 3 unprotected encounters before this last one.

Hope you other guys are having the same luck!

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Best of luck guys.

I had a potential exposure on the 18th August with a CSW, oddly I had symptoms of ARS a few days after the potential exposure (aches down both arms, pins and needles in both hands, rash on one arm, glands swollen.)

At week two the symptoms seem to be subsiding.

How do you get a mono check up?

I'll pray for you too.
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Avatar universal
Just got back from my test, they said I will know by monday. I will keep you guys informed.
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Avatar universal
Pray for me too. I have the same feeling as you guys but i received unprotected oral sex. There saying its a no risk for hiv but theres people saying there is a risk. so im just waiting to take my test. Im so nervous n scared that ima take it on my 6th week then on my 10th week and on my 13th. Im not getting in this type of situation ever again. its killing me and i understand you people. God Bless You all.
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1418572 tn?1285957661
I will be praying for you both to.
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Avatar universal
I will pray for both of you.
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Avatar universal
You too man, lets just learn from this posititve or not.
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1418572 tn?1285957661
Be praying for me to.
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Avatar universal
Sorry im being negative again, I have no medical background to judge anything. The only real test is to actually get tested, I pray for you dude. Hopefully we both come back on this thread and say we are negative.
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Avatar universal
I did and he got mad I asked him. he said he has always been safe and is safe now
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Avatar universal
that wasn't too reassuring..
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Avatar universal
Eeek, 2.5 weeks might be the norm. Reading that anal sex is much higher risk, maybe you can ask him to confirm his results?
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Avatar universal
and i have read more about hiv in the past week than i could've ever imagined. really praying to be hiv-
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Avatar universal
It came up 2.5 weeks after exposure, no condom, but i was the top. and i didn't see the papers, he just told me.
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Avatar universal
No no man we are at a misunderstanding, I am NEVER going to not use a condom. I was saying that even WITH protection I am going to be much more careful who I choose.
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Avatar universal
Man I wish I had neg papers from them, work is just killer with the anxiety. If I could I would just take the time off unpaid to wait until my results came in, thats how bad it's killing me. I have no idea if you have it or not, I am not at all experienced in this. I just started researching HIV this past week, and I can tell you i've read more about HIV in this week than I have ever in my life.

Though what is in your favor is that the symptoms popped up 1 week, and it's said that it's almost always 2-4 weeks post exposure if symptoms were to show. Maybe you have Mono? Thats whats scary is HIV and Mono have virtually the same symptoms.

Whats even scarier is symptoms aren't always there in the first place, so even if we were feeling fine we could still have it. Probably shouldn't of said that though, I am trying to think positive, but it's so hard. I don't want to get into a false sense of "invincibility" saying that I am completely fine, because as soon as I turn out to be +, thats going to devastate me even more.
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1361323 tn?1323894922
What was ur exposure? When did he take the test?
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1361323 tn?1323894922
Not condom on or not.. Condom ALWAYS.
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Avatar universal
You are not alone. I am going through the same thing, and am so incredibly scared. After my exposure (he had neg papers) i got sore throat, headache. lymph nodes went up about a week after. then i read about hiv symptoms and freaked myself out all summer, and work was so stressful that it made me block out hiv symptoms. now work is calm and its all i think about... do you think i have it?
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Avatar universal
Yea man... I noticed all these small symptoms when I started thinking about the risks. I am not sure if they were there already or what, but I know my jaw is sore and I am pretty sure thats because I have been looking in my mouth like every 30 minutes to see if there are any new sores or anything. Thanks for the support man, this is not only going to make me cover up, but also really evaluate the people I sleep with condom on or not.
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1361323 tn?1323894922
We tend to 'feel' the lymph nodes when anxiety crops in. Your tests will come out negative, I pray.... But let this painfull wanting serve as a reminder never ever to have unprotected sex.... Good luck. Expect a negative test.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the reply, I read the chances are low at best, but there are so many factors that could make the risk so much higher... I am so glad I don't have anything swollen on my neck, I envy you man seeing she told you where she got tested. This last exposure she assured me she was disease free and diseases scare her that she never has done unprotected before. BUT that is likely bs, I don't think these people would purposely not use a condom when they know they are posititve, however thats the problem a lot of people don't know. I have 7 days till my 2 month and it's killing me, I feel like I am failing my classes in school and at work I am becoming so paranoid that all my co workers are questioning whats wrong.

Besides the sore throat I felt fine until I started really thinking about it, I lost 5 pounds in a fricken week. You're right though I feel so much better talking to someone about it, I am not ready to tell my family unless it comes out positive. It's a trip, this test is a big life changer something that will have the largest impact on your entire life. I can say this, I sure as hell hope it comes out neg, because I am NEVER going unprotected again.
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1418572 tn?1285957661
I am going to be real with you we ALL HERE how how you feel expecaly about waiting on getting tested and waiting on results.  I am going to tell you like they tell me on here The chances of vaginal sex and getting infected is very very slim.  If it make you feel better I have lymph nodes that are swollen on my neck on the right side by the vain and one on the inside by the collar bone on the left.  I am not sure if it would make a difference if you knew the status of your partner. (MY partner showed me where she got tested but I am still freaking out it might not seem it but I am  153 cases of hiv in her county..  I think what helps is just having someone to talk about it that you can trust on the issue.  I will pray for you man.  We all want peace of mind.

on the 3 month point.  Everyone know how you feel. i have about 3 weeks left for my 3 month point (not on the exact day but you get what i am saying.) and i want to get tested again but I am trying to hold off.  It is a lot easer said than done.
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