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HIV Infection Risk?
I guess I'll just jump right in from the beginning.
My last year of high school (almost two years ago) I had two sexual encounters with a man whose HIV status is unknown to me. I do know, he slept with a lot of other girls at the time, and I made the mistake of not protecting myself/him with a condom. I cannot remember when exactly, but at the very least, three months later I had an HIV test AND gave blood via Red Cross (twice that year, I believe) which, came up negative.
A couple months later, I moved to New York City and received a lower-lip tattoo from a tattoo artist. For the life of me, I personally can't remember if he switched needles between mine and my friend's tattoo process, BUT he was wearing gloves, did have a certification, was a hole-in-the-wall (as most places in New York are), but he had state of the art tattooing utensils (I know, this doesn't make a difference on whether the needles were switched or not). My friend swears to me she watched him change it.
Now, a year after the tattoo, and two years after the sexual encounter, I am married.
My husband was deployed three months into our marriage (four months after our first sexual encounter) and was given an HIV test three weeks before deployment, that came up negative. Around April 15, he came home for a mid-tour leave. I started using the Ortho-Evra patch a week before (which, I was told in June when I got the Implanon/Explanon implanted into my arm by a gynecologist, that I was horribly allergic to) I got a vaginal infection, and I thought it was an UTI, so I self medicated myself with antibiotics I had left over from a previous UTI, a week later I removed my patch. Went to the doctor in May when my upper back, near my rib-cage, started aching. I was told I didn't have a UTI, so we took some blood samples to test for diabetes and other various illnesses. All coming back negative.
But, I was still having the vaginal infection symptoms, abnormal, watery discharge, fishy odor, uti like symptoms. So, after self medicating myself several times with OTC Monistat, with no help at all. I finally went to the gynecologist in September. He said I had bacterial vaginosis, but it seemed to finally clear up on its own. He tested me for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia and also for yeast. The first two came back negative, and he said I had a small amount of yeast. So, he gave me a prescription for Terconazole and one for Metronidazole, as a just in case. Said to take one if I started itching, and the other if I noticed an odor.
SO, finally, the last stage. Since April, I've been experiencing off and on uncomfortable urination, and a slighty more watery discharge than I'm used to. It seems that I have a yeast infection now, so I began the dosage of Terconazole tonight. I read on the internet that one symptom in women for HIV is chronic and hard-to-get-rid-of yeast infections. I have no swollen lymph nodes (that I can tell, anyways), no weight lose (I've actually gained 10 pounds) the only flu-like symptoms I've had only lasted two or so days. I've had no rashes. No noticeable fatigue (I've actually been prescribed Ambien for not sleeping well since my husband deployed. Although, there are times I sleep for 9 or more hours, but only here lately, when the weather has changed DRASTICALLY) but, nonetheless, I'm terrified of HIV. The idea of having it and giving it to my husband terrifies me.
So, is it possible to tell me what risk I am at for HIV? I know I should get another test, but the idea of it terrifies me.
-SIDE NOTE: I don't know if it's helpful to the case or not, but I have had regular periods up until April when I started using the Ortho Evra. My period came about two weeks later, after stopping the birth control. Then, I had a regular May and June period (and possible July, I can't remember) but since I got my Implanon in in June, I have had a minuscule amount of brown spotting/breakthrough bleeding once every month. That usually only lasts about 3 days to a week at the VERY longest.
My last year of high school (almost two years ago) I had two sexual encounters with a man whose HIV status is unknown to me. I do know, he slept with a lot of other girls at the time, and I made the mistake of not protecting myself/him with a condom. I cannot remember when exactly, but at the very least, three months later I had an HIV test AND gave blood via Red Cross (twice that year, I believe) which, came up negative.
A couple months later, I moved to New York City and received a lower-lip tattoo from a tattoo artist. For the life of me, I personally can't remember if he switched needles between mine and my friend's tattoo process, BUT he was wearing gloves, did have a certification, was a hole-in-the-wall (as most places in New York are), but he had state of the art tattooing utensils (I know, this doesn't make a difference on whether the needles were switched or not). My friend swears to me she watched him change it.
Now, a year after the tattoo, and two years after the sexual encounter, I am married.
My husband was deployed three months into our marriage (four months after our first sexual encounter) and was given an HIV test three weeks before deployment, that came up negative. Around April 15, he came home for a mid-tour leave. I started using the Ortho-Evra patch a week before (which, I was told in June when I got the Implanon/Explanon implanted into my arm by a gynecologist, that I was horribly allergic to) I got a vaginal infection, and I thought it was an UTI, so I self medicated myself with antibiotics I had left over from a previous UTI, a week later I removed my patch. Went to the doctor in May when my upper back, near my rib-cage, started aching. I was told I didn't have a UTI, so we took some blood samples to test for diabetes and other various illnesses. All coming back negative.
But, I was still having the vaginal infection symptoms, abnormal, watery discharge, fishy odor, uti like symptoms. So, after self medicating myself several times with OTC Monistat, with no help at all. I finally went to the gynecologist in September. He said I had bacterial vaginosis, but it seemed to finally clear up on its own. He tested me for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia and also for yeast. The first two came back negative, and he said I had a small amount of yeast. So, he gave me a prescription for Terconazole and one for Metronidazole, as a just in case. Said to take one if I started itching, and the other if I noticed an odor.
SO, finally, the last stage. Since April, I've been experiencing off and on uncomfortable urination, and a slighty more watery discharge than I'm used to. It seems that I have a yeast infection now, so I began the dosage of Terconazole tonight. I read on the internet that one symptom in women for HIV is chronic and hard-to-get-rid-of yeast infections. I have no swollen lymph nodes (that I can tell, anyways), no weight lose (I've actually gained 10 pounds) the only flu-like symptoms I've had only lasted two or so days. I've had no rashes. No noticeable fatigue (I've actually been prescribed Ambien for not sleeping well since my husband deployed. Although, there are times I sleep for 9 or more hours, but only here lately, when the weather has changed DRASTICALLY) but, nonetheless, I'm terrified of HIV. The idea of having it and giving it to my husband terrifies me.
So, is it possible to tell me what risk I am at for HIV? I know I should get another test, but the idea of it terrifies me.
-SIDE NOTE: I don't know if it's helpful to the case or not, but I have had regular periods up until April when I started using the Ortho Evra. My period came about two weeks later, after stopping the birth control. Then, I had a regular May and June period (and possible July, I can't remember) but since I got my Implanon in in June, I have had a minuscule amount of brown spotting/breakthrough bleeding once every month. That usually only lasts about 3 days to a week at the VERY longest.
The sexual encounter, I think. The tattoo parlor only scares me because it's in New York, and I grew up in a small town, being taught that New York was nothing but a disease infested hole.
I know that's not true as of now.
I know that's not true as of now.
Are you more worried about the guy you slept with in high school or the tatoo parlor?
Have an Answer?
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