HIV or NOT?

Hi,

I'm currently having an anxiety of having HIV.  I know that after saying this, you will probably say that I should get tested, but I can't because at the moment, I'm currently not in my home country.  I have no choice but to wait to get tested.  Please hear me out and let me know if I do or not (your opinion).

First I would say my sexual intercourse history. I only had sex with 3 women since 1996.  Two of them are girlfriends and the other one is when I fooled around.  I would exclude my 1st girlfriend because when we did it, we were both virgins and she is doing fine right now.  My 2nd girlfriend was also a virgin (we did it on 2000) and in 2001, I fooled around with a different woman while I'm with my 2nd girlfriend.

I had Unprotected sex (once) with this woman last August 2001.  After the unprotected sex incident, we still had sex but it was all protected.  Our relation lasted for 3 months.  Of course, at this time I'm still having sex with my currect girlfriend which are most of the time UNprotected. The relationship of my 2nd girlfriend lasted for 6 1/2 years  (2000-2006) which on the last year of our relationship we decided to have UNproteced sex all the time.

When I had sex with the girl I fooled around, I never got any STDs of any sort but I noticed that she had a foul smell in her vagina or maybe groin.  It is the same thing you'll smell from a person who has Bad Odor from sweat (armpits). That is it, she said that she didn't have STDs also.

Secondly, Why would I ask if I have HIV?

Last June of 2008, I was diagnosed with Seborrheic Dermatitis by 4 different dermatologist.  I had it in my chest, ear, head hair, eyebrows, back, some in groin.  According to them, it was a "moderate case" because the rashes did not flake.  They've seen more severe seb derm cases.  After 3 months (Sept 2008), I had folliculitis in my pubic area, just there and it was a mild case because of no pus or anything, it just itch. The thing is, the seb derm that I had was kinda hard to treat.  My doctors gave me topical  and oral steroids and it will heal, but after 2-3 weeks, it will come back. It lasted until Feb 2009.  However, when I tried a different approach, I just used Aveeno Lotion, it healed! No steroids, any other meds, just pure lotion.  This also healed the folliculitis in my pubic region.

Ok here goes the crazy part. In that same month (Feb 2009), I was injected by an Anti-Rabbies (Verorab) because I was bitten by our dog. Now after the injection, some weird stuff happened to my body, like muscle pain that started in my foot and tranfered to my other limbs.  I had Nausea every after eating and shortness of breath.  I went to a doctor and I was thinking that it maybe the vaccine.  She did complete blood check, ECG, ultrasound of abdomen, xray and all came up good except mild fatty liver. She gave me Nexium but I still vommitted every morning and after eating and had a bitter taste in my mouth.  She had Gastroscopy and found out that I had gastritis. She said that it was bec of the oral steroids I took and skipping breakfast. Ok, then good.  She gave me meds and she said that I might last 2-3 months. She also gave me meds for my fatty liver.  She also said that I should lose weight because I was overweight and high cholesterol.  I then had a crash diet and excercise (which I should not have done) and lost 14 lbs in 2 weeks. I never lost weight that fast my entire life.

I also had this check up because I was going to the US (which I'm here right now).  Now that I'm in the US, I noticed that I had Lymph node in my neck which I had since I was a kid, except it got a little bigger.  When I was a child, I had primary complex and it left a permanent lymph node in my neck.  The thing is, right below that lymph node, I have 5 new enlarged lymph nodes that I never had before. But this time it is rather small, like pea size beads.  It somewhat lined down going to the collar bone. I also have a new one in my pelvic area.  I called up our doctor in my home country and said that it is normal and should just ignore it. This is just one side of my neck, I don't even have it in my other neck.

Right now, since I'm helpless, I only have the internet and did some research.  To my surprise, almost all the things I mentioned are symptoms of HIV.  It made me anxious in all possible ways.  Thinking I have it, I tried contacting my exgirlfriends and ask them if they have these stuff as well but I can't find them.  I called up their close friends and just found out some other news.

One month ago, I had a cold sore (upper lip) and it healed in less than a week.  I had HPV-1 since I was young and had outbreaks ever since.  But the coincidence of this at this time is killing me because last year I never had an outbreak, but two years ago, I did.

Thirdly, Why do I think that I DON'T have HIV?

The last contact I had with the girl that I fooled around was December 2008.  We spoke on the phone and I found out that she is already married and has child.  The boy is 6 years old.  She and her son is healthy.  Also, when I recently called up her close friends, they told me that she is fine and the child is also fine.  I also saw a picture of the boy and seems healthy.  I don't think our country tests pregnant women for HIV since our country's rate is low.

My 2nd ex-girlfriend was also married to an American Citizen.  I also think that she already has a green card.  As I did my research, I found out that when you get married to an American Citizen and apply for Greencard, you will get tested for HIV.  It is a must and all should go through that test to be green card holders.  I saw a picture that she is still in the US and I'm assuming that she has green card already.  So she passed that medical test right?  We'll that is what I think.


What do you think?  Do I have it or not?  I never panic for things in life and I must say that this is the first time I did.

If you may, please answer these questions:

1) I read that there is a 30% chance of babies getting HIV from mothers during birth and a larger % after because of breast feeding, etc.  If a child has HIV (from infancy), when will the symptoms show up?  Is it the same as a grown up HIV+?  What is the life span of a child with HIV?  Will they reach 6 years old without symptoms without medication?  

2) If I get HIV+ from the girl I fooled around, what are the chances of passing it to my 2nd ex-girlfriend?  Again, we have unprotected sex all the time for 5 years after the fooling around incident.  She should have it too right?

3) Is there a possiblity that the HIV test from the Immigration to fail or miss the HIV?  She just recently got greencard (assuming).

4) If someone who doesn't know he/she has HIV had a anti-rabies vaccination or any other vaccination at all, does it show or speed up HIV symptoms?

4) Do you think I have it? It has been 8 years since my possible exposure.

I'm sorry but my story is rather long and the grammar might be incorrect.  I'm just suffering from anxiety and panic.  

I hope I can get tested soon but I can't.  I just want to know what you think.  I read this forum helps people with the same thing I experience.

By the way, my home country is rated to be one of the lowest HIV rate prevailance.



Thank you so much.

PS: I already gain weight and feel better now but I still have the new lymph nodes and muscle pain from my left elbow join (this only happens when I lift heavy objects).  I'm always hungry and love eating.

[boondock]

go get tested.  its then only way to know for sure.  if you had unprotected sex your chances are still low but its best to go get tested and know for sure.

[malaik]

Yeah, I know you're going to say that. Thank you by the way.  I really hope I can get tested but I'm really not in my home country.  Unfortunately, I can't do it here.  Is it plausible that I don't have since I mentioned about the things why I THINK I don't have it?

[boondock]

the unprotected sexual encounter.  you can order at home hiv test kits that are sent to where you are and the results are in 10 minutes.

[xmelax35]

I just wondered if you ever got your test and if you have found anything else out?  I can't really answer your questions but I will add this: I can definitely identify with what you are saying. I too, have become paranoid and scared of this.  I just assumed that my doctors would tell me if they suspected it and order tests.  I have had so many blood tests.  I was tested for my thyroid in which was a little low (I always thought that if it was low then that was a sure sign of it).  I am not sick persay, meaning I do not throw up or anything.  But I always have had migranes (migraines) (for about 11 years now) and then my symptoms got worse and then after a surgery (brain) my headaches got worse and now I just have pain in my neck back and my legs. I also have the heart issue where my blood pressure gets extremely low when standing and my heart rate gets really really high (tachycardia).  I am always tired and don't get much sleep.

The thing is that everytime I would look up symptoms on the internet they would come up with the same thing as you.  I have been paranoid for a long time.  My son now has a thyroid prob too but nothing to take meds for and my son is 10.  Now, he has some issues too (some headaches not all the time, he has uncontrollable movements, he is overweight, he claims he hurts when he does any walking or excercise, has foul odor from mouth - not his teeth, and his under eyes are really really dark!  So I feared that I had it and passed it to him.  Then my husband (recently got married) has had acid reflux a lot and foggy head once in awhile.  So you can see that I too am scared about this and I am too scared to take a test.  I have been with my husband for 8 years now.  I hadn't had intercouse before him for like 1 year - 2 yrs prior to meeting him back then.  Still I hear it can remain dormant for like 10 years.  I am with you on this one!  Now I have been told I had claymidia one time but it was like 13 years ago and it was taken care of.  Some guy I was dating and had intercourse with 10 years ago claimed I gave it to him and he had wore a condom so I don't get it and at the time I did not have it!  So he went around bad mouthing me to everyone and everyone thought I had it.  I sincerely hope my sister never told him that I had it before that!  Well I just wondered what you found out.

[Teak]

HIV does not go dormant and if a person used a condom consistently and correctly they never contracted HIV.