High Risk Exposure and Severe Illness!

[Nick160910]

I would appreciate your advise. First, this community does wonderful job educating people on HIV.

I had a high risk exposure on early September with a Mexican CSW who is probably around 40. Condom that was
provided by her broke during vaginal intercourse. Same condom was used during oral and vaginal intercourse. I am circumcised heterosexual male. I was not so worried since there was really small chance from single exposure, which makes me so dumb.

Since week 3 I had experienced severe illness.
-Fever (on&off)
-excessive urination
-testicular pain
-urethra pain/itching
-joint pain/joint inflammation
-abdominal pain
-chest/neck tightness
-shortness of breathe
-white coating on tongue with canker sores (lot of them)
-Diarrhea (a few times)
-Night Sweats
-Red Spots
-Body Aches
-Weight Loss
-Swollen lymph nodes/Swollen glands

Currently, I have severe malaise, joint pain, testicular pain, itchy rashes all over my body.

I had several HIV tests.
1. Day 30_ADVIA centaur HIV 1/o/2 Enhanced Assay (Negative)
2. Day 44_DiaSorin Liaison Murex HIV Ab/Ag Assay 4th gen test (Negative)
3. Day 60_ADVIA centaur HIV 1/o/2 Enhanced Assay (Growing Serology Has Seen_Repeat Study Negative)
4. Day 67_DiaSorin Liaison Murex HIV Ab/Ag Assay 4th gen test (Negative)
5. Day 67_Alere Determine HIV Combo Rapid Test (Negative)
6. Day 80_Alere Determine HIV Combo Rapid Test (Negative)

I was also tested for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and hep b. They came back negative on day 67.
My general health is deteriorating and I feel like I got hit by a bus. It hurts even to sit or walk with this extreme joint pain and malaise. My glands are swollen that my jaws hurts bad. I visited two doctors who couldn't find anything from my blood tests, which shows I had EBV and CMV from the past.  

My question is_what does growing serology mean on the 3rd gen Test?
Which PCR/DNA test should consider?
Can non-treated NGU cause these much illness and symptoms?
What other tests should I ask for?
Any advise on my situation?
Can it be HIV2? Does it have longer conversion and window period?

I am really desperate to get better from this illness I have been struggling with for two and half months. If someone went through the same situation, I would really appreciate your advise.

Thanks,
Hope no one goes through this.

[RubyWitch]

All of your tests for both HIV and STI's have been negative. Your test at 80 days, while a bit short of the recommended 12 week confirmatory test can still be considered conclusive. You do not have HIV.

Symptoms are never used to diagnose HIV.

Since you have apparently been experiencing these symptoms since late September, I STRONGLY recommend you have your doctor refer you to a specialist for further evaluation since TWO doctors could not give you a diagnosis.

It is highly unlikely this is HIV2 unless you've been to West Africa.

There are numerous illnesses which could present with these same symptoms.
Depending on the level of your anxiety, many of these symptoms CAN be triggered by anxiety.

Please see your doctor soon for a referral.

I wish you the best
RW

[Nick160910]

Thank you so much for your reply, Ruby!

I was just thinking that her being exposed to 20 different people each week. Those who have paid to have sex including those from West Africa and other parts of the country made me suspect HIV2. Anyways, HIV2 does share the same window period as HIV1, right?

I will try find a specialist and try to diagnose my illness.

Thanks,

[AnxiousNoMore]

Instead of thinking you have some exotic condition requiring a specialist, consider that the chances are higher that most of the symptoms are in your head as a natural reaction to fear of dying. Most people get itches, and ouches every day and they don't have a disease. Or you might have a flu.

For an anxiety plagued person, you sweat, tense up and then start noticing aches which either don't really exist as much as you think or perhaps were there before but you just ignored them. If you can accept you don't have HIV and relax then any anxiety driven issues will go away, but if something that you are sure is important persists after that then your doctor is the place to start for a diagnosis.

[Chima7]

The fact that you've tested negative during the time while you're experiencing all of these symptoms rules out HIV. You wouldn't have active ARS symptoms and test negative. Also, yours was not a high risk exposure in the first place since she is not confirmed to be HIV positive.  

Your 60 days and beyond post exposure tests have more than conclusively ruled out HIV so you need to keep working with your doctor to figure out what's wrong. But it's not HIV because you have tested conclusively negative repeatedly.

[Nick160910]

Thanks Chima for the reply,

I went to her to ask if she could go tested with me. I offered to pay her time getting tested and the test, but she refused. My incidence took place in Europe. There was no point of asking her as it was not gonna change anything.

Do you happen to know any other STD's share similar symptoms?

I will talk to my doctor for diagnosis.

Thanks,
Nick