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High Risk IV Drug User-Possible HIV
Hello, I am a 23 year old female. My main reason for posting is to inquire if I should receive an HIV test.
I have been a drug addict for the past 12 years, and have been using IV for the past 2 years. I have shared needles with at least half a dozen different people. Some were friends, some were family, and some were completely unknown to me. A lot of the times, we would rinse the syringe out with water prior to sharing it, but there were quite a few times I used a dirty syringe with another's blood remains still in it.
The last episode of needle sharing occured exactly 3 weeks ago. For quite some time I have been pretty sick. Almost a year ago I went through what my doctor called 'Mono', even though the tests were not diffinitive that I did in fact have mono. I was never retested to see if I ever had a viral load. The mono lasted for at least 6 months.
For many months, I have had nightly fevers sporadically. My temp would always reach past 101. Now for the past 4 months I've been having severe night sweats. When I say severe, I mean my blanket and clothes are soaked from the amount of sweat. The temp of my room is very cold btw which rules out temp.
Recently, my skin has broken out in what looks like these round bumps which are basically flesh colored to lightly red. I thought they were pimples at first, but they don't seem to be as squeezing them does nothing and they are not filled with pus or anything. They have now spread from all over my shoulders and upper arms to my chest and now they are invading my abdomen as well.
My lymph nodes on my neck and near my ears are always swollen now and have been for months. It hurts quite a bit to eat and things like that because I can feel them around my throat area. I keep catching all sorts of colds, stomach bugs, and I am exhausted 24/7.
Anyways, any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry this is so long. I just wanted to lay it all out there. Thank you for anything you have to offer.
I have been a drug addict for the past 12 years, and have been using IV for the past 2 years. I have shared needles with at least half a dozen different people. Some were friends, some were family, and some were completely unknown to me. A lot of the times, we would rinse the syringe out with water prior to sharing it, but there were quite a few times I used a dirty syringe with another's blood remains still in it.
The last episode of needle sharing occured exactly 3 weeks ago. For quite some time I have been pretty sick. Almost a year ago I went through what my doctor called 'Mono', even though the tests were not diffinitive that I did in fact have mono. I was never retested to see if I ever had a viral load. The mono lasted for at least 6 months.
For many months, I have had nightly fevers sporadically. My temp would always reach past 101. Now for the past 4 months I've been having severe night sweats. When I say severe, I mean my blanket and clothes are soaked from the amount of sweat. The temp of my room is very cold btw which rules out temp.
Recently, my skin has broken out in what looks like these round bumps which are basically flesh colored to lightly red. I thought they were pimples at first, but they don't seem to be as squeezing them does nothing and they are not filled with pus or anything. They have now spread from all over my shoulders and upper arms to my chest and now they are invading my abdomen as well.
My lymph nodes on my neck and near my ears are always swollen now and have been for months. It hurts quite a bit to eat and things like that because I can feel them around my throat area. I keep catching all sorts of colds, stomach bugs, and I am exhausted 24/7.
Anyways, any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry this is so long. I just wanted to lay it all out there. Thank you for anything you have to offer.
Take A DUO test now and an antibody test at 3 months post-exposure and please stop playing russian roulette with your life.Don't share IV drug works ever.All the best.
Thanks for the replies, much appreciated. I'm going to go get tested once I find somewhere that can do it. Quick question though, the lumps all over my body, which have now invaded my neck and face, were identified as molluscum contagiosum or however you spell it. I googled it after my nurse at my methadone clinic identified it today. But anyways, does the appearence of this skin condition make it more likely that I might be positive?
You definitely need to test. A test now will give you your baseline (if you've already been infected) and then a repeat is necessary at 3 months.
Good luck.
Good luck.
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