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Hi Doctors,
I posted a while back and am very thankful for your help and response. I have a different incident that I would like to ask about.
About 2 months ago, I had protected vaginal intercourse with a female of unknown status, and I don't believe the condom broke. I also fingered her anus and vagina for a while, and there was kissing. I had dry and chapped skin on my fingers and hands in which there may have been minor cuts. Up to this point, I'm pretty certain that there was not much of a risk for HIV.
However, about 2-3 weeks following the encounter, I had some nausea/vomiting, constipation, and strong stomach pain/discomfort. I never had a fever or any other symptoms. I went to the doctor a week later as I was still having stomach discomfort, and all testing came back normal except for having an elevated liver enzyme. I'm not familiar with the blood test, but the enzyme that was elevated was on a test in which the max value for the normal range is 35, and my number/reading was 36. A week later, my liver enzyme levels were back within the normal range. My stomach discomfort has since gone away.
I'm concerned about the following:
1. Does my elevated liver enzyme result of 36 accompnied by stomach pain and 2 episodes of vomiting sound like ARS?
2. I know that fingering doesn't transmit HIV, but could I have gotten Hepatitis C from fingering her in the anus?
Thank you Dr.
I posted a while back and am very thankful for your help and response. I have a different incident that I would like to ask about.
About 2 months ago, I had protected vaginal intercourse with a female of unknown status, and I don't believe the condom broke. I also fingered her anus and vagina for a while, and there was kissing. I had dry and chapped skin on my fingers and hands in which there may have been minor cuts. Up to this point, I'm pretty certain that there was not much of a risk for HIV.
However, about 2-3 weeks following the encounter, I had some nausea/vomiting, constipation, and strong stomach pain/discomfort. I never had a fever or any other symptoms. I went to the doctor a week later as I was still having stomach discomfort, and all testing came back normal except for having an elevated liver enzyme. I'm not familiar with the blood test, but the enzyme that was elevated was on a test in which the max value for the normal range is 35, and my number/reading was 36. A week later, my liver enzyme levels were back within the normal range. My stomach discomfort has since gone away.
I'm concerned about the following:
1. Does my elevated liver enzyme result of 36 accompnied by stomach pain and 2 episodes of vomiting sound like ARS?
2. I know that fingering doesn't transmit HIV, but could I have gotten Hepatitis C from fingering her in the anus?
Thank you Dr.
Dr. Handsfield,
Thank you for your response. I will certainly utilize the archives and educational resources here, as mentioned. Thanks.
Thank you for your response. I will certainly utilize the archives and educational resources here, as mentioned. Thanks.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The second paragraph should say that when one member of a couple has HCV, his or her heterosexual partner rarely catches the virus, despite many years of unprotected vaginal sex.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome back to the forum. But for the second time you ask about a low risk exposure.
From our previous discussion, you know fingering is no risk, and you certainly should be aware that condoms work -- so no worries from the vaginal sex. And assuming you are in the US or other industrialized country, the chance your partner had HIV is very low. As for hepatitis C, it has been oversold as an STD. The only proved and widely accepted form of sexual transmission occurs among gay men. Even when one member of a heterosexual couple have unprotected sex for 20+ years, most partners never catch it. To your specific questions:
1) Your symptoms don't suggest HIV, and HIV is not a likely cause of abnormal liver function tests. And in any case, the barely elevated enzyme level you report is not cause for alarm. As your doctor or clinic probably told you, most people with significant liver disease have far higher levels.
2) Fingering doesn't transmit HCV. If you should happen to have hepatitis of any type, it didn't come from the sexual exposure described here.
Please educate yourself about the real risks for HIV and other STDs. In your previous thread I referred you to another thread that explains it pretty well. You can't expect to get professional STD/HIV prevention risk assessment and advice, either here or anywhere else, every time you have a new sexual encounter. In any case, MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on each of the professionally moderated forums, so no more can be accepted on this forum before next November (see Terms and Conditions).
Of course continue to work with your doctor or clinic if your symptoms persist or you have other concerns. But don't worry about HIV or hepatitis on account of this exposure.
Regards -- HHH, MD
From our previous discussion, you know fingering is no risk, and you certainly should be aware that condoms work -- so no worries from the vaginal sex. And assuming you are in the US or other industrialized country, the chance your partner had HIV is very low. As for hepatitis C, it has been oversold as an STD. The only proved and widely accepted form of sexual transmission occurs among gay men. Even when one member of a heterosexual couple have unprotected sex for 20+ years, most partners never catch it. To your specific questions:
1) Your symptoms don't suggest HIV, and HIV is not a likely cause of abnormal liver function tests. And in any case, the barely elevated enzyme level you report is not cause for alarm. As your doctor or clinic probably told you, most people with significant liver disease have far higher levels.
2) Fingering doesn't transmit HCV. If you should happen to have hepatitis of any type, it didn't come from the sexual exposure described here.
Please educate yourself about the real risks for HIV and other STDs. In your previous thread I referred you to another thread that explains it pretty well. You can't expect to get professional STD/HIV prevention risk assessment and advice, either here or anywhere else, every time you have a new sexual encounter. In any case, MedHelp permits a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on each of the professionally moderated forums, so no more can be accepted on this forum before next November (see Terms and Conditions).
Of course continue to work with your doctor or clinic if your symptoms persist or you have other concerns. But don't worry about HIV or hepatitis on account of this exposure.
Regards -- HHH, MD
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