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Mumps alone as a symptom of HIV?
Hi yesterday I posted a question about my concerns and will paste it at the bottom. I had unprotected brief vaginal sex with a girl in college exactly 37 days ago now. As of last night after consulting this form and eating a light meal + probiotics my mouth was feeling a lot better my stomach seemed to be back on track and everything felt like it was going in the right direction and I was a lot less worried. Suddenly I'm looking in the mirror and my face has swollen way up. I've also been having a headache today that hasn't been throbbing constantly but the feeling of it being there has been very unsettling. But now my cheeks and chin are fully swollen as if I have the mumps. It feels like my lips have shrunk as well. I probably would not have noticed this without looking in the mirror. The doctor told me I had parotitis in the left side of my face a few weeks ago but did not prescribe me antibiotics because of what I've already been on. I guess it really not dissipated and now it is in my right cheek too in full force. I am feeling a very slight dull pain in my jaws along with what feels like fluid up in my head and muffled ears which is alleviating because everything online seems to say parotitis from HIV wouldn't hurt.
The problem is I believe I was vaccinated against the mumps and hate the timing of this. Again I have no fever or rash or swollen lymph nodes to the best of my knowledge, I've been checking for these symptoms every day since the encounter. The last ailments I was really feeling was the upset stomach and dry mouth, which was starting to feel better after last night. My thrush which I thought to be disgusting has also went down after eating a meal and pineapple.
My post from last night is below, I am wondering if I should go to the ER in case my face swells up to the point where I fall to sleep and can't breathe. I will definitely be going to the doctor tomorrow and asking them most the same things and for antibiotics for this (hopefully all I need) But why does it feel so odd. I would already be an outlier to have contracted the disease from a one night stand and now I would be one of few that have no alarming symptoms but the most random ailments. Please tell me this can be related to something else to calm me down before tomorrow. Thanks
I am 23 years old and attend college in the US. About 45 days ago I had strep throat. and was given amoxicilin. During this dose of antibiotics I had a drunk slip up and engaged in insertive vaginal intercourse with a female. While I have no knowledge of the girl's status I am assuming the worst that she is positive. A few days afterwards I still felt pretty bad about my health and after finishing the 10 day dose of amoxicilin I went back to get retested for strep and I was positive so they gave me augmentin for another 10 days. After that I felt good but I was having some frequent urination and maybe tender groin. I also was having odd stools, my best description is that they were just irregular as in more soft and lanky as if it felt like they were going to be diarrhea in my stomach but my body converted them last minute to somewhat normal. I figured something had to be up with me so I went to get tested for HIV via finger prick at 19/20 days after the incident, it came back negative, I felt great. (it was a weekend I got drunk two nights in a row and ate poorly but had no hangover or terrible implications the next 2 days however did have abnormal stools again but without the feeling that they were going to come out as diarrhea) A few days later I started feeling bad again mainly nauseated as if I knew something was wrong with me. I went to get tested for STIs and am still awaiting those results but did receive a preemptive one time dose of azithromicin to be on the safe side. After taking this I felt great, in fact my stools were COMPLETELY REGULAR for a few days. However shortly after taking it I started noticing what I thought was a disgusting amount of thrush on my tongue and my mouth was phlemgy and I keep having to clear it. I also was experiencing a bit of dull pain in the left side of my face and up to my ear and somewhat of a headache. I went to the doctor to see if I had strep again and they said it looks like I have a inflamed salivary gland on my left side and didn't want to prescribe me antibiotics because of all I've had so just told me home remedies for it. I've done so and while the dull pain has subsided it still feels/looks a bit swollen so I will keep up treatment. But my main issue throughout all this has been with my throat/stomach/esophagus. I feel like my stomach has been bubbly and no heartburn but acid reflux in my back and it is making me not want to eat anything and I know this is having impact on my stools in addition to what was already wrong. Earlier today I had what was closest to diarrhea since the start of my worrying in that it was swift and very soft but I still wouldn't put it in the diarrhea realm because I know what it feels like however I do feel like something is brewing in my stomach that it could come in the next coming days.
So throughout all of this I have not had a fever, I have basically checked my temperature every day between my own thermometer and going to the doctor. I have not had a rash besides one episode of hives after the shower. I have not had any swollen lymph nodes however my left side of neck where the inflamed gland was has felt a little dull pain . And now my Adams Apple feels swollen and tender. Also the focal point of all my problems is centered around my throat/stomach. My throat is not sore, drinking fluids go down normally, but swallowing on my own can cause dysphagia and I feel I have to force it. It is phlemgy/dry and now a bit scratchy/itchy. My stomach is bubbly though, I feel I cannot eat because of it and I am getting this reflux and it is making me rather burpy and somewhat gassy. Also the thrush on my tongue is still apparent and freaking me out.
I know what I posted is long, I'm sorry for making anyone read it all and appreciate everyone that does, I just wanted to get all the facts out. People keep telling me that the chance of transmission is super low in my case and that I have no way of knowing she even was infected but everything seems to be spiraling so perfectly that the thought of coincidence is growing less likely to me. I plan to get tested again very soon but I guess I would love some peace of mind and claming before I do so.
The problem is I believe I was vaccinated against the mumps and hate the timing of this. Again I have no fever or rash or swollen lymph nodes to the best of my knowledge, I've been checking for these symptoms every day since the encounter. The last ailments I was really feeling was the upset stomach and dry mouth, which was starting to feel better after last night. My thrush which I thought to be disgusting has also went down after eating a meal and pineapple.
My post from last night is below, I am wondering if I should go to the ER in case my face swells up to the point where I fall to sleep and can't breathe. I will definitely be going to the doctor tomorrow and asking them most the same things and for antibiotics for this (hopefully all I need) But why does it feel so odd. I would already be an outlier to have contracted the disease from a one night stand and now I would be one of few that have no alarming symptoms but the most random ailments. Please tell me this can be related to something else to calm me down before tomorrow. Thanks
I am 23 years old and attend college in the US. About 45 days ago I had strep throat. and was given amoxicilin. During this dose of antibiotics I had a drunk slip up and engaged in insertive vaginal intercourse with a female. While I have no knowledge of the girl's status I am assuming the worst that she is positive. A few days afterwards I still felt pretty bad about my health and after finishing the 10 day dose of amoxicilin I went back to get retested for strep and I was positive so they gave me augmentin for another 10 days. After that I felt good but I was having some frequent urination and maybe tender groin. I also was having odd stools, my best description is that they were just irregular as in more soft and lanky as if it felt like they were going to be diarrhea in my stomach but my body converted them last minute to somewhat normal. I figured something had to be up with me so I went to get tested for HIV via finger prick at 19/20 days after the incident, it came back negative, I felt great. (it was a weekend I got drunk two nights in a row and ate poorly but had no hangover or terrible implications the next 2 days however did have abnormal stools again but without the feeling that they were going to come out as diarrhea) A few days later I started feeling bad again mainly nauseated as if I knew something was wrong with me. I went to get tested for STIs and am still awaiting those results but did receive a preemptive one time dose of azithromicin to be on the safe side. After taking this I felt great, in fact my stools were COMPLETELY REGULAR for a few days. However shortly after taking it I started noticing what I thought was a disgusting amount of thrush on my tongue and my mouth was phlemgy and I keep having to clear it. I also was experiencing a bit of dull pain in the left side of my face and up to my ear and somewhat of a headache. I went to the doctor to see if I had strep again and they said it looks like I have a inflamed salivary gland on my left side and didn't want to prescribe me antibiotics because of all I've had so just told me home remedies for it. I've done so and while the dull pain has subsided it still feels/looks a bit swollen so I will keep up treatment. But my main issue throughout all this has been with my throat/stomach/esophagus. I feel like my stomach has been bubbly and no heartburn but acid reflux in my back and it is making me not want to eat anything and I know this is having impact on my stools in addition to what was already wrong. Earlier today I had what was closest to diarrhea since the start of my worrying in that it was swift and very soft but I still wouldn't put it in the diarrhea realm because I know what it feels like however I do feel like something is brewing in my stomach that it could come in the next coming days.
So throughout all of this I have not had a fever, I have basically checked my temperature every day between my own thermometer and going to the doctor. I have not had a rash besides one episode of hives after the shower. I have not had any swollen lymph nodes however my left side of neck where the inflamed gland was has felt a little dull pain . And now my Adams Apple feels swollen and tender. Also the focal point of all my problems is centered around my throat/stomach. My throat is not sore, drinking fluids go down normally, but swallowing on my own can cause dysphagia and I feel I have to force it. It is phlemgy/dry and now a bit scratchy/itchy. My stomach is bubbly though, I feel I cannot eat because of it and I am getting this reflux and it is making me rather burpy and somewhat gassy. Also the thrush on my tongue is still apparent and freaking me out.
I know what I posted is long, I'm sorry for making anyone read it all and appreciate everyone that does, I just wanted to get all the facts out. People keep telling me that the chance of transmission is super low in my case and that I have no way of knowing she even was infected but everything seems to be spiraling so perfectly that the thought of coincidence is growing less likely to me. I plan to get tested again very soon but I guess I would love some peace of mind and claming before I do so.
It kind of helps but I must admit it is not the answer I was looking for. Everything I read seems to say that if I had the onset of ARS I would know it, it would take a heavy toll on my body. I have not had this besides the anxiety, I have been fully functional and as mentioned after getting my self calmed down last night I was feeling great today and going forward. Then out of absolutely no where my right cheek/jaw muscle swells up and my lips feel shrunken. It feels like there is fluid all throughout my face and my ears are starting to feel it too now. Now even more whacky, everything I read does give this ailment aka parotitis a connection to HIV if it is not due to something else, yet it is a rather low correlation. So I guess I am just so confused, as you said I was exposed to a small risk, from what I read online 4/10000 to be exact and now I'm going to be even more of an outlier and not have any of the stand out symptoms but some random case of the mumps?
I'm sorry I rant, it just feels so off what is happening. My saving grace is that I feel the fluid and dull pains throughout my head which gives it more signs of a bacterial infection. But I've been on so many antibiotics I feel like that would not be likely. So if I am infected, I am really going to be a complete anomaly and contract it from such a low risk act and then not exhibit any of the telling signs? That is just cruel.
I'm sorry I rant, it just feels so off what is happening. My saving grace is that I feel the fluid and dull pains throughout my head which gives it more signs of a bacterial infection. But I've been on so many antibiotics I feel like that would not be likely. So if I am infected, I am really going to be a complete anomaly and contract it from such a low risk act and then not exhibit any of the telling signs? That is just cruel.
What a long post, the longest I've read here so far. Focusing in the really important facts would help you to get faster and better answers in the future and will make our job easier.
Any of the symptoms you describe sound like the ones you could expect from a recent HIV infection at all.
ARS is the first stage of an HIV infection, is the body’s reaction to the infection. Some HIV positive people, but not all of them, reported that around 20 days after their exposure they had fever, sore throat, rash and flu (not cold) like symptoms, all of those came together, or within a few days of difference and lasted for a few weeks.
As you see, the same symptoms are present in many other illnesses and not everyone had them, so, we can’t rely on them to diagnose HIV.
You were exposed to a small risk, but testing is required, you already did it, but 20 days is too soon for a result to be reliable.
A 3rd gen Elisa will give you an excellent indicator about your status around 6 - 8 weeks after exposure and 4th gen 4 - 6 weeks after exposure. A result given in those times is very unlike to change, but only a doctor, based on your risk level and his experience could advice you to skip the confirmatory test after 12 weeks post exposure.
Hope this helps.
Any of the symptoms you describe sound like the ones you could expect from a recent HIV infection at all.
ARS is the first stage of an HIV infection, is the body’s reaction to the infection. Some HIV positive people, but not all of them, reported that around 20 days after their exposure they had fever, sore throat, rash and flu (not cold) like symptoms, all of those came together, or within a few days of difference and lasted for a few weeks.
As you see, the same symptoms are present in many other illnesses and not everyone had them, so, we can’t rely on them to diagnose HIV.
You were exposed to a small risk, but testing is required, you already did it, but 20 days is too soon for a result to be reliable.
A 3rd gen Elisa will give you an excellent indicator about your status around 6 - 8 weeks after exposure and 4th gen 4 - 6 weeks after exposure. A result given in those times is very unlike to change, but only a doctor, based on your risk level and his experience could advice you to skip the confirmatory test after 12 weeks post exposure.
Hope this helps.
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