Aa
My Risk story, Symptoms, Concerns. Please Help
Well, Hello everyone. I am a heterosexual male, just graduated college, who is dealing with quite the demon at the moment. I had unprotected vaginal sex with a female from my school on the 21st of October. Not the smartest idea I've ever made, also being that I was/am in a great relationship already. Anyways, about 2 weeks after I noticed a discharge when I woke up one morning, got tested Immediately, and had Chlamydia. I had my girlfriend go get tested at her GP and she came back negative for everything. I guess I found it as a relief and plus I got treated so I just thought it was over with and move on and learn from it, never cheat again.
After about 6 weeks from the incident, It finally hit me, What if she had something more than Chlamydia ? What if she has HIV ? I had been tested the 2 weeks after the incident and again at 4 weeks to make sure I had gotten rid of the Chlamydia and really paid no mind to the HIV tests.. So I ended up asking her (already knowing she gave me Chlamydia) if she had any STD history. She surprisingly admitted she had Herpes for a year but was on Meds to suppress it. I hadn't had any Herpes type outbreak so I was more shocked, and surprised that she didn't even know she had Chlamydia yet she had Herpes.. So I told her about me testing positive for Chlamydia so she went and got tested. This was 6 weeks after our encounter. She ended up testing positive for Chlamydia (of course) and negative for HIV. This would put some peoples mind at ease right ? Not me .
Her not even knowing she had Chlamydia, and already having herpes just worries me. I asked about 1,000 questions about her risk for having HIV and she denies any chances and actually got angrier as I asked. So I decided to leave her alone about it. Here comes the symptoms..
1. Started with night sweats, though I was sleeping on suede couch in my gma's hot apartment with the window open. Lasted about the 5-6 nights I stayed there.
2. Swollen right tonsil, and Swollen glands in my neck, right behind my jaw under my ear. I was driving home one night and it just felt like my mouth started salivating like my saliva glands were swelling. Node under my left ear was swollen and soft for a few days. Went to the doctor he diagnosed me with Lymphadenopathy and gave me a 10 day Amoxicillin treatment. I finished that a week ago, and the right tonsil remains swollen. Throat doesn't really hurt at all.
Right tonsil is still swollen today.
3. Floater in eye vision. It sounds foolish I know but it literally came out of nowhere and is still there. And when I would look across any lit area it would appear like a film was glaring across the lighting after I already focused in (Sounds weird I know). I actually saw an eye specialist about it and she didn't really find anything which made me feel a little crazy. But I never had it before the worry so I felt it could be related.
4. Rash . Now, this is the weird one. My girlfriend has eczema, she had these weird hive like breakouts for a while, but the day after I first had sex with her after the Chlamydia girl, like the very next day after, she broke out again. This was in the two weeks before I even knew I had Chalmydia, which my gf never got. It since has gotten worse, she would break out for a week, then not break out for a week, then break out again. They started off looking like Hives in different spots, then they started to be bigger like bumps that were actually warm to the touch. She saw a dermatologist and ended up being diagnosed as an Idiopathic case of Urticarial Vasculitis. Didn't strike me much .. until now , Im breaking out with the same things !! It started on the back of my neck behind my right ear, then I got a few on my arms, and now its 3 on my right thigh. Its weird I even take my girlfriends Prednisone and Benadryl to fight them. They go down for a while but they come back, its been about a week now. There aren't any on my face or chest but the ones on my thigh and arm are there and they often irritate. They are like red patches, slightly raised, and they itch sometimes. I wouldnt say they are "maculopapular" because they aren't made up of small bumps, but still.. This is really the main thing concerning me as I never break out with these, I've had my problems before with bumps but never these hive-like patches.
5. I haven't had any fever (I check about 10 times a day) , No flu-like feeling , and haven't vomited or had any Diarrhea . I have had a slight appetite change but It may be due to my stress and anxiety about this HIV phobia .
6. I have tested so many times up until now its crazy. I tested about 3 times in that 6th week alone. 2 mouth swabs and once finger pricked, All negative. In the 7th, almost 8th week I took a HIV DNA PCR test combined with the Antibody test .. took about 4 days , results were negative and non-reactive for everything. If these hives didn't start showing I wouldn't even question that test, but they honestly have put a incredulous fear in me. My dad just says "You're fine you don't need to test" ..
I have prayed so hard, the scenes of me praying or even telling my father of my worries have played in my mind almost as many times as the careless and foolish encounter that haunts me. Everytime my girlfriend complains of something wrong with her I immediately hit the internet to see if it could be related. Her period came late, she thought she was pregnant but she wasn't , and she wants a baby so bad, but she wasn't pregnant. Could that be effected by HIV? Anyone out there does my symptoms sound like I have been infected ? I know my risk is there, even with her testing negative 6 weeks prior to our own encounter. Im just severely worried and need to hear any insight. I know that was a lot to read.
Rick
After about 6 weeks from the incident, It finally hit me, What if she had something more than Chlamydia ? What if she has HIV ? I had been tested the 2 weeks after the incident and again at 4 weeks to make sure I had gotten rid of the Chlamydia and really paid no mind to the HIV tests.. So I ended up asking her (already knowing she gave me Chlamydia) if she had any STD history. She surprisingly admitted she had Herpes for a year but was on Meds to suppress it. I hadn't had any Herpes type outbreak so I was more shocked, and surprised that she didn't even know she had Chlamydia yet she had Herpes.. So I told her about me testing positive for Chlamydia so she went and got tested. This was 6 weeks after our encounter. She ended up testing positive for Chlamydia (of course) and negative for HIV. This would put some peoples mind at ease right ? Not me .
Her not even knowing she had Chlamydia, and already having herpes just worries me. I asked about 1,000 questions about her risk for having HIV and she denies any chances and actually got angrier as I asked. So I decided to leave her alone about it. Here comes the symptoms..
1. Started with night sweats, though I was sleeping on suede couch in my gma's hot apartment with the window open. Lasted about the 5-6 nights I stayed there.
2. Swollen right tonsil, and Swollen glands in my neck, right behind my jaw under my ear. I was driving home one night and it just felt like my mouth started salivating like my saliva glands were swelling. Node under my left ear was swollen and soft for a few days. Went to the doctor he diagnosed me with Lymphadenopathy and gave me a 10 day Amoxicillin treatment. I finished that a week ago, and the right tonsil remains swollen. Throat doesn't really hurt at all.
Right tonsil is still swollen today.
3. Floater in eye vision. It sounds foolish I know but it literally came out of nowhere and is still there. And when I would look across any lit area it would appear like a film was glaring across the lighting after I already focused in (Sounds weird I know). I actually saw an eye specialist about it and she didn't really find anything which made me feel a little crazy. But I never had it before the worry so I felt it could be related.
4. Rash . Now, this is the weird one. My girlfriend has eczema, she had these weird hive like breakouts for a while, but the day after I first had sex with her after the Chlamydia girl, like the very next day after, she broke out again. This was in the two weeks before I even knew I had Chalmydia, which my gf never got. It since has gotten worse, she would break out for a week, then not break out for a week, then break out again. They started off looking like Hives in different spots, then they started to be bigger like bumps that were actually warm to the touch. She saw a dermatologist and ended up being diagnosed as an Idiopathic case of Urticarial Vasculitis. Didn't strike me much .. until now , Im breaking out with the same things !! It started on the back of my neck behind my right ear, then I got a few on my arms, and now its 3 on my right thigh. Its weird I even take my girlfriends Prednisone and Benadryl to fight them. They go down for a while but they come back, its been about a week now. There aren't any on my face or chest but the ones on my thigh and arm are there and they often irritate. They are like red patches, slightly raised, and they itch sometimes. I wouldnt say they are "maculopapular" because they aren't made up of small bumps, but still.. This is really the main thing concerning me as I never break out with these, I've had my problems before with bumps but never these hive-like patches.
5. I haven't had any fever (I check about 10 times a day) , No flu-like feeling , and haven't vomited or had any Diarrhea . I have had a slight appetite change but It may be due to my stress and anxiety about this HIV phobia .
6. I have tested so many times up until now its crazy. I tested about 3 times in that 6th week alone. 2 mouth swabs and once finger pricked, All negative. In the 7th, almost 8th week I took a HIV DNA PCR test combined with the Antibody test .. took about 4 days , results were negative and non-reactive for everything. If these hives didn't start showing I wouldn't even question that test, but they honestly have put a incredulous fear in me. My dad just says "You're fine you don't need to test" ..
I have prayed so hard, the scenes of me praying or even telling my father of my worries have played in my mind almost as many times as the careless and foolish encounter that haunts me. Everytime my girlfriend complains of something wrong with her I immediately hit the internet to see if it could be related. Her period came late, she thought she was pregnant but she wasn't , and she wants a baby so bad, but she wasn't pregnant. Could that be effected by HIV? Anyone out there does my symptoms sound like I have been infected ? I know my risk is there, even with her testing negative 6 weeks prior to our own encounter. Im just severely worried and need to hear any insight. I know that was a lot to read.
Rick
I took a rapid finger prick test today, couldn't wait two weeks for the other one . 12 weeks and 2 days post possible exposure and it was Negative . God is good . Hopefully the other results are the same I will post those when I get them.
So today at 12 weeks , I took an HIV test at a local public health clinic . It was blood drawn and they said it takes 2 weeks to get the results . I want to take an Oraquick test with the 20 minute results again , is that conclusive at this point as well ?
Just an update , today made 12 weeks since my possible exposure. I am going to test this week whenever I get a chance . I was wondering is the Oraquick at this point just as conclusive as a blood test ? I'm also going to an ENT tomorrow about my throat . Wish me well and pray for me guys . Appreciate all the responses and help .
You wouldn't have ARS this long after your exposure. Whatever it is, it isn't HIV. Your test result isn't going to change.
Just this week (10th week) I developed a terrible sore throat and a couple of sores along my left cheek . They're like red spots smh . I still have these floaters in my eyesight as well . I've heard people don't usually seroconvert this late, but i'm definitely not imagining these symptoms I'm far from delusional . Don't have a fever though . I'm still faithful in my negative results thus far but these symptoms do worry me .
I don't see anything wrong with testing along the way to see how long it took me to 'seroconvert' if it does happen .. If I happen to test positive I would like the details of my story to be available for others . So I decide to test along the way to the end of my window period
Why did you waste your money, had you read the directions on the kit, it tells you when to test.
I tested negative on a in-home OraQuick Antibody test today . This would make 9, almost 10 weeks (68 days) .
My girlfriend developed a severe swollen throat today. She went to the doctor and was diagnosed with Pharyngitis. Its only inflamed and swollen on her right side as well. Tested negative for strep doc said it's def viral and not bacterial. My right tonsil remains swollen too, its like a ball sticking out.
Thanks for being honest . I'll test out to 12 weeks for sure . If it changes I really noted every single change or symptom I noticed so the 'symptoms mean nothing' statement will be tested .
Yea I've seen that , thank you . Personally have you ever seen anyone's change though ?
PCR-DNA Tests
Neither the Abbott RealTime nor the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 assay is intended to be used as a donor screening test for HIV-1 or as a diagnostic test to confirm the presence of HIV-1 infection.
Richard Klein
HIV/AIDS Program Director
Office of Special Health Issues
Food and Drug Administration
Neither the Abbott RealTime nor the Roche COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 assay is intended to be used as a donor screening test for HIV-1 or as a diagnostic test to confirm the presence of HIV-1 infection.
Richard Klein
HIV/AIDS Program Director
Office of Special Health Issues
Food and Drug Administration
No I'm not saying my gf is a source , I'm saying I feel like I could've infected her in those weeks before and after treating my chlamydia when I didn't even think about HIV . She too now has an irritated right tonsil area and she had her tonsils removed as a kid . Mine is still swollen as well only on the right side . Took antibiotics and nothing changed
Well I understand that 3 month is only conclusive test . Has a negative DNA PCR test ever changed after 7 weeks though . Antibody test was done with it . I know also symptoms are no diagnosis , but from my description what would you say ?
Your 3 month post exposure test is when you can obtain your conclusive negative test result.
So the girl you slept with is a risk (even though she tested negative) and the your girlfriend becomes a source of possible HIV infection because of her skin disorders?! By the way, your girlfriend tested negative, too. No risk....move on.
A pcr-dna test is not an approved diagnostic test. ELISA test can either be a Rapid or a Standard HIV tests
No the DNA pcr and Elisa are two different tests.. A 7 week neg highly unlikely to change but test at 12 weeks for conclusive results!!
Yea it may have been that that they did with the dna per test then . 7 week negative dna per test has that ever changed ?
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the HIV Prevention Community
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
