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Persistent mild sore throat
Yet another HIV anxiety question for the forum.
About five weeks ago I had protected sexual intercourse with a man and unprotected oral. During the oral copulation, there was no ejaculation.
About three weeks later I developed a very mild sore throat and fatigue which has now lasted about two weeks. All my symptoms have been rather mild and I have not experienced a fever to my knowledge (highest temp was 99.4). My tonsils have been removed but there are white spots at the back of my throat indicating infection. I was tested for HIV at week 4 ( a little premature ) and it came back negative but of course I won't feel confident until month 3 when I get tested.
I know that little can be diagnosed without being examined but my Dr. dismissed it as "viral". That's what worries me. The anxiety of waiting for the window period to elapse is awful and I'm sure could result in my symptoms. Does this sound like HIV?
About five weeks ago I had protected sexual intercourse with a man and unprotected oral. During the oral copulation, there was no ejaculation.
About three weeks later I developed a very mild sore throat and fatigue which has now lasted about two weeks. All my symptoms have been rather mild and I have not experienced a fever to my knowledge (highest temp was 99.4). My tonsils have been removed but there are white spots at the back of my throat indicating infection. I was tested for HIV at week 4 ( a little premature ) and it came back negative but of course I won't feel confident until month 3 when I get tested.
I know that little can be diagnosed without being examined but my Dr. dismissed it as "viral". That's what worries me. The anxiety of waiting for the window period to elapse is awful and I'm sure could result in my symptoms. Does this sound like HIV?
ask Dr.K
info:GIVING AND RECEIVING ORAL SEX
QUESTION
I was wondering how safe oral sex is -- both giving and receiving.
ANSWER
Questions about oral sex are probably the most common ones we get. In terms of HIV, oral sex both ways is very safe. The University of California San Francisco and the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health just completed a study of men in San Francisco who have only had oral sex and found zero new HIV infections. A very recent study from Spain confirmed earlier studies that oral sex is safe sex in terms of HIV. However, there are case reports and individual experiences that support that HIV can be transmitted through oral sex, although rarely. As far as whether oral sex is riskier if you swallow, truthfully no one really knows.
Dr. K is Jeffrey D. Klausner, MD, MPH, a board certified internist and infectious disease specialist. He attended Cornell University Medical College, completed his residency at NYU-Bellevue Hospital Center, earned a Master's in Public Health at Harvard University and worked as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
info:GIVING AND RECEIVING ORAL SEX
QUESTION
I was wondering how safe oral sex is -- both giving and receiving.
ANSWER
Questions about oral sex are probably the most common ones we get. In terms of HIV, oral sex both ways is very safe. The University of California San Francisco and the San Francisco Dept. of Public Health just completed a study of men in San Francisco who have only had oral sex and found zero new HIV infections. A very recent study from Spain confirmed earlier studies that oral sex is safe sex in terms of HIV. However, there are case reports and individual experiences that support that HIV can be transmitted through oral sex, although rarely. As far as whether oral sex is riskier if you swallow, truthfully no one really knows.
Dr. K is Jeffrey D. Klausner, MD, MPH, a board certified internist and infectious disease specialist. He attended Cornell University Medical College, completed his residency at NYU-Bellevue Hospital Center, earned a Master's in Public Health at Harvard University and worked as an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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