Question for Dobber, Mike_No, and Others In the Know

[Worried 9999]

I pose this question to you guys since I've seen many of your posts.  They are always imformative, objective, and almost always comforting.  Anyone else is obviously free to give their input as well.

My risk was slightly unprotected vaginal sex (condom broke) with a prostitute.  I realized the break immediately and pulled out.

At any rate, I have shown a few symptoms consistent with HIV infection: diarrhea, stiffness, an itchy feeling around my genetals, etc.  

However, the one symptom that I have that is the most bothersome to me is swollen lymph nodes in the left side of my groin.  They have been swollen like this for a couple of weeks now and are casuing me great anxiety.

I had a negative OraQuick test at 39 days, which was reassuring.  However, these swollen lymph nodes remain, and continue to distress me.

I don't think you guys are doctors.  But is there anything that you can think of that could be causing this symptom other than HIV?

Thanks.

[worriedmang]

Hi there, I am in the exact same situation as you..  Same circumstances, and I have nodes in my groin, noticed a few in my neck, and 1 in my armpit. There are hundreds of other things that can cause lymph nodes to swell that are much more likely to happen than h.i.v., And just to let you know, everyone has lymph nodes. The doctor told me that lymph nodes are noticeable in slender people like myself, and in overweight people they are harder to feel. I tested negative at 1 month, and the lymph nodes still were there, and I went on to test negative at 2 and 3 months. The nodes are still there, they seem to very slowly be getting smaller. Anyways, the chances of contracting h.i.v. from your one episode IF she was positive are less than 1%. Your chances are less than that considering you were unaware of her status. You should be checked out for chlamydia, gonnohrea, syphylis, and yeast, which are far more contractable than h.i.v. and im pretty sure these sti's can cause swelling in your nodes. Also, I have been told by a doc that nodes can take sometimes 6 months or longer to go down, in some cases, they dont go down at all, assuming your slender, this could be the case. If i were you I would get another antibody test at 2 months, and then 3 months (which is considered conclusive)

[mike_no]

Hello mate,
1. Unprotected sex = Low Risk, odds : 1 in 1000

2. Your 39 days test result's very very very indicative, the doc. here supports 6 week result to be conclusive.

3. The modern day, III and the IV gen tests have indeed minimized the testing window to a great extend

4. Symptoms have never been and will never be the indicator, swollen lymph node.....Is that what you think or the doctor's diagnosis?
Any ways how does it matter.....You've got your test result negative at the 6th week, where the accuracy of the test is 95 % - 98% and for rest of your symptoms blame Anxiety

5. If I was you I would have moved on after the 6 week test results considering 99% of the odds being in my favour

Regards
Mike

[Worried 9999]

Worriedmang, I'm a skinny guy too.  I have always known the lymph nodes were there.  They are just bigger now.  It's comforting to hear that other things can cause such swellings.  But do you have any ideas as to what?  Could it just be anxiety?

[Worried 9999]

Thanks for the advice Mike.  I'm trying my best to move on.  It's just that all the contraversy surrounding the window period makes it difficult.  6 weeks?  8 weeks?  3 months?  Arrggh!  Thanks again though.

[mike_no]

I understand your point, i'll tell you what, indeed there's a confusion about the testing thing around that's due to improper analysis of the expert's opinion

read this carefully, Dr.H is a well known expert, he is not a clinician who'd deal things with conservative approach, he is a research expert who'd rather deal with probabilities and researchs which is a much realistic approach, if he says 6 week's conclusive that's ought to be believed

I'm sure you are aware of his credentials, if you aren't take some time to in through his bio

I hope now you know whom to believe ......A doc is a doc who knows it all!

[Worried 9999]

Mike, thanks.  That's the very point that I'm trying to convince myself of.  I swear I'm almost there.  I just think it might take me a little while to look myself in the mirror and say confidently "I do NOT have HIV."  Thanks again.

[Worried 9999]

By the way, Mike, do you happen to know what generation test an "OraQuick" test is?  

[mike_no]

OraQuick Advanced (blood draw) = 3rd gen test

[Worried 9999]

What about the OraQuick Advanced Oral Swab?  What gen is that?  That's the test I've taken?

[Xhost]

A couple of things, as others seem to have covered most everything you'll need to know fairly well.

First, you were protected through a majority of your sexual activity with the CSW. You noticed immediately when the condom broke, and then pulled out. Thus, the time when you were unprotected was literally seconds. It is not likely at all that you would have contracted HIV in this very small amount of time. And that is assuming that the sex worker even had HIV (and, btw, the odds quoted in an earlier post are, I believe, incorrect. I think it is closer to 1 in 2000 IF the CSW had HIV, which is a big if. Of course, I might be wrong about this, so please feel free to correct me - I haven't looked at an odds table in a while).

Second, while I hate to even discuss symptoms of primary HIV infection (because, as I am sure you have heard, symptoms are so varied and common to other, more common illnesses as to be almost meaningless, and may never be counted upon to either diagnose or rule out HIV infection), a single swollen lymph node is *not* indicative of primary HIV infection. When this symptom presents in ARS, it is generalized, meaning that lymph nodes over the entire body swell, not just one.

As an aside, more about your condom breaking. Condom breaks do happen, though they almost always occur because of incorrect condom usage, typically because a pocket of air was present in the resevoir at the tip of the condom. In the future, after putting the condom on, always take a second and pinch the resevoir to clear out any air that may have been trapped when putting on the condom. Also, remember that using water based lubes will also protect against condom breaks.

If you are nervous about this, feel free to test at at least 6 weeks. Your result will be negative, I am sure. In the meantime, take care of yourself.

[Worried 9999]

Thanks xhost.

[mike_no]

My apologies, I kinda skipped my mind, I forgot that it was a condom breakage situation not unprotected episode of vaginal sex
thanks for correcting me :)

[worriedmang]

As for the lymph nodes, it could be something as simple as an ingrown hair.. or it could very likely be nothing. The doctor said to me, because I am thin, (you are too) they can always be felt. Your body is constantly fighting things and just because you can feel them doenst mean you have anything serious.