Aa
Very Worried
Hello,
I am very worried about this situation. I met a girl in a bar exactly 3 months back and took her back to my apartment. I performed oral sex with her and also used my fingers. I was about to have sex with her but just could not do it. I was using a condom but the condom somehow came off. But I still did not have sex with her although my penis could have had a brief contact with her vagina. After sometime, I found some blood on the bed and a little blood on one of my finger nails. I was not at all wounded in this encounter, so the blood was from her. But from the very next day, I started to worry about the encounter. I had HIV tests perfromed on me 3 times - one after 6 weeks, one after 8 weeks, and one after 3 months. All the three tests were negative. Although my doctor has told me that there are very slim chances of me getting anything, I am still concerned. I don't want to bother him too much, which is why I seek help from this community.
Last week, I had troubles with my wisdom tooth (lower left side) and had to get it extratced. While having pain in the wisdom tooth. I also felt pain in my lymph node (which is on the same side as the wisdom tooth I was having problems with). It has been a week now since I the wisdom tooth has been taken out. Although i hardly feel any pain in the gum where the tooth was extracted, but I still feel a pain/funny sensation in my lymph node. Also, I feel some activity in my lymph nodes when I swallow my saliva. I am not sure whether something is happening or whether this is just my imagination. Also, a couple of weeks back, I had headaches for about a week or so, which again could be related to stress. But I am just too worried about this situation upto the point that I am having problems concentrating at work.
Is there any chance that I could have had an infection? Just can't stop thinking about this.
I am very worried about this situation. I met a girl in a bar exactly 3 months back and took her back to my apartment. I performed oral sex with her and also used my fingers. I was about to have sex with her but just could not do it. I was using a condom but the condom somehow came off. But I still did not have sex with her although my penis could have had a brief contact with her vagina. After sometime, I found some blood on the bed and a little blood on one of my finger nails. I was not at all wounded in this encounter, so the blood was from her. But from the very next day, I started to worry about the encounter. I had HIV tests perfromed on me 3 times - one after 6 weeks, one after 8 weeks, and one after 3 months. All the three tests were negative. Although my doctor has told me that there are very slim chances of me getting anything, I am still concerned. I don't want to bother him too much, which is why I seek help from this community.
Last week, I had troubles with my wisdom tooth (lower left side) and had to get it extratced. While having pain in the wisdom tooth. I also felt pain in my lymph node (which is on the same side as the wisdom tooth I was having problems with). It has been a week now since I the wisdom tooth has been taken out. Although i hardly feel any pain in the gum where the tooth was extracted, but I still feel a pain/funny sensation in my lymph node. Also, I feel some activity in my lymph nodes when I swallow my saliva. I am not sure whether something is happening or whether this is just my imagination. Also, a couple of weeks back, I had headaches for about a week or so, which again could be related to stress. But I am just too worried about this situation upto the point that I am having problems concentrating at work.
Is there any chance that I could have had an infection? Just can't stop thinking about this.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
Heterosexually transmitted HIV remains rare in most population groups in industrialized countries, so it is statistically unlikely your partner had HIV. And it sounds like you had safe sex, i.e. no vaginal or anal sex without a condom. Regardless of the blood (whether hers or yours), this was not an unsafe situation with respect to HIV. And your symptoms don't even hint at HIV; and even if you had typical symptoms of an acute HIV infection, it still wouldn't mean much, since the same symptoms are usually caused by other, minor viral infections. For these reasons, symptoms almost never are useful indicators either for or against a new HIV infection. If nothing else, absence of prominent fever all by itself is strong evidence against HIV.
Getting to your closing question: Is there "any chance" you have HIV? Sure. There's also a chance you'll get hit by a meteorite; the odds probably are about the same.
But that's not the main question raised by your coming to the forum. The main question is why you haven't just been tested. That's the way to know. Plenty of time has passed for a reliable test result. From a risk assessment standpoint, you definitely don't need testing at all -- but most likely my verbal advice won't settle your fears entirely. So get tested for peace of mind. You can, of course, expect a negative result.
I'll be happy to comment further if and when you return to post your test result -- but won't have anything more to say until then. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Heterosexually transmitted HIV remains rare in most population groups in industrialized countries, so it is statistically unlikely your partner had HIV. And it sounds like you had safe sex, i.e. no vaginal or anal sex without a condom. Regardless of the blood (whether hers or yours), this was not an unsafe situation with respect to HIV. And your symptoms don't even hint at HIV; and even if you had typical symptoms of an acute HIV infection, it still wouldn't mean much, since the same symptoms are usually caused by other, minor viral infections. For these reasons, symptoms almost never are useful indicators either for or against a new HIV infection. If nothing else, absence of prominent fever all by itself is strong evidence against HIV.
Getting to your closing question: Is there "any chance" you have HIV? Sure. There's also a chance you'll get hit by a meteorite; the odds probably are about the same.
But that's not the main question raised by your coming to the forum. The main question is why you haven't just been tested. That's the way to know. Plenty of time has passed for a reliable test result. From a risk assessment standpoint, you definitely don't need testing at all -- but most likely my verbal advice won't settle your fears entirely. So get tested for peace of mind. You can, of course, expect a negative result.
I'll be happy to comment further if and when you return to post your test result -- but won't have anything more to say until then. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Dr. Handsfield,
Please accept my apologies. Did not mean to offend you. I had carefully read your comments on October 6th, but since I had some more illness since October 6th, I was a bit worried.
Sorry Again.
Best Regards
Please accept my apologies. Did not mean to offend you. I had carefully read your comments on October 6th, but since I had some more illness since October 6th, I was a bit worried.
Sorry Again.
Best Regards
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
We don't ask much of questioners, but we do expect them to read and pay attention to our replies. Re-read my reply of October 6. I haven't changed my mind and I'm not going to repeat myself.
No more comments on this thread, please.
No more comments on this thread, please.
Hello Doctor,
Did not mean to disturb you again but I am kind of worried and need some more assistance. I was quite assured that I did not catch any infection after the assurance that was given to me by Dr. HHH earlier this month.
Wanted to mention a couple more things though. On 9th of October, I caught a cold/viral infection - blocked nose, slight cough, sore throat, slight fever (but only for a couple of days). I went to see my family doctor and he gave me an antibiotic. I also had slight irritation in my lymph nodes.
As of today, most of the symptoms are gone. Still have a little bit of sore throat. BUT my lymph nodes are still bothering me. They are not paining a whole lot but I can feel some irritation in them, especially when I swallow my saliva. I am not an expert so I am not sure whether the lymph nodes (in the neck) are swollen. I also experienced an upset stomach last weekend. My stomach feels better but I can occasionally feel some pain and my stool is still kind of loose. From the past two or three days, I am also experiencing some rash on my body parts (especially hands), although it vanishes away after a couple of hours.
All these things are again talking me into thinking negative. Could you please advise whether this could be related to any kind of HIV infection?
HIV tests taken 4 times - 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 14 weeks - all negative.
Again, apologize for bugging you again but I am kind of worried.
Did not mean to disturb you again but I am kind of worried and need some more assistance. I was quite assured that I did not catch any infection after the assurance that was given to me by Dr. HHH earlier this month.
Wanted to mention a couple more things though. On 9th of October, I caught a cold/viral infection - blocked nose, slight cough, sore throat, slight fever (but only for a couple of days). I went to see my family doctor and he gave me an antibiotic. I also had slight irritation in my lymph nodes.
As of today, most of the symptoms are gone. Still have a little bit of sore throat. BUT my lymph nodes are still bothering me. They are not paining a whole lot but I can feel some irritation in them, especially when I swallow my saliva. I am not an expert so I am not sure whether the lymph nodes (in the neck) are swollen. I also experienced an upset stomach last weekend. My stomach feels better but I can occasionally feel some pain and my stool is still kind of loose. From the past two or three days, I am also experiencing some rash on my body parts (especially hands), although it vanishes away after a couple of hours.
All these things are again talking me into thinking negative. Could you please advise whether this could be related to any kind of HIV infection?
HIV tests taken 4 times - 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 14 weeks - all negative.
Again, apologize for bugging you again but I am kind of worried.
Hello Dr.,
Thanks a lot for your kind reply. Your reply, along with the 3 tests for HIV that I have been through are enough to provide assurance and comfort.
Thanks again!
Best Regards.
Thanks a lot for your kind reply. Your reply, along with the 3 tests for HIV that I have been through are enough to provide assurance and comfort.
Thanks again!
Best Regards.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Sorry that I missed that you had been tested. It would have saved me such a long response last time! As long as an HIV test is done sufficiently long after exposure -- as yours were -- then the test result ALWAYS outweighs symptoms and exposure history. Your test results prove without doubt that you did not catch HIV and that something other than HIV is the cause of your symptoms. You can move on with 100% confidence you don't have HIV.
That will be all for this thread. Take care.
That will be all for this thread. Take care.
Dr. Hundsfield
Thanks for replying back to my questions. Could you please kindly reply back to a couple of more questions, in addition to the concern that I mentioned in the above post (about my lymph nodes).
Your reply will be greatly appreciated.
1) As I mentioned in my last post, I got tested for HIV three times – one after 6 weeks, one after 8 weeks and one after 12weeks. All the test reports were negative. Now I have read on a lot of websites that the symptoms of HIV generally appear within the first 3-4 weeks after exposure. On the other hand, some websites say that the symptoms can appear even after 3 months of exposure. Since I have crossed the 3 month time window, and have tested negative, should I still be concerned about this situation?
2) As I have explained my situation above, I was in contact with the female’s blood. There was very little blood on one of my finger nails. While having oral sex, I could have had contact with her body fluids and/or blood. Do you think this is a dangerous situation assuming that she is HIV positive? I did not have any cuts on my body, but just the fact that I was in contact with her blood scares me.
Thanks!
Thanks for replying back to my questions. Could you please kindly reply back to a couple of more questions, in addition to the concern that I mentioned in the above post (about my lymph nodes).
Your reply will be greatly appreciated.
1) As I mentioned in my last post, I got tested for HIV three times – one after 6 weeks, one after 8 weeks and one after 12weeks. All the test reports were negative. Now I have read on a lot of websites that the symptoms of HIV generally appear within the first 3-4 weeks after exposure. On the other hand, some websites say that the symptoms can appear even after 3 months of exposure. Since I have crossed the 3 month time window, and have tested negative, should I still be concerned about this situation?
2) As I have explained my situation above, I was in contact with the female’s blood. There was very little blood on one of my finger nails. While having oral sex, I could have had contact with her body fluids and/or blood. Do you think this is a dangerous situation assuming that she is HIV positive? I did not have any cuts on my body, but just the fact that I was in contact with her blood scares me.
Thanks!
Hello Doctor,
Thanks for replying. As I mentioned in my previous post, I have gotten myself tested three times since the incidence 3 months ago. The first test was after 6 weeks, the second one after 8 weeks, and the third one last week (so roughly around 3 months). All three tests were negative. Since the last one was close to 3 months, should I feel comfortable now that I did not get any virus from her?
I understand that I have not had acute fever. My body temperature has been around 98.4 to 99.4 (depending on the thermometer I use). But I havent really had continuous headaches for a week ever in my life. I had these headaches about 3 weeks back but they are now gone. Could have been related to my wisdom tooth. Moreover, the whole thing with slight pain/funny felling in my left lymph node bothers me more than anything else.
Thanks!
Thanks for replying. As I mentioned in my previous post, I have gotten myself tested three times since the incidence 3 months ago. The first test was after 6 weeks, the second one after 8 weeks, and the third one last week (so roughly around 3 months). All three tests were negative. Since the last one was close to 3 months, should I feel comfortable now that I did not get any virus from her?
I understand that I have not had acute fever. My body temperature has been around 98.4 to 99.4 (depending on the thermometer I use). But I havent really had continuous headaches for a week ever in my life. I had these headaches about 3 weeks back but they are now gone. Could have been related to my wisdom tooth. Moreover, the whole thing with slight pain/funny felling in my left lymph node bothers me more than anything else.
Thanks!
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