Restless in Thailand

Hi Dr

I feel like my story is the worst you will ever hear and I am so convinced right now I have hiv. Please any advice or thoughts would help.

I have been super dumb twice in 3 months.

3 months ago, I got stupidly drunk and  I had unprotected vaginal sex with a sex worker for a few minutes, 2-5mins tops, I didn't cum but i fell asleep next to her and then woke up a few hours later, showered and left to work.

A few weeks later i had diarrhea, swollen glands, a sharp pain in my upper left back that came and went for 2 days, headache for 2 days, all one after the other or a short space in between, aches in my joints, and i traveled in that month and while traveling i had fever and hot and cold flashes. When I returned from my traveling, i developed a sore throat that lasted a week.

Then 2 months later I was dumb again and got drunk again and this time went to a club and met a girl. We came to my place and fell asleep and when we woke up she gave me oral sex without a condom and then put my penis inside her and started riding me for 4-5 mins then i took her off me and went to shower because I came to my senses. While showering I noticed a open sore on my pubic area. It was at the base of me penis in the pubic area and it was about 2-3 mm in diameter. It wasn't there the day before. I almost cried in the shower. To make matters worst, when I came out of the shower she was ready to leave and wanted money, turns out she is a prostitute.

After that incident I freaked out and started stressing majorly. I immediately went for a P24 antigen test the next day and a week later for a hiv antibody test.

So both came out negative, but i know I might be in the window period. I have had a sore throat on and off for the last month and 2 weeks. And it moves from the left side of my throat to the top of it. I went to the doctor and they told me I have Rhinopharyngitis and Reflux Laryngitis and I have some yellow mucous too when I cough. I've also been having more flatulence and burping than before and the dr says it could be stress about this incidents. I also had blood in my stool for 2 days after i was on antibiotics for my sore throat and anti inflammatories. Also I have been a little sleepy during the day at work, struggle to concentrate, get a slightly runny nose between outside temp and a/c inside. I have swollen lymph glands in my neck and slight tinea versicolor on my chest and underarms as well as little white spots appearing on my arms and torso and legs (which the doc says is depigmentation due to lack of sun, my dad has it, and i had it before, but I have more of them appearing now than ever before) also other weird spots on my forearms like 3 dark little spots that look like beauty spots and some lighter round small spots along my left arm. basically unexplainable spots and blemishes on my body and I have looked up ARS rashes and they look nothing like any of them.

Questions:

1. Does acute hiv make your skin do weird things like get unexplainable blemishes or spots or is there a specific set of rashes that are expected.
2. Is a sore throat for more than a month a strong sign of ARS? Rhinopharyngitis and Reflux Laryngitis...
3. I've been on and off with different symptoms for 3 months now, is this normal for acute HIV infection or common?
4. The anti body test at 2 months after the first incident and the P24 test, how good are those given the time frames I stated. ie. 2 months after first incident and 1 week after second incident for the antibody and 1 day after 2nd incident for the P24?

I'm going insane, please any advice or suggestions how to cope, I have gone to the doc again today and taken another antibody test now 3 months from the 1st incident and 1 month for the 2nd.

Thanks in advance.

[Vance2335]

1. No
2. No
3. No
4. 6-8 week antibody test is a good indication, 3 months is conclusive.

Why is your story the worst? Seen many like it.

[stressed789]

Thanks for your answers Vance.

Im worried because I was so reckless and I haven't heard of anyone putting themselves at this much risk and coming out hiv negative. I dont mean to frighten anyone that's already worried out there.

Im just so worried about my future because of these 2 silly dumb mistakes because I'm a little lonely and new to BKK I went out and tried to be around people and ended up making these mistakes.

I'm going in an hour to the hospital for my results. I've been praying all morning.

Will keep you posted.

Thanks again so much for your encouragement.

[stressed789]

I got tested for HIV antibody and sipyhillis.

both negative. Im really happy but I guess this is only a test after 4 weeks from the incident so I will go again in 2 months.

Thanks so much.

[margo96]

Similar story here. The similar exposure, very bad symptoms and negative tests.

[stressed789]

Thank God.

Be safe and stay well.

[LIZZIE LOU]

do you see a pattern here?  you get drunk and have unprotected sex, which puts you at risk for not only hiv, but other stds as well.  you might want to RETHINK the drinking ! ! !

test at 3 months

UNTIL you are in a monogamous relationship where BOTH of you have tested...ALWAYS use condoms for penetrative vaginal / anal intercourse.  sex lasts a few minutes...HIV LASTS A LIFETIME ! ! !

[stressed789]

Thanks Liz.

I have already decided to refrain from alcohol. On month now alcohol free.

I dont think I can wait 3 months for another test, most of the forums here say 6 weeks is 100% conclusive given the high accuracy rate of antibody detection by the 4th generation tests. Apparently 4 weeks is 95% conclusive, this is what the doctor who tested me at the Thai hospital I went to said. I think he might just be using stats from his experiences at the hospital. He has been dealing with these situs for 10 years now he said, and interesting stats for everyone that is faced with a similar scenario regarding Thailand, he said 1 out of every 100 people that come to him worried about hiv turns out positive.

this was at one of thailands more exclusive highly recommended hospitals called Samitivej hospital. (http://www.samitivejhospitals.com/)

In my opinion, because Thailand has been faced with this epidemic for such a long time, these Thai doctors should be experts at this. They face these scenarios much more often than doctors in the west would. So don't be afraid to trust them if you need to get tested.

As for condom usage, I always do, except for those reckless drunken nights, so no more boozing for me.

You're so right Liz, sex is a moments pleasure and HIV is a lifetime.

Thanks again, to God and everyone here.

Love and peace.

[Bigan]

I recently returned from Pattaya, I spent 3 weeks there and had sex with 5 woman they all worked in bars. One week before I left I developed a sore throat with a bit of a headache.   I went to a chemist and they gave me Amoxcilin,  I finished the course but still the sore throat and headache stayed.   I was also bitten by about 12 mosqitoes, and put my legs into a tank of sucking fish.   My left leg showed where the fish had been sucking and the marks are still there 1 month later.  Its now 1 month since and my sore throat and headache are still there, plus my glands are swollen in my neck.   I've almost finished a second lot of antibiotics. ( Erythomycin ) but still have all the problems.  I 've been tested at my local std clinc and been given the all clear on everything.   Tomorrow I get the results from a throat swab taken by my Doctor.  I've never had a sore throat like this before, one that has stayed so long.  The headache is as bad if not worst, constantly with a dizzy but not pound feeling of pressure in my head which makes me sqwint when Im looking at things.   I really hope I get an answer soon, I just want to be normal again.   Any advice you could give me would be so welcome.   Im 60years old and I live on my own.   Thanks  JB

[Teak]

Did you have unprotected vaginal or anal sex?