Scared Silly

I am a heterosexual male.  I had unprotected intercourse with a girl about 8 weeks ago and again 2 weeks ago.  About 4 encounters all together.  Not a one night stand, known her for a while.  Said she does not have any diseased.   About 3 days after the second time with her, I developed a fever of 103 that lasted two days and a rash that lasted one day.  While I did not have diarheaa in consistency, I had an above normal amount of bowel movements.  This then turned into a cough which has lasted 10 days.  I didn't think much about this as I had been caught in a cold rainstorm prior to getting sick.  However, at about the two week point, I developed thrush.  This is what is terrifying me.  I am not on antibiotics.  The only thing I could think that could cause the thrush other than HIV is a weakened immune system from the cold and I took a medicine the night before the thrush appeared that has a possible side effect of dry mouth.  I haven't been sick in years and the trush (thrush) coupled with feeling lousy for two weeks has me really concerned.  Every website out there says thrush is a main thing with HIV.  I got a PCR test and am awaiting results.  Still extremely anxious.  I can't sleep or focus right now.  How concerned should I be.  

[Teak]

If a doctor has not diagnosed you with thrush then you probably don't have it. Anyone at any age can contract thrush. Thrush is not a specific symptom of HIV.

[guiltnworry]

You probably just have a bacterial coating on your tongue.  You can't refer to everything white in your mouth as thrush.  Thrush is most often patchy white plaques that can be scraped off, and when they are scraped off, this can be painful.  On the other hand, a bacterial coating or just a coating at the back of the tongue is NOT thrush and can be caused by stress, increased caffeine intake.  Dry mouth and thrush are not synonomous at all.  A semi white coated tongue can also result from dehydration.  

[idiot123]

My dentist diagnosed it at thrush, but she just looked, she didn't test.  It doesn't scrape off though.

[guiltnworry]

If it doesn't scrape off, it is not thrush.  Thrush is typically pathcy, bright white spots on the tongue.  It can change colors depending on what you drink, like koolaid or something.  She should have tested.  Thrush is known for its ability to be scraped off.  Go to a doctor who can run a rapid yeast test on the things that are on your tongue.  In any case, HIV associated thrush does not appear two weeks after exposure.  It is an oppurtunistic infection that can occur at any CD4 count, but is more likely as the CD4 count drops and the body cannot control the yeast.  Anxiety could explain every one of your symptoms.  Which do you think it more likely, anxiety or HIV?  Let me give you the answer...anxiety.

[Rae1]

Bacteria, post-nasal drip and mucus cause a white-ish coating on the tongue. For me it's normally consistent on the back of my tongue. I have horrid allergies and have been swabbed for candida with a negative test.

[idiot123]

Thanks for the help.  This board in general has really calmed my nerves.  

I doubt the thrush (or bacterial coating or whatever it is) is anxiety.  I  had never heard of thrush until after I had the white coating on the tongue (and went on the internet and found everything pointing in that direction).  It is bizarre, it does change colors like you said, but won't come off with a tongue scraper.  I am on Nyostatin right now.  I looked everywhere for information on coated tongue vs. thrush and could find nothing save this board.  

Anyway, this board has convinced me that I don't need to be worried about my PCR results tomorrow (except maybe a false positive).  Thanks again for helping mne sleep.