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Avatar universal

Scared need help

Exposure was to csw protected oral and vaginal. However afraid that condom might have had holes in it made by someone because it was not mine. 19 days later got some night sweats, then first day mild fever to not more than 100, then very sore throat the next day with some ear pressure, then the third day woke up with a ton of yellow mucus blown out of nose, sinus pressure, congestion, post nasal drip. Fever and sore throat seemed to be correlated to the sinus pressure as fever first went away went sinus subsided, then sore throat resolved at a different time when the congestion resolved. It all seems fairly mild. I did sleep in a new room and the AC was in the wall right in front of me blowing at my bed.

It's been now 55 days post exposure and symptoms at day 20.
Until now have very light sinus pressure above, below eyes and on temples. I don't know if that is the cause but I have had eye floaters from when I wake up and until sleep for the past week. It's really scary. So many eye floaters.
In addition I had some inner right thigh pain which has subsided. I think it's muscle pain because it was difficult to walk and actually the muscle pain affected both legs yesterday when I went for a walk at the mall.
Also, i did take antibiotics which resolved the symptoms within 3 days, but until now I still have sinus pressure. And as a result of the antibiotic I had a ton of diarrhea, so I stopped it and took probiotics. Since then I have been having small bumps (one at a time) that come on my face or arm or leg every time I eat something with dairy or milk.

I tested negative at 41 days with ECLIA 4th gen HIV 1/2 Ab and P24 Ab. I consulted Dr. Hook and he told me that I am not infected and no need for further testing and that the test was conclusive.

Please help. Because now I think I have a sub mental lymph node that I can feel in my neck under my chin. Your comments are appreciated.
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370181 tn?1595629445
We can not give you an accurate assessment of your risk based on your somewhat irrational fears that "someone" poked holes in your condom.

I am unaware of any tests that have been conducted on condoms that HAVE been poked, but I'm going to say that I believe IF a condom had been tampered with, it would compromise the integrity of the condom once it was placed on an erect penis and it would almost surely fail from the friction.

You would have no doubts that the condom had failed. When they fail, they fail catastrophically. There would be nothing left but a few shreds and the ring around the base of your penis.

HIV is NEVER diagnosed by symptoms. The symptoms you have described to us sound like the flu, a pretty severe upper respiratory infection, or a sinus infection.......NOT ARS.

You should never stop a course of antibiotics. If you are having digestive problems, you can take the probiotics concurrently WITH the antibiotics. By stopping them, you only allowed the bacteria to regrow and prolong the problem.

As for your eye floaters, muscle pain, bumps and lumps when you eat dairy.........and anything else that is affecting you, know that it has absolutely nothing to do with HIV/ARS. These are issues you should discuss with your doctor.

Sub mental node swelling is often a sign of infection and these nodes will swell with sinus infections.
You are spending too much time on the net.

The bottom line is that it is extremely unlikely you had a risk, but because your anxiety is obviously out of control, I would recommend you get tested for peace of mind.
Better yet, you should listen to Dr. Hook.
Helpful - 2
3 Comments
Thank you for your comment. I am going for a Thyroid blood test tomorrow. Hypothyroid maybe the cause of my symptoms. I hope I am right.

Really I should not have taken the antibiotics in the first place because it prolonged the issue and my body pretty much resolved the issue by itself within 3 days time. Only a little congestion left. the first pharmacist told me not to, but the second pushed it so I took it. Wish I hadn't. But I do believe that antibiotics having an impact on symptoms means that it couldnt have been HIV as antibioitcs would not have had an impact, as it did when I took it then stopped it then had to continue it again.

However, the shooting pain in my inner right thigh is so bad. It's off and on. And the eye floaters are bad but better today. I hope it's hypothyroidism.

My question to you is that do you think 41 day is really conclusive or would antigen not be detectable at that time and antibody be too low too?

Thank you.
Rubywitch he tested at 41 days with 4th generation.
And it was negative which I commented on earlier as ccnclusive. Now he is at day 55.
Avatar universal
If a condom fails it rips apart so that didn't happen. I suggest therapy if you think someone is interested in poking holes in condoms OR if you think you are capable of diagnosing disease with zero medical training, after you read the below.


Your 4th generation test was conclusive so you have no HIV. this means your sweats, aches, nausea, lumps or whatever you think you have are likely in your mind as a product of your over-active imagination causing you to naturally over-analyze your body because you are under the faulty premise that you are dying ---Or the highest probability event has occurred which is that you have a flu like everyone else gets 3 times a year and have self-diagnosed in error which is to be expected.
Helpful - 1
2 Comments
Thank you for your comment. I am going for a Thyroid blood test tomorrow. I believe hypothyroid maybe a cause of the symptoms. I do really hope that the 4th Gen test at 41 days was conclusive...
My question to you is that do you think that the 4th gen at 41 days is really conclusive? Would it be less accurate or more accurate than 28 days? Because maybe both antigen and antibody may not have been detectable? Dr. Hook was so adamant that the test is right...
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