Scared

So here is the deal. I am a 24 year old gay bottom. This summer I had a few casual sexual encounters with different men. These encounters began in June and by the middle of August I had wised up. All of the encounters were protected anally and unprotected oral (only one instance of ejaculation in the mouth.) Around 6 weeks after the last encounter (maybe closer to 7 weeks) I began to develop a few ARS like symptoms including swollen occipital nodes on both sides, posterior cervical nodes on both sides (both no bigger than a cm), and swollen nodes under the jaw. I also experienced 3 or 4 bouts of diahrea before I noticed any swollen nodes and night sweats (although this may simply have been the fact that I have no air conditioning.) There was never any fever or rash. To say that my anxiety is out of control is an understatement. I went to the doctors about 2 weeks after I noticed the nodes and she put me on an antibiotic for what she thought might be a middle ear infection (although she wasn't positive that was the problem.) About a week before I woke up unable to hear out of my left ear because of major wax buildup. She also told me to take claritin as it could just be allergies. I had hoped the ear infection and possibly an upper respiratory infection would be the case. Now almost 2 months later I still have several swollen nodes in my neck (although they have decreased in size some), post nasal drip, and what looks to me like geographic tongue. Sometimes I think I feel swollen nodes under my armpit. I admit that I touch the nodes in my neck almost constantly. I will get tested soon because I will have passed the window period but could anyone tell me:

1) Can ARS symptoms occur without fever or rash?
2) What is the likelihood of ARS symptoms occuring 6 weeks after the exposure?
3) Can night sweats in ARS occur without fever? What about diahrea?
4) Can a lymph node really remain swollen simply because you touch it too much?

Just looking for some peace of mind.

[mnbamb]

You are not at risk for HIV. That is peace of mind for you. Anxiety,Nerves,Stress,and a simple cold can cause symptoms.

[mnbamb]

If you were the one performing oral, you could be at risk of contacting an STD.

[happydaze]

I'm not going to specifically answer your symptoms questions because they are irrelevant.  HIV is never diagnosed by examining symptoms.  Risk assessment will help identify whether you had a risk and/or how significant the risk, if any.  Finally, a diagnostic test 3 months after your exposure is needed for a conclusive result.  So forget about your symptoms.  Really.  Fughedaboutit!!

The good news is that you had NO risk.  You did the right thing by using condoms for anal intercourse.  Keep doing that.  Oral sex is not a risk.  Why?  Because studies have shown that oral sex is not an efficient means of transmitting HIV.  There have been studies looking at serodiscordant couples who used condoms for intercourse and no protection for oral.  Guess what?  Not a single infection.  And this includes bleeding fums, ejaculation in mouth, etc.  Still not one single infection.  This confirms that condoms are effective for intercourse and that oral sex is not a real means of transmitting HIV.  HIV is a fragile virus and the mouth is a hostile environment.  The mouth has a dozen proteins and enzymes that render HIV unable to infect.  

So no risk.  No need to test.  Good luck!!

[scaredhiv]

Okay now I'm really scared. The occipital lymph node has been going down in size over the last week but this morning I woke up and found a lump in my groin. But it's not on the pelvis area, it is in the scrotum at the top (by where the leg and scrotum meet.) Is this a lymph node or a cyst...I am freaking out. It doesn't seem from my research like lymph nodes are actually in your groin, only where the pelvis and leg meet. But could this be a lymph node?

[Teak]

Only a doctor can diagnose swollen lymph nodes. See a doctor if you have a concern.

[scaredhiv]

The question is are there lymph nodes in your scrotum around the vas deferens in the scrotum?

[LIZZIE LOU]

it is obvious by your posts that you are searching the internet waaaaaaaaaaaaay too much...and your anxiety is waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay out of control.

the FACT is...you were NEVER at risk!

[scaredhiv]

Everyone here is very reassuring but everything but this forum says that unprotected oral sex is a very real risk. Why do so many people on here eliminate oral sex as a possibility of HIV?

[Teak]

Because we aren't working with theorecticals.

[scaredhiv]

But it is not simply said to be theoretical. There are documented cases. Right? Just curious as to why you all say with such confidence that it is 0 risk. What if there were cuts that I was unaware of?

[Teak]

There has never been any verified documented cases of transmission by oral sex.  The studies done were serodiscordant studies for 10 years and no one ever seroconverted by having protected vaginal and anal sex and no protected oral sex. You are not going to make history by being the first.

[soconfused30]

I do need some advice: I had unprotected intercourse (vaginally - I'm female) several times with the same man. I had an Orasure rapid test (the saliva kind) done at the health dept. at 13 weeks and again at 21 weeks after the last encounter, both negative. Do you all know if it's necessary I follow up with a 6 month blood test or am I just being overly cautious? I have no clue what my "ex's" HIV status is though I know he'd had multiple partners. Thanks a bunch.

[Teak]

3 months is conclusive

[scaredhiv]

Interesting because the CDC reports several documented cases of HIV transmission through oral sex. I hope you are right and that the CDC is just being ultraconservative, but it doesn't seem good practice to tell people on this forum that HIV is zero risk Teak, when there seem to be documtented cases.

[Teak]

No where on the CDC website did you read verified documented cases.

[scaredhiv]

Sure did.... www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/Factsheets/pdf/oralsex.pdf

[Teak]

Like I said it does not say VERIFIED....

[nursegirl6572]

I am totally on board with the responses you have received.  If you want to say that there is a minute risk with oral sex, that's fine.  The truth of the matter is...the risk is SOOOOO small it might as well be zero.  How many people in this world have unprotected oral sex?  If it was truly a REAL, concernable risk...there would be newly diagnosed HIV infections as a result of these encounters all of the time, daily.  But there isn't.  Not a handful of infections "on record" that probably were a result of rare, rare circumstances.  The CDC has a responsibility to be ultra-conservative......remember that.

Every infectious diseases doc I have worked with, who specialize in HIV infections have NEVER seen a case of transmission based on oral sex.  NEVER.  Neither have either of the very knowledgeable docs in our expert forum here.  I'm talking centuries worth of combined experience.  That is hard to ignore.  To be conservative....a very small risk is placed on oral sex, because nothing is necessarily impossible.  HOWEVER...you have to understand how the virus works and just how hard it is to get HIV.  It is a sissy virus.

Sooooo, therefore, if you truly want to continue to drive yourself into a state of frenzy over this, and convince yourself that you are going to be infected, despite the MORE than overwhelming facts to the contrary...you go right ahead, but it seeems silly to me.

Lastly.....LEAVE YOUR "NODES" alone.  You are going to end up causing yourself REAL injury by messing with them.  You CANNOT diagnose swollen lymph nodes on your own.  Only a doctor can diagnose that.  If you have a concern...then be examined by an MD.  That being said...lymph nodes are typically very easily palpated...it doesn't mean they are swollen.  Also...if you indeed get diagnosed with a swollen node or two...guess what?  Do you know how MANY conditions/imfections cause swollen lymph nodes?  Too many to count.  Another thing....if you are messing with them as much as I think you are....you will end up with swollen lymph nodes caused by YOU.

If you cannot accept what we are telling you...then test for HIV at the 3 month mark.  After reading your posts, however...I strongly suspect that even a negative result will not convince you.  Stress like this can cause you REAL physical problems....THAT should be your concern....not the HIV diagnosis you are unsuccessfully, unrealistically chasing.

[nursegirl6572]

I just read the CDC page about oral sex risks.  If you read that and took it to mean that it is a very real and likely risk...then you need to re-read it.

To sum up what that page is saying.....

"Anything is possible, but it doesn't mean it is likely."

[scaredhiv]

Thanks Teak and Nursegirl6572. Of course your responses are what I want to hear I'm just very scared and can't seem to figure out what else could be causing my swollen nodes. I know I shouldn't try to self-diagnose myself, but the idea of testing and getting a positive result has me scared to death.

[phobic75]

dear scared,
I was in a similar situation 4 years back and also got this strange armpits pain and was horrified. For 6 months I was living in a hell ( one jerk doc told me to get tested at 6 months )
So i got tested with preyer on my lips and It was negative. You wont believe me but the armpits pain and the " swollen glands " disappeared in few days after I relaxed myself.
To me it appears like it can be caused by excessive stress you are taking to.
relax .

[phobic75]

my "exposure" was a HJ from a poz woman !

[phobic75]

i also sucked her breasts and fingered her but no intercourse of any kind .

[Teak]

At no time were you ever at risk...