Aa
what are the chances...?
Hi,
I'll start from the beginning... My ex boyfriend lives across the country and comes to visit often, he recently got very ill in February. He went to the hospital and they tested him for everything including HIV. He told me that all of tests came back negative. But when he told me they were testing him for that I went into a state of EXTREME stress and anxiety! Very bad.
Him and I had unprotected sex in December 2007 durning Christmas. So, I finally decided to get tested myself in late march 3/28, to be exact. My test was negative, thank goodness!! But durning the waiting for the results I was cleaning out a drawer in our house and cut my hand a little razor blade that was out of place...? My ex boyfriend was in our house 2 weeks prior to my cut. If he was lying about being negative and he was in fact HIV+. Could I have got infected by that razor blade cut. It cut me hand pretty deep. I'm very, very scared. Because I feel like I shown symptoms shortly following that incident.
1. Sinus issues, post nasal drip. red irritated throat. horse voice
2. recently I had swollen throat glands, and one small groin gland with a bump in my pubic hair that I popped
3. glands finally have gone down after 3 1/2 weeks of being swollen. Doc seems to think Allergies...?
4. Got a weird rash on my face and chest, looks like tiny skin colored bumps. Although there was three on my face that looked like a big pimples. the ras kind of comes and goes,. I've noticed it for about 2 weeks now. And very oiley in areas.
5. weird dry dark brown mark on back of my neck. That has now faded.
I am very scared.... Please advise me on what steps I shopuld take. My Primary care Doc isn't very concerned at all of my symptoms. But I don't know what to do...??
Do you think I need to re-test all over again?? Are my symptoms those of HIV?? Oh, yeah the cut occured Easter weekend. So I believe thats now 5 weeks.
Please help. Thank you.
I'll start from the beginning... My ex boyfriend lives across the country and comes to visit often, he recently got very ill in February. He went to the hospital and they tested him for everything including HIV. He told me that all of tests came back negative. But when he told me they were testing him for that I went into a state of EXTREME stress and anxiety! Very bad.
Him and I had unprotected sex in December 2007 durning Christmas. So, I finally decided to get tested myself in late march 3/28, to be exact. My test was negative, thank goodness!! But durning the waiting for the results I was cleaning out a drawer in our house and cut my hand a little razor blade that was out of place...? My ex boyfriend was in our house 2 weeks prior to my cut. If he was lying about being negative and he was in fact HIV+. Could I have got infected by that razor blade cut. It cut me hand pretty deep. I'm very, very scared. Because I feel like I shown symptoms shortly following that incident.
1. Sinus issues, post nasal drip. red irritated throat. horse voice
2. recently I had swollen throat glands, and one small groin gland with a bump in my pubic hair that I popped
3. glands finally have gone down after 3 1/2 weeks of being swollen. Doc seems to think Allergies...?
4. Got a weird rash on my face and chest, looks like tiny skin colored bumps. Although there was three on my face that looked like a big pimples. the ras kind of comes and goes,. I've noticed it for about 2 weeks now. And very oiley in areas.
5. weird dry dark brown mark on back of my neck. That has now faded.
I am very scared.... Please advise me on what steps I shopuld take. My Primary care Doc isn't very concerned at all of my symptoms. But I don't know what to do...??
Do you think I need to re-test all over again?? Are my symptoms those of HIV?? Oh, yeah the cut occured Easter weekend. So I believe thats now 5 weeks.
Please help. Thank you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You do not have HIV. A hundred other things could cause your symptoms, but anxiety is the most likely possibility.
You clearly have an emotional need, and probably a mental health care need, that can only be addressed with proper counseling in person. We do not permit this forum to be a substitute for that sort of care. Therefore, I deleted your most recent follow-up comment. If you post any more comments, I will be forced to delete the entire thread. Call it tough love, but that's the way it is.
You clearly have an emotional need, and probably a mental health care need, that can only be addressed with proper counseling in person. We do not permit this forum to be a substitute for that sort of care. Therefore, I deleted your most recent follow-up comment. If you post any more comments, I will be forced to delete the entire thread. Call it tough love, but that's the way it is.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
HIV is not transmitted by kissing and of course not by sharing washcloths.
You may not keep returning with every additional anxiety-provoked question that comes to mind. No more, please.
You may not keep returning with every additional anxiety-provoked question that comes to mind. No more, please.
Thank you for your response. Hopefully I will be able to put this pass me. And move on.
Also, what are the chances of infection through kissing on lips? Not open mouth. What if he used my shower wash cloth??
Thank you. ANd then I'm done with this.
Thanks!
Also, what are the chances of infection through kissing on lips? Not open mouth. What if he used my shower wash cloth??
Thank you. ANd then I'm done with this.
Thanks!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dr. Hook is away from the forum for a few days.
A 3 month test is 100% accurate and nobody needs testing as long as 6 months after exposure. It is not possible to have ARS symptoms and a negative test at 3 months.
Please accept Dr. Hook's judgment and move on. It's time to end this thread. Best wishes.
A 3 month test is 100% accurate and nobody needs testing as long as 6 months after exposure. It is not possible to have ARS symptoms and a negative test at 3 months.
Please accept Dr. Hook's judgment and move on. It's time to end this thread. Best wishes.
Thank you Doc.
I have very last question for you. Is it at all possible that I could be experincing symptoms of ARS after my 12 week test was negative? How accurate is the test at 12 weeks?
Is it important for everyone to take the test at 6 months??
Thank you very much.
I have very last question for you. Is it at all possible that I could be experincing symptoms of ARS after my 12 week test was negative? How accurate is the test at 12 weeks?
Is it important for everyone to take the test at 6 months??
Thank you very much.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, I think testing would be a waste of time.
As far as your symptoms, I guess you did not read what I wrote above because if you had, you would not have asked the question again. Symptoms have no role in the evaluating f HIV risk. The "exposure" you describe has no credible chance of transmitting HIV. To suggest that the virus somehow was present (doubtful to start with) and then persisted for two weeks is no in anyway consistent with what we know about how the virus lives or is transmitted. It is time for you to get over this. EWH
As far as your symptoms, I guess you did not read what I wrote above because if you had, you would not have asked the question again. Symptoms have no role in the evaluating f HIV risk. The "exposure" you describe has no credible chance of transmitting HIV. To suggest that the virus somehow was present (doubtful to start with) and then persisted for two weeks is no in anyway consistent with what we know about how the virus lives or is transmitted. It is time for you to get over this. EWH
Thank you Dr. Hook.
I know that it sounds a bit crazy that I questioning my ex boyfriends word, but i DON"T trust him anymore. And I saw him recently and he didn't look very well. He's not trustworthy At ALL.
My biggest conern or question for you was if you think I need to go through the testing process again. After getting cut with the razor blade? Is that a high risk situation in your eyes??
And could I be showing early symptoms after 4 months of possible exposure?? Or could these be the result of the cut?
Thank you Doc.
I know that it sounds a bit crazy that I questioning my ex boyfriends word, but i DON"T trust him anymore. And I saw him recently and he didn't look very well. He's not trustworthy At ALL.
My biggest conern or question for you was if you think I need to go through the testing process again. After getting cut with the razor blade? Is that a high risk situation in your eyes??
And could I be showing early symptoms after 4 months of possible exposure?? Or could these be the result of the cut?
Thank you Doc.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It sounds to me as thought you concerns have somehow gotten blown completely out of proportion. Presuming you know your boyfriend well and trust him (after all that is a major basis for any relationship), why would you think he lied to you about this test result. That just doesn't make sense to me. If he wasn't going to tell you, he wouldn't have told you what he was being tested for rather than start misinforming you once the results were back. When doctors have people who are sick and they are not sure what the problem is, they routinely test for many things, including HIV. that they tested him does not in any way mean he was high risk.
Having said that, I would encourage you to look at other posts on this site where you will find our repeated statements that the symptoms of the ARS and early (less than one or two years) HIV are TOTALLY non-specific and when people experience "ARS/HIV symptoms" they are much more likely to have something else, usually some other, more typical virus infection. When this has been studied in the US, less than 1% of persons seeking medical care for "ARS symptoms" are found to have HIV, the remainder having symptoms due to other processes. In addition, it is also important to realize that many person who acquire HIV do not experience the ARS. For a person to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time. I will not deal with your list of symptoms one by one but give you my collective assessment that none of these are highly suggestive of HIV or worth worrying about from that perspective. If they really concern you, see your doctor to help sort things out but do not worry about HIV.
So, in summary, I think you have nothing to worry about. If you don't believe your boyfriend or me, then you could get an HIV test. It will be negative. AT that time, forget about the concerns expressed here. Good luck. EWH
Having said that, I would encourage you to look at other posts on this site where you will find our repeated statements that the symptoms of the ARS and early (less than one or two years) HIV are TOTALLY non-specific and when people experience "ARS/HIV symptoms" they are much more likely to have something else, usually some other, more typical virus infection. When this has been studied in the US, less than 1% of persons seeking medical care for "ARS symptoms" are found to have HIV, the remainder having symptoms due to other processes. In addition, it is also important to realize that many person who acquire HIV do not experience the ARS. For a person to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time. I will not deal with your list of symptoms one by one but give you my collective assessment that none of these are highly suggestive of HIV or worth worrying about from that perspective. If they really concern you, see your doctor to help sort things out but do not worry about HIV.
So, in summary, I think you have nothing to worry about. If you don't believe your boyfriend or me, then you could get an HIV test. It will be negative. AT that time, forget about the concerns expressed here. Good luck. EWH
I knew youd come over here to ask the docs eventually, lol. Hopefully they will be able to reassure you and get you calm.
I am sorry to hear your situation; I am in similar situation, not being able to trust my partner who says she took test NEGATIVE; I am begining not to trust her; I still have symptoms. But you shoud be OK.
You are reading content posted in the HIV - Prevention Forum
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
