Teak, I am more confused now then I was before

[veron747]

1.I had thought I was coming here for confirmation that I was right that hives are not associated with ARS. I feel really good about the answer I got saying that my friend was not at risk form her husband, but I got mixed answers on the hives issue. Can you give insight into this, when I talk to my friend I want to tell her no risk, but i surely don't want to say that hives can be a symptom of Ars:) Let me now, what you think about the hives/ars issues?

2.Unrelated, but twelve weeks is conclusive on hiv test?

3. would ars ever just be. hives, sore neck, and swollen galnds? Would't it be more than that?

4. Would lupus, fibromyalgia, or autoimmune thyroid disease cause false positive on home access hiv test(for my own info)?

[Teak]

At no time were you at risk of contracting HIV. End of discussion.

[veron747]

Thanks Teak. I know I am not at any risk, it was my friend situation that was the concern. Realize there is no risk with her reagarding to her husbands blood transfusion, just wanted clarification on the hives situation? Not really for her benefit, simply because I wondered what the correct answer was.

[nursegirl6572]

You need to let this go.  It truly sounds as though there is something you aren't telling us.  Are YOU really the one with the risk?  Something just doesn't add up.

The answer to your question, as it was already answered is NO, hives are NOT a specific symptom of ARS.  ARS has a lot of very unspecific and vague symptoms.  Even someone who truly had a risk can never gauge their risk by the presence of physical symptoms.  The vast majority of people who test POS for HIV have never had one symptom.

And lastly....those conditions you mentioned will not affect an HIV test result.  Nor will any medications.

[veron747]

Nursegirl,
Actually, it really isn't me. It is a dear friend who is just really upset. She has helped me through a couplle of things so I feel obligated to do the same. That is her only "risk", which I guess you are saying isn't one. So I have told her that there is no risk from unprotected sex with her husband because his transfusions were safe? Is that a correct statement in your opinion. As far as the hives go,I was just trying to sort it out before I went to her with the info., I truly didn't think hives were indicative of ars, I thought it was more of a rash(non itchy). I just was thrown when Dr. Hook said hives can occur with ars. I just didn't want to say that to her, I hope you can understand that. That was what i wondering, I mean tons of people I know have had hives all over their body, I just have always assumed it was a pretty normal occurence.
As far as the testing goes, I asked the question because I am getting tested in a few weeks. I had a very low risk situation,which I really didn't want to delve into because it is personally upsetting. My husband had an affair and I am going to get tested twleve weeks to the day after the last time we were together. That will be a week from tomorrow. I just wanted to know if those medical issues would cause a problem with the test. I had read sometimes autoimmune issues can, that was my concern. I know when I was pregnant the elisa was positive and the western blot negative, they said it was due to the pregnancy. I had also read that multiple pregnancies can cause a false negative, I have been preganant 4 times. Just wondered what to think about that. Also, is the twleve week confiramtion that I am fine? Sorry this is long and thank you for everything.

[nursegirl6572]

Yes, that would be correct that your friend has nothing to worry about....you cannot get HIV if you aren't exposed to it....and being that her husband couldn't have been via a transfusion, then she is just fine.

As for your situation...of course you are doing the right thing by getting tested.  Try not to worry too much.....and remember that HIV is actually a very difficult virus to transmit.  It takes basically a set of near perfect circumstances.  Chances are your husband wasn't exposed during the affair.  Was HE tested?  If not...I would ask him to test while you wait for your 12 weeks.  That would ease your mind tremendously.

Also, as far as I know...pregnancy does NOT affect HIV tests.  Some people just happen to test POS (falsely) on the ELISA, and always will.  If that is the case for you...then you can rely on your WB results.

Best of luck...hang in there, you will be fine.

[veron747]

Nursegirl,
You are a lifesaver!! I truly appreciate your kindness and info. Yes, he was tested at twleve weeks from his exposure and he was negative, Technically since he was tested twelve weeks from the last time he was with that person then he is fine. My Dr. said that means I am fine, would you agree? I am getting tested for my piece of mind, but hopefully I already have my answer.
As far as my friend goes,THANK YOU!!! Let me enlighten you on a very funny update, since i paid 15 dollars to get it answere she tells me this TONIGHT. One week to the day before her hives started she had called her Dr. because of sinus issues. Without seeing her he called in augmentin!!! She took it for one week and the hives started!!! The Dr. told her to stop taking it and put her on steroids and zyrtec, and 4 days later a cortisone shot. He also determined it probably was just clear congestion and not an infection!!! My feeling is she had a reaction to the penicillin, she has terrible seosonal allergies, the worst I have seen, horrible sinus issues since I have known her, ALLERGIC TO CATS, TOMATOES,NICKEL, GOLD, AND SOMETIMES GETS RASHY FROM LATEX. My feeling is augmentin+hives+allergy. So after all of this she tells me about the meds. She did have a rast test for penicillin and it came back negative, but an infectious disease Dr. I know said doesn't matter, the rast is not a sensitive test, it probably was an allergy. She did have angiodema around eyes which makes me belive even more it was an allergy!!Wondered what you thought.

[nursegirl6572]

If your husband tested negative, then YES, you are in the clear!  Great news.

It certainly sounds like your friend had an allergic reaction to something...and she was started on a few new meds...she could have reacted to any of them.  It sounds like she is pretty sensitive with all of her preexisting allergies.

Allergic reactions typically happen pretty quickly, within a few days of starting a med...so that may help to narrow down for her which one was the culprit.  And, yes...it COULD still be the Augmentin.  She could have reacted to the other components in the drug...not necessarily just the penicillin.

[veron747]

Gotta love best friends, they will do you in!!! She is still taking the zyrtec, so that wasn't the culprit. It seems like the only thing it could have been was the augmentin. So even thought he rast was negative, some Drs. have said that that doesn't matter, I gusee that test isnot always accurate. I said what are the chances you would get ARS THE SAME TIME YOU ARE ON AN ANTIBIOTIC?!!!! Make me crazy!!!The angiodema is what made me lean towards allergic reaction, what do you think?
So I really don't need to test then?