This thread is now closed.
Please note that there are many other illnesses that can cause similar symptoms, including colds and flus, even acid reflux, and anxiety can produce physical symptoms. If someone has a sore throat for 2 months, it's time to see a specialist. HIV wouldn't produce symptoms like this for so long in a new infection.
Emily
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NO NEW POSTS, PLEASE
Am sorry to hear about that. I only heard of false positive, but not false negative.
I am convinced +ve since my throat is considered death (plus some others - thrush/myalgia). I used to have good immune system and never have a throat problem for more than a week, now it's 2 months and its peak was extremely severe. I couldn't talk and I knew physically my body doesn't lie. I will test in the end, with a throat no longer mine.
You will test negative, but that does not mean you dont have an infection, i tested several months when i got your symptoms. tested negative but all the symptoms is still there and i have infected my wife and baby through breasfeeding. its either a new virus is around or the tests are no good
Yes Lizzie, one more week to the mark.
What stroke me most (beside the horrible exposure) was the doctor's suggestion to make me test for HIV after checking my throat.
I understand symptoms are not to rely on.
your "symptoms" are NOT indicative of early hiv infection.
cut all the drama and test ! ! !
you are already at the 13th week if im not wrong. You should just get tested rather than going through the anxiety of not knowing.
There is no reason for you to keep going over and over it. You have been advised multiple times when to test.
Dear Teak
I got a lot of respect for you after browsing this forum here for 2months.
My risk is very very high (I described above) and I will do a test soon.
Could you let me have some moral support here since I have nowhere or no-one to go to?
With my heart and soul.
Thanks Master
I started having a sore throat 4th week from infection (could be due to other causes), sometimes felt loss of energy for a second. Then the sore throat worsened in 5th weeks combined with stabbing thigh pains/some lethargy.
I took antibiotics from 6th - 8th weeks but no help with the throat. No sinus, no coughing, unnoticed fever (maybe antibiotics) nor rash.
9th week, I got a feeling some one choking my throat (constriction of some tubes or the lymph nodes ring swollen). It last for 1 week +.
11 weeks, I went to doctor for the sore throat, after checking esp the non-healing ulcer at the back of the throat, he suggested HIV test (I declined). He prescribed me Nystadin (anti-fungal - which mean I got some kind of thrush there - my tongue looked like it).
12th week (today), my throat was still a sore-in-a-waiting to flare up. I dared not talk since it will make it very painful. The ulcer is still at the back of the throat (quite big), I guess a couple more are there making my throat painful when I talk.
I am seeing ENT tomorrow for esophagus check and plan to go to the test-day next week (13th week).
I stopped smoking/drinking for nearly 3 weeks, and the throat not improved, which kinda led me to the worst-belief.
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let me understand well...
you being having symptoms from the time of exposure up to 13 weeks later?
do you understand that hiv and aids are 2 different things?
hiv could give you symptoms at the beginning of the infection but then your body recovers as it does with most virus.
later in life is when aids developed and that's when all opportunistic infections comes raining.
but just like any other disease is not like you get it and then your done.
i can't assured this since i am not an expert nether i am positive.
but for what i read it's not like a chronic or debilitating disease some people goes for years with out even knowing they have it.
yet you say you being having symptoms for over 3 months?
stress on the other hand is nasty, stress is the type of disease that could kill you of something that you don't have.
i know the type of ocd that is running thru your head my story is very sketchy too and i keep thinking the same that i was exposed.
testing is the best you can do regardless of the out come regardless of the result you need to know not for then but for you.
hope the best for you you'll be fine if i cold give you a good advice don't share mouth to mouth things and try to stop smoking for a while your difference are down because stress i catch a mouth infection that is killing me because of this.
keep us update and if you can get a quick test.
you'll be fine i am sure.
Master,
I am glad you could get out unscathed, having the 2nd chance for the normal life (safer, of coz).
My very highly risk exposure (open wound soaked with v.fluid) - mean I'd get what she had (I respected her who earned the living in the most honest way).
The HIV-specific oral/throat manifestations + the doctor's initial verdict (to test me HIV) - already brought me to the knee waiting for the sword.
I'd really need a lot of strength to overcome the upcoming state of denial...
i know that feeling that you're going through i have the exact same thing going walking like the living death.
my mouth is killing me right now and i have no idea what is causing in it.
the doctors just look at me and tell me to eat yogurt is a viral infection or is related to the stomach.
but hiv is not.
i had body aches, night sweats anything that you can imagine.
i went and did a test last week, negative, i was surprised i really thought i was in.
symptoms will drive you crazy but not testing is even more unhealthy.
stress could be worst than most disease or drive you on to one.
stress is not only limited to the body it affect the brain too.
keep us up date
Yes, thank you. I will have to get tested at 13th week (next week). Terrified I am but I have to face it.
Life has been very kind to me so far, and hope it will still be so kind as to give me the strength to live on, no matter the outcome reveals. And I pray to God for that strength as well.
Well, I can tell you that by worrying about it, it ain't gonna get any better. YOU MUST get the test done to get this over and done with. If you test -ve which seems most likely, you will be kicking yourself for living like a zombie for 2 months. Life's too short. You seem terrified of getting tested. Go ahead and do it. Period
How can a risk be increased? It can't.
Dear Ahabib
The condom here "increased" my chance of being infected as it broke and caused frictions/scratches on my penis - opening the door for the virus in the most generous way. After reading the forum, I know exposure risk would be the first to access the situation.
The CSW was like a call-girl (not govt sanctioned-thus no check in place). I am sorry to say she looked like having been in the business for several years. I hope she didn't have it, for my own sake, but if she did then poor both of us and our family..
Thanks again my friend...
I knew now every symptoms will point to HIV like other Worried Wells think. But my throat is burning every minute and it took away my life seriously. My body is fine, but the throat is killing me (2 months of salt gargle, lozenges, 2 weeks of antibiotics, nothing helped). The big ulcer was there for 2 months and no foreseeable time when it will go away. If my ARS/seroconversion was without the throat torture, life would have been not so miserable for me now - even with HIV waiting in the corner- couldn't talk for fear of sore throat.
I used to smoked and drinks heavily non-stop 2 weeks and my throat was as intact as stone back then so I felt something wrong afoot.
The fear of infecting others I meant could be possible via laundering machine, utensils, cups, or simply accident...
How can I exercise with care without being suspected....I wished I was born alone...
I'm sorry that you're feeling this way. HIV cannot be self diagnosed. Plus what you're describing is a strange cluster of symptoms which is probably a usual viral infection. HIV is diagnosed at 6-8 weeks these days with a HIV antibody test which tests positive in about 95% of the people who have had proper exposure. To be absolutely sure, do an antibody test at 3 months as a minority may not have seroconverted for various other reasons. Its unfortunate that your condom snapped. For starters, you could have asked the CSW if she had HIV. There's a possibility you could have asked her to get checked and stop this misery you're putting yourself through. You don't say where in Asia you're from but these days most CSW get checked reuglarly for STDs including HIV. So it is unlikely she had it. Now your condom has snapped but it did offer you some protection compared to none. Plus compared to receiving unprotected vaginal/anal intercourse, being the insertive partner carries a much lower risk of acquiring HIV. There are way too many 'IFs' here and you have not acquired HIV from this. I am confident you will test negative. You are not gonna get HIV from this exposure
You will test negative and then you will see that you stressed for nothing and you can't infect your family even if you had the virus--it is not transmitted from social contact.
Thank you RainLover71.
I'd do the test for the final nail on the coffin...
Just thinking of my risky exposure (the odd is like being hit by lightning and I got it), of the 2-month and counting-never-heal throat, of the candida thrush and the doctor's suggestion to do HIV test - I think my hand is 99.999% folded.
I've been starting to read HIV-positive stories to prepare myself, but the fear of infecting my love ones are killing me everytime I think about it. It simply agonizing...
You haven't even tested positive and you already assume you have HIV.Wrong.Take an HIV test at 3 months post--exposure and relax.You haven't infected any of your family or friends so stop worrying.