The Deepest "Worried Well" Ever

[Uwe_2010]

Hey everybody,

I don't mean to waste anyone's time but I just wanted to get some opinions on my ARS symptoms. I am aware that testing trumps symptoms but I am just trying to get a handle on how I should feel going in for my 6 week test on Friday.

Instead of linking to my previous threads, I will quickly summarize my situation. I am a male who had unprotected sex with a seemingly low-risk female friend. At around Day 5, I started feeling a bit "glandy" under my chin and my legs felt tired and weak. My legs have felt tired and week from this Day 5 to the current Day 41. I've had difficulty with my appetite through this entire period but have not lost weight.

In and around Day 26, I started feeling extreme fatigue. I would sleep 12 or 14 hours a night and still feel my whole body being tired the next day. This fatigue has continued unabated for the last two weeks. Also around Day 26, I got a small rash on the top of my foot that cleared up in 2 days but a small white spot has remained. On Day 40, I noticed that my right cervical lymph gland has swollen up quite a bit (which concerns me because I do not seem to have any related problems in my mouth or throat). I do not seem to have any other swollen glands. I have no fever, no sore throat, no other rash, no headache, no mouth ulcers, joint paint, etc.

1) If my fatigue starting on Day 26 was related to ARS, would it be unusual to have a swollen gland appear two weeks later? I have read that the symptoms are supposed to come together, and I think Dr. Handsfield intimated that swollen glands would come early.

2) Also parsing some of the Doctor's advice, would it be unusual to have ARS symptoms that only included profound fatigue and a loss of appetite (igoring the recent gland swelling)? I've never felt fatigue like this before in my life.

3) I've continually read that the symptoms show up anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks, with 2 to 4 weeks being the most common period. Would it be extremely unusual to have a single swollen gland representing the start of ARS on Day 40? I mean, are we talking lottery odds or simply uncommon? If I had it, would it be more likely to have started with just the fatigue on Day 26 or the single swollen gland on Day 40? I am trying to think that the gland and the fatigue can't go together.

4) Is the sum of all these symptoms typical or unusual for it to be ARS?

Thanks to anyone who responds. I'm sure anyone in my position can remember how helpful even a few words are from someone else with a bit of experience in this area.

I know the time for questions and self-diagnosis is almost over but I am just absolutely terrified over here. I don't know that anyone has ever been as convinced as I am.

[Teak]

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[naveea]

Thanks for your reassurance too

Well yes odds are strongly in favour with the exposure being protected oral and vaginal and 6 weeks negative,however when i think about the symtoms.. i just loose hope

1. Fatigue is something which can be present for various reasons ,,,so i cant comment on that

2. Yes

3,Its possible.. thats why they have 12 weeks as the window period

Call up the girl (if she is not a CSW,you should be able to reach her)and ask her her status
and if possible get her tested

[Uwe_2010]

Maybe I will try my questions a bit more clear. And, I will try to depersonalize them a bit to make any answers more useful.

1. Can fatigue occur in isolation from other symptoms? Or, is fatigue sometimes listed as a common symptoms because the other symptoms (fever, sore throat, etc) would MAKE someone fatigued? I see it both listed and unlisted as a symptom from reputable sources.

2. I've read that symptoms tend to onset together. Would generalized lymph node swelling be similar in that it occurs in all nodes in and around the same time?

3. If a 6 week test is 95% accurate and an 8 week test is 99% accurate - does rough math allow us to assume that only around 1 or 2 percent of people would have ARS symptoms starting at 6 weeks (allowing time for seroconversion).

[Uwe_2010]

Hey thanks for the response Naveea. Made me feel a lot better, for a few hours at least. :)

I looked at the background on your situation, and maybe I can offer some similar reassurance (at least to the HIV part - obviously you have a lot of symptoms).

If it's the unprotected oral sex that you are worrying about then your odds of HIV would be 1/20,000 (conservative estimate of transference from oral sex) x .3% (India's general incidence) x 5% (chance that your 6 week test is wrong) = about 1 in 12 million. I assume the protected sex would be equally astronomical.

[Teak]

* Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusively negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to action by MedHelp. Conclusively negative results or a no-risk situation will be based upon the criteria established by MedHelp’s doctors. Action will be taken as follows:
* After excessive posting, a warning will be issued by MedHelp
* Continuing to post regarding the negative result / no risk situation will result in a 3 day suspension
* Continuing to post upon your return will result in a permanent ban.

[naveea]

Dude ,Relax you symptoms are not even close to ARS

ARS usually has the below symptoms

1. Swollen lymph nodes should be in more than 1 place
2. Fever is always present
3.Rash is on trunk or chest
4.Sore throat
5. Muscle and Joint Pain

I have had all of these ..and too scared to get tested @12 weeks

Get tested @12 weeks ...

[Uwe_2010]

Maybe I can shorten one of my pressing responses to avoid people having to read through that big block of text at the top.

When lymph nodes swell due to ARS, do they all swell at once or could they swell in stages? I've now had a single node on the right side of my neck swollen for about 36 hours since Day 40. Should I expect more or would nodes coming one by one be unusual?

Thanks so much