extremely worried

[needhelptonight]

Put simply on 7/13 or 7/14, I was in LV on a business trip.  Too much to drink.  Up getting a cab home from an adult entertainment business, it was suggested that they could connect me with a home.  We had sex.  I can't remember clearly if she used a condom.  I thought she put it on at the very beginning for foreplay then did her business both above and then me on top.  It was very brief.  When i got back I had three mornings where I woke up and was very sweaty, running hot.  Honestly thought it was "detox", my body trying to handle the excessive alcohol.  Then things settled for a bit, not that i was 100%.

As of now, I just had my first night sweat, have had headaches (soley right side for several days), sore lymph nodes (armpits for past few days), back pain (past few days), really bad nausea (for over a week now), pain in my upper right side of my stomach (over a week), chest pain, runny nose, etc.  Am really flipping out.  Bad panic attacks.

What's worse is have had unprotected sex with my finance twice since then because I thought everything was okay.  She's worried about me, I am feeling terrible both physically and mentally.  I don't know what to do?  I don't know if I have HIV, Hepatitis, etc.  Am just panicking badly right now....Need help.  Am going to my personal doctor tomorrow morning assuming I can get in and explain my situation.  I am an idiot....drinking and self destructive behavior.....

Any advice.  Help.  What do I need to do?  Is this HIV? Hep?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Hepatitis B is more easily transmitted but there is less of it out there, in part because most poeple who get the infection recover and are no longer infectious. Thus, even counting persons from other nations, you remain at lower risk for hepatitis B.

Time for this thread to end. Take care. EWH

[needhelptonight]

I can't thank you enough throughout this difficult time.  I have confided in several of my closest friends (they are encouraging me to "take it easy" and not let the anxiety take over.  Find things to do.  Go for a walk.  Get out of the apartment.  I do want to confide my poor judgement to my fiance (she knows I struggle with alcohol), but I know she will abandon me with this type of behavior.  

Lastly, your help has meant an awful lot to me as have your quick responses.  Thank you so much.

One last question though, you mentioned that Heb B would be more difficult to obtain, but I thought that most folks/sites state is that it's 100 times more easily transmitted than HIV?  The reason I brought this up is that that woman that I had sex with seemed definitely not from the USA.  i.e. Either Latin or APAC (difficult to see clearly).  That's why I was worried about Hep B.  Sorry to add so much verbiage.   If I make it through this in the clear I am definitely going to get fully vaccinated as I only rec'd two of the three shots required back in 2007.  I will also stay monogamous + wear condoms until we have children.  Let me first get through this, please lord help me.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

There is no harm in re-testing for HIV in one month, particularly if it will give you peace of mind.  The risk of hepatitis B is lower than the risk for HIV but if you wish to test for that, that too is fine. Testing for hepatitis C is a waste of time. this infection is virtually never transmitted through heterosexual contact.

Your doctor will know which tests for perform for hepatitis B, the antibody tests are quite standard.

Finally, if you had an STD (you don't) condoms would be protective for your fiancé.  EWH

[needhelptonight]

One, hopefully last question.  Regarding HIV, it sounds from your feedback 60 days is ample time, but regarding Hep B, in reading on the web, it sounds like they may not be able to detect this until I am from 45 days into 120 days out?  Does this sound correct?  Is there a specific test I will have to ask my doctor to approve?  Also will condoms protect my finance from this (granted we have already had unprotected sex two times after my screw-up).  Any advice would be appreciated.  thx.

[needhelptonight]

Thank you for your response and my apologies for creating a separate thread.  The symptoms were occurring two to three days perhaps up to one week prior to the test.  Honestly I cannot remember clearly.  The nausea + lymph node (armpit discomfort) and headaches all came on around the same time.    

If I may clarify one point, should I retest for HIV and Hep B/C in one more month or in two months?  I have spoken with numerous friends about this situation and they like yourself have reminded me about my anxiety issues.  Am in a holding pattern....other than piece of mind would taking a test in two to four weeks be okay?  Sorry to bother.  

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I just read your other thread which did not need to be started and will be deleted).  Your negative 4 week test results do not mean nothing- they are further evidence that you did not acquire HIV (or hepatitis for that matter) from the exposure you had.  While definitive results will not be available until 8 weeks because while 90% of persons with HIV will have positive tests by 4 weeks following exposure, a small proportion (about 10%) of persons with HIV do not develop positive tests until between 4 and 8 weeks following exposure.  Hepatitis is even rarer in the U.S. as an STD than HIV.  

I presume that some of your current symptoms were present when you were recently tested. this too is evidence that this is not HIV. had your symptoms been due to HIV, blood tests taken a week after the symptoms began would have been positive.  

You have been seen by your doctor who did not feel HIV or STD was likely, you have negative tests and you have my advice.  It remains most likely that you coincidentally caught a flu-like illness which is making you feel poorly or are ill from some other cause.  I suspect your guilt and anxiety over this adds to  the severity of your symptoms.  they remain MSOT UNLIKELY to be HIV, hepatitis or any other STD.  I hope you'll be feeling better soon. EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No change in my assessment.  I anticipate this will turn out to be coincidence and your flu-like illness will not turn out to be HIV.  EWH

[needhelptonight]

I called my Dr. For results.  Got his nurse who said everything seemed to check out okay.  Here are my issues: terrible nausea, cramps, headaches, foot pain, arrmpit pain, odd pain from bottom,  etc.  Nothing consistent, but the nausea can truly be debilitating.  Am going to see my doctor tomorrow to get better insight into this and my results.  Am extremely worried and afraid that this will turn out badly for me and my girlfriend..... Any sage words.

[needhelptonight]

One last question clarification about me/the other individual.  I have genital warts and I believe that the woman was of Asian descent as she did not speak much (did not seem from this country).  That's about it.  Have heard the having an STD can increase your chance to catch an STD and that folks from APAC region are more prone to things like Hep/HIV depending upon their occupation.  I may be reaching, but I did want to clarify.  Regardless thank you for responding.http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/extremely-worried/show/1574683#

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll be happy to comment.  The risk from the exposure you describe is low.  Your recollection of condom use is likely to be accurate making the exposure you describe safe sex.  Even if you did not use condoms, it is unlikely that your partner had HIV or hepatitis (both are uncommon in Las Vegas commercial sex workers), and the risk of getting HIV from a single exposure, in the unlikely situation both that she had HIV and did not use ca condom) is less than 1 infection for every 1000 sex acts.  You symptoms in the days after this exposure are not due to HIV- HIV does not cause symptoms of early infection in the first week after exposure.  It is more likely that this, as you suggest, does represent "detox".

As for your most recent symptoms, indeed, they have some of the characteristics of early HIV infection however they also are the same symptoms we see in persons who get flu-like illness from any of the hundreds of viruses that circulate all the time on most communities.  If you've been ill for more than a week and are not getting better, you may wish to go and see your regular doctor for his/her assessment but the chance that this is HIV of viral hepatitis is very, very low.  When symptoms of this sort have been studied in at risk persons, fewer than 1% have HIV.

The chance that you in any way put your fiancé at risk is lower still.

I hope this perspective is helpful.  I hope you'll be feeling better soon. EWH