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HIV Prevention (Expert Forum)
Worried about HIV
by alwaysthinking85, Feb 07, 2007 12:00AM
I had unprotected sex about 7 weeks ago. We were both really drunk and we started to have sex and then stopped because we didn’t have a condom. 4 weeks later I got a fever for a couple of days, I thought it was related to this my birth control that had been bothering me all month and I was about to start my period. I switched birth control and I felt better for about a week and then I started looking up symptoms for HIV and started to freak myself out. I haven’t been able to think about much else and I can’t sleep. It has been almost 7 weeks now and I have a sore throat and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. I cannot tell if I have swollen lymph nodes in my armpits or in my groin area but I have been trying to touch them and see and I think it may be aggravating them. The more I think about it the more I feel like I can feel them, but I don’t know if it is all psychological. I was put on antibiotics for possible strep throat and my throat doesn’t hurt anymore I just feel very stressed out and I think it is making me feel worse. I asked my doctor if I could have HIV and he said no because my tonsils had pus on them and it was definitely something wrong with my tonsils. I talked to my partner and he said he has been tested and is clean, but you never know. I want to get tested now, but I am told I have to wait 3 months and that seems so far away and too much time for me to worry. It’s driving me crazy. Can I get tested now, will a regular blood test show if I am HIV positive or negative at 7 weeks? Should I keep getting retested until 3 months or 6 months to be sure?
Doctor's Answer
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Feb 07, 2007 12:00AM
, Feb 07, 2007 12:00AM
The risks of HIV in this situation depend of course on your partner's risks--but if he is honest in saying he is HIV negative, clearly you have no worries. Every symptom caused by HIV is also caused by many other viral infections and other conditions, almost all of which are more common than HIV infection. Therefore, symptoms are never a valid indicator of a new infection, no matter how 'classic' they appear to be.
You should ask your doctor about infectious mononucleosis. Many of your symptoms are typical of mono (which usually is sexually transmitted).
Your doc is wrong about having to wait 3 months for HIV testing. Modern HIV tests almost always are positive within 6 weeks. You can get tested now with reliable results.
For more information, search the forum for 'ARS symptoms' and 'seroconversion window' and 'time to positive HIV test'.
Bottom line: Relax. Whatever is causing your symptoms isn't HIV. You can count on a negative test result.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
You should ask your doctor about infectious mononucleosis. Many of your symptoms are typical of mono (which usually is sexually transmitted).
Your doc is wrong about having to wait 3 months for HIV testing. Modern HIV tests almost always are positive within 6 weeks. You can get tested now with reliable results.
For more information, search the forum for 'ARS symptoms' and 'seroconversion window' and 'time to positive HIV test'.
Bottom line: Relax. Whatever is causing your symptoms isn't HIV. You can count on a negative test result.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
