cold, sore throat & weight loss

[anxy08]

Dear Dr,

(a) I am a male, having exposure by having sex (protected vaginal, receiving unprotected oral) with Chinese female sex workers (CSW) precisely 57 days ago (8.1 weeks). I did ELISA test on 22 and 38 and 54 days, it came out negative. The ESR computation was 37 on the 22 days but reduce to 20 on the 38th days.

(b) However, I am still worry much about the windows period. During the 1st to 4th weeks, I've got the gastro problems (diarrhea with black mucus, not more than 1 week and constipation) and the doctor gave me nexium 40mg, motilium and xanax (for anxiety). The doctor also did endoscopes & found little bleeding in my stomach. On the 4th to 8th week (now), I am having :

(i)         Sore throat (its not really sore throat, I did feel something inside my throat and sometimes affected my breathe, the doctor said that it may due to acid reflux, which is due to anxiety?)
(ii)        Difficulty to sleep, loss of appetite, numbness (especially during sleep),
(iii)       Muscle aches (on the left side only, last for only 1-2 days),
(iv) Ulcer, not painful, inside mouth,
(v) Cold (ranging from 37.5 to 38.5 celcius) , with cough, sore throat and green mucus

(c') But the thing that worries me most is UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS. From 7 to 16/3/2008 (for 9 days), I precisely lost 2.5kg, from original weight of 87kg to 84.5kg.Then, on 2/4/08, I've loss another 2.0kg to 82.5kg (17 days). Today, (1/5/2008), my weight is 81.4kg . In total, for the past 57 days, I've lost about 5.6kg!. In addition, I couldn't increase my weight, even though I forced myself to take regular & more meals everyday. I also recognize that my hips, buttocks and feet are getting smaller than before ( I do recognize it because my existing shoes getting looser than before)

(d) My doctor said that the above might persist due to anxiety that I am facing. But I am still unconvinced & seeking opinion & scientific explanation, especially where did the food go through (even though I am eating regular/more than before) from one doctors/counselors, after another.

My question is:

(a) Is unexplained weight loss a hiv symptom during windows period. If so, how severe and what is the cause? If so, can it be detected during 54 days period ? I also read that unexplained weight loss during ARS is uncommon, is it true ? Or could it be lipoatrophy during windows period ?

(b) Is lingering sore throat (after 6 weeks post exposure) could be another HIV symptoms ?.

(c') What is my risk exposure?.

(d) Any possibility that the above symptoms merely due to my anxiety?. Can anxiety alone cause severe weight loss?.

Can I rely on my existing 54 days ELISA Test for my comfort?. I am also thinking to do a DNA PCR test, just to relieve my anxiety & move on.

Thanks & kind regards

Anxy08

[jajoliv]

anxiety can cause many of the s symptoms. most people on here say 6-8 week negatives means good chance you dont have hiv but if your still unsure they recommend you go back and test at 3months. the chances of getting hiv receiving oral sex are pretty much slim and none and protected vaginal sex is very very very low risk. u should stop stressing and just try to move on. you ll prolly start to feel better once u stop stressing.

[anxy08]

Thanx for the reply

i am having a cold (37.5 to 38) now (in week 8 post exposure), can it possibly be late ARS?

[jajoliv]

anxiety may not be causing the cold but it can slow u from healinb becuase aniety and depression can sometimes weaken your bodys natrual defense and make u vulnerablt to all kinds of things im going through the same thing now but i had unprotected sex and i tested negative at around 60 days on the oral swab test

[anxy08]

i had prolonged sore throat too that takes makes me loose apetite.Don't know what to expect for my 12 wk elisa test.

[jajoliv]

doesen't seem like u were at a high risk to me. i dont think there has ever been a documented case of hiv through unprotected oral sex if u are receiving. i think u will be fine.

[anxy08]

i am also having mild cold (37 to 38.5 c) for the past one week and still having it now plus rashes on my hand. Can ARS still occur on week 8 ?

[karim2008]

Dear Teak

(a) I am a male, having exposure by having sex (protected vaginal, receiving unprotected oral) with chinese female sex workers (CSW) precisely 65 days ago (9 weeks). I did ELISA test on 22 and 38, 54 and 65 days, it came out negative. The ESR computation was 37 on the 22 days but reduce to 20 on the 38th days and later ncreased to 75 on 65 days (i had cough, mild fever and cold)

(b) However, I am still worry much about the windows period. During the 1st to 4th weeks, I've got the gastro problems (diarrhea with black mucus, not more than 1 week and constipation) and the doctor gave me nexium 40mg, motilium and xanax (for anxiety). The doctor also did endoscopes & found little bleeding in my stomach. On the 4th to 9th week (now), I am having :

(i)         Sore throat (its not really sore throat, I did feel something inside my throat and sometimes affected my breathe, the doctor said that it may due to acid reflux, which is due to anxiety?)
(ii)        Difficulty to sleep, loss of appetite, numbness (especially during sleep),
(iii)       Muscle aches (on the left side only, last for only 1-2 days),
(iv) Ulcer, not painful, inside mouth,
(v) Cold (ranging from 37.5 to 38.5 celcius) , with cough, sore throat and green mucus
(vi) rashes around forearm

(c') But the thing that worries me most is UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS. From 7 to 16/3/2008 (for 9 days), I precisely lost 2.5kg, from original weight of 87kg to 84.5kg.Then, on 2/4/08, I've loss another 2.0kg to 82.5kg (17 days). Today, (1/5/2008), my weight is 80kg . In total, for the past 65 days, I've lost about 7kg!. In addition, I couldn't increase my weight, even though I forced myself to take regular & more meals everyday. I also recognize that my hips, buttocks and feet are getting smaller than before ( I do recognize it because my existing shoes getting looser than before)

(d) My doctor said that the above might persist due to anxiety that I am facing. But I am still unconvinced & seeking opinion & scientific explanation, especially where did the food go through (even though I am eating regular/more than before) from one doctors/counselors, after another.

My question is:

(a) Is unexplained weight loss a hiv symptom during windows period. If so, how severe and what is the cause? If so, can it be detected during 65 days period ? I also read that unexplained weight loss during ARS is uncommon, is it true ? Or could it be lipoatrophy during windows period ?

(b) Is lingering sore throat (after 6 weeks post exposure) could be another HIV symptoms ?.

(c') What is my risk exposure?.

(d) Any possibility that the above symptoms merely due to my anxiety?. Can anxiety alone cause severe weight loss?.

Can I rely on my existing 54 days ELISA Test for my comfort?. I am also thinking to do a DNA PCR test, just to relieve my anxiety & move on.

Thanks & kind regards

Anxy08

[karim2008]

i had my 65 days elisa test - negative. But I am still worried. How reliable it is after 65 days ? Still in windows period.

[diver58]

Both of you posted identical text. First of all, relax and learn that you do not have HIV because,

1. You had protected sex and your condom did not fail.
2. Receiving oral by me is no risk behavior. Nobody contracted HIV this way and you are not going to be the first one.
Your all symptoms are anxiety driven, the condition, these days you are going through with. Remember ! ARS is a package of symptoms with fever (101-104 F) and body rashes being the essential part of the package. You do not have ARS.

Do not focus much on symptoms, they do not mean much because many really infected people never experiences any symptom.

Your 65 days AB test could have been highly reassuring but not conclusive, if you were exposed to the risk, but you were not, so no matter how long after the exposure you go for the test, results will be the same "NEGATIVE".

After exposure of unprotected oral sex, I would advise you to get an STD panel run because other STD's including herpes can be transmitted this way and you know, herpes is also not curable.

[diver58]

Just a correction of typo,,,,,,, receiving oral sex by me,,,,, LOL it is to be read as BY MEN,,,,

[abdo518]

Does itching have anything to do with HIV symptoms?

[worried826]

No, itching is caused by like 1000 other things other than HIV. How did you even try to tie the 2 together?

[abdo518]

I had an itching sensation on the back of my head at a barber shop and I got so worried because I had sex with a prostitute 5 weeks before it and then I started worrying a lot and could not sleep at night and then I lost appetite for eating and started losing weight and went to the doctor and she told me that I had h pylori infection in my gastric and that all of this is because I worry a lot and that there is nothing to worry about because I had protected sex and I only was inside her for less than 2 minutes and that h pylori can’t be transmitted by sex. She also told me that over the past 80 days I never had any abnormality in my lymph nodes so don’t worry.

[karim2008]

i've done full medical checkup on 3 weeks post exposure (include vdrl) and pep & urine testing with std specialist on week 7, all came out negative. Do I have to retest @ 3 months ?

Thanks for your reply

[Teak]

You were never at risk of contracting HIV. You had protected vaginal sex and receptive oral sex is not a risk of contracting HIV.  

[anxy08]

I just got my 85 days elisa result. Negative. Should I re-test at 6 months ?