Tested 8 weeks after giving oral

[tiger99]

I am a bisexual male and about a year ago I met another bisexual guy online.  After meeting at a local bar we went back to his place.  We kissed a little and eventually tried giving each other oral.  I guess neither one of us was really into it so we stopped after a few minutes (like 5 min. max).  Neither one of us ejaculated.  Both of us had some precum, however.  That was the limit of the exposure.

A week later I started feeling sick (body ache, underarm pain, sinus congestion).  It hit me that I never asked him his HIV status which I always did before and I had no way to get back in touch with him since I threw his # away.

Eight weeks after the incident I got tested and it was negative.

It will be a year in February since this happened.  I have been feeling sick off and on since then.  I'm always congested and my underarms hurt every once in a while.  Everytime I get a headache or anything I start to worry about HIV.  I know the possibility of him being HIV+ and I got infected through this are slim to none.  I've gone to a local testing facility and they say I don't need to be retested if that was the only exposure I had which it was.  

Do any of you have advise on how to get over this irrational fear?  

[dobber21]

'Every time I get a headache I think of HIV'.
There's your problem. You don't have HIV.
But you have mental issues. Like most of us. Seek Counselling and celebrate your negativity:)

[rocky999]

Hey Tiger,
Your test results prove you are HIV -.  Your symptoms after one week of the exposure are too soon to show if due to HIV.  In any case, the exposure you describe is not high risk.  You need to follow up with your doctor to determine the real cause of your symptoms ..... in the meantime, get HIV out of your mind.  Take care.

[scarycat]

I just noticed that it says this forum is now patient-to-patient and not moderated anymore. So does Dr. H quit?

[rocky999]

Maybe he just got tired of repeating the same stuff over and over to people who were not really under any risk.  In any case, I wouldn't blame him.  But hopefully, he is just taking a break.  I have learned so much from him and really appreciate the time he has spent in these forums.  Let's pray he is coming back soon!!!

[WorriedT]

I think the link from the home website is passing us straight onto the HIV support forum rather than going to the HIV prevention forum that it's labelled with. You'll find Dr HHH is still moderating on the HIV prevention forum...

The direct link is as folows...

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/HIV/wwwboard.html

[scarycat]

Thanks, worried. That's a mistake, right? Now everyone is asking prevention-related questions in the support forum.

[kekelow]

Peace.

[tiger99]

Thank you for the responses.  

It's amazing how this fear can be to intense and yet, unwarranted.  The worry I've dealt with this past year has really been a damper on a lot of things.  For example, I was on vacation in Ireland and got a cold and decided to cut my trip short and come home early.  I was so scared it was ARS.

I'm going to seek counseling to deal with my underlying fears since I know it's not HIV.

Thanks!