hiv risk & symptoms questions.

[dukebluedevil]

Back on the 1st of November I had sex with a colleague of mine and the condom broke - so we had a period of unprotected sex until we both got off.  She is on the pill, but I'm very worried about hiv.  We realized it afterwards and I immediately became very worried.  She has assured me time and time again that she has been tested and is negative for all STD's, including hiv.  I went and got tested on Dec 3rd (a bit over 1 month after our encounter) and tested negative for all STD's, including hiv.  Around the time our our encounter, I was feeling like a flu-like sickness coming on, which was the worst the morning after we had sex.  Mucus, sore throat, cough, etc.  I tried to fight the illness with rest and natural remedies, but eventually went to the doctor and got a decongestant & a Z-Pack and felt better around Nov 15th.  I experienced some tiredness, fatigue over the last month and a half, but since I've been working long hours, eating late and working out late, I thought it might be due to that...but now I'm very worried seeing the hiv symptoms.  I don't remember experiencing any loss in appetite, sores or chancres, illness or enlarged lymph nodes.  Approximately November 15th (approx 2 1/2 weeks after our sexual encounter)) I developed oval rash patches, varying in size, with raised outer-perphireal rims with lighter centers on these parts of my body including : chest, stomach, sides of abdomen, inside of my biceps, trunk, around, but not directly on my genitals, back, neck and a few isolated on my lower legs & lower forearms.  They are itchy after a shower and become needle-like/sting/itch when I work out and raise my body temperature. Could this be a symptom of hiv?? I was told it was Pityriasis Rosea, but I'm worried because of my hiv risk & reading rash.  It is now Dec 27th and the rash patches are pink/off-white color with a flaky, brown, dry peripheral edge. They appear to be beginning to dry out, I guess? (it's been about 6 weeks since I saw the first few).  In areas where they have started going away, my skin is discolored off-white circle patches.  On top of this, I've also developed dry, flaky areas around my chin, on the side of my facial hair mustache area and side of face, on my forehead and my nostril folds. They become dry and flake throughout the day and especially when I get out of the shower.  I've seen a lot about seborrheic dermatitis and I'm very worried as it shows up being linked to hiv.  Could this be due to the change in season to winter?  Is Seborrheic Dermatitis a acute/early symptom of hiv I should be worried about?  I am freaking out and am very worried.  Thank you so much for your help and God Bless.

[Naseeb]

four and half week is good indicator that u r not infected. But to be more assured, get one more at 6 weeks. It will be negative. Over half of the population got sick during winter time either with flu or cold or coughing. Besides, symptoms are never reliable indicator of hiv anyways.

[dukebluedevil]

Hi Naseeb.  I really appreciate your comments and willingness to help me.  I will take your advice and go back and get tested again.  I am still very nervous, as I'm sure you can expect to go back and get tested again...however I've also been informed of something called Worried Well.   I definitely qualify for almost all of the criteria and just must say that I appreciate your willingness to support information to my question.  The more I've thought back at the timing of all of my issues, I went camping in sub-freezing weather, got sick and have studied more up on Pityriasis Rosea and I fit most of the criteria for the symptoms, type of rash, etc.  My rash is almost completely gone and it is 8 weeks from when I saw the first evidence of it today. I guess it just gets the best of you and occupies your every thought. I must say, it truly means a lot and I am very grateful to be able to receive feedback on this forum.  Thank you.

[NoMoreScared]

I was in similar situation, I had one night stand with office lady. She wasn't coworker though. I had portected sex and unprotected oral. Anyways, to get to my point, after the sex ofcourse I got worried about hiv and believe it or not, I text messaged her ten times on her work phone and she assured me again and again that she is clean and if I am worried, just to a doctor. She also might have thought that I was psycho, haha. Oh by the way, she don't talk with me anymore, I guess due to my anxiety driven behaviour. But, I got tested after around 6 and half weeks and it was negative. I left that episode behind me and move on.