lingering joint and muscle pain

I'm a gay man, I had unprotected oral sex  and protected anal sex with a poz guy I was dating. During the course of things he put a fresh condom on after he was tired of the other one and it popped almost suddenly as he went in anally. He is undetectable and did not ejaculate in condom.So i felt confidant until I started having joint pain in my knees legs arms, and muscle stiffness and shooting sharp pains accompanied by occasional muscle spasms in my arms about two weeks later. After this I decided to have an hiv test 36/37 days post exposure. I requested a PCR but my doctor felt it was unnecessary.  Instead he ordered a standard blood test to look for antibodies. The results of the test came out negative but 6 weeks later I still have "lingering joint and muscle pain that seems to migrate to different areas of my body. :( Either its the weather or God only knows.

I'm stumped. Could this all be coincidental. I know Acute infection has a broad scope of symptoms. But I'm in fear that is what this is. So I question wouldn't muscle and joint pain attributed to a viral infection accompany some type of fever. I'm confused and worried. I will get tested again... next month that will mark three months. In the meantime the negative result gives me minimal comfort because of the relentless aches. Any sound advice would be warmly appreciated.

[rocksteadyx0]

I forgot to mention he pulled out and put on a new condom after that one popped... just to clarify that

[giveface]

Your test results and your lack of fever or other constitutional ARS symptoms highly indicate that you are HIV negative.  Add to this he is on treatment, which is great!

[rocksteadyx0]

thank you so much giveface)))))...yes he is on treatment. .True these are not conventional symptoms... It feels good to know i have no fever. I guess the fact its been lingering so long is what alarms me the most.

[Teak]

The lack of symptoms is not an indication of anything. You can obtain your conclusive test result 3 months post exposure.

[rocksteadyx0]

Exactly ...yea three months is what I'm waiting for. But would these symptoms linger this long over 5 weeks normally if it was due to this type of infection. It seems outlandishly long.

[Teak]

No. Symptoms with ARS comes on 2-4 weeks post exposure and lasts 1-2 weeks. That's if a person has symptoms at all.

[rocksteadyx0]

wow...now that is interesting.

[giveface]

Have your test at three months.  I am a gay male and this is why I do not have anal sex at all, condom malfunctions.  But everyone is different and you have to do what's in your comfort zone I guess.  

[rocksteadyx0]

your right giveface..I hear you, why even bother right?....its just this waiting period is agonizing. The crazy thing is this is this is the first condom I've ever had pop on me, right when it was with a poz guy. The fact there was no ejaculation is the only true comfort. I shoulda just sticked to oral sex that is virtual almost no risk.

[giveface]

But we should be using condoms for oral too.  Also, when I replied earlier I read that the condom "almost popped".  Since it definitely did pop, you had a small risk.  What I should have said is that you have factors in your favor, which I mentioned above.  

[doglover12]

Hi. how did you know the condom poped? i had a similiar situation (i'm a female though) also symptoms only should last a couple of fews so i'm sure its not hiv related but im going through the same thing so i know how tough it is.. =(

[rocksteadyx0]

Antibodies take that long to show up in blood?  I heard the 3 month rule over and over but I wonder...if the virus replicates so fast, i wonder why. It makes you never want to have sex with all the confusion floating around on the web and even in the doctor's office.  Apparently even if your tested with your partner sometimes tests are no guarantee if numbers stretch as far as 3 to 6 months. Def a game of chance.

[Teak]

http://www.cdc.gov/globalaids/Resources/pmtct-care/docs/TM/Module_6TM.pdf
Page 11
#4
  In an adult, a positive HIV antibody test result means that the person is infected, a person with a negative or inconclusive result may be in the “window for 4 to 6 weeks but occasionally up to 3 months after HIV exposure. Persons at high risk who initially test negative should be retested 3 months after exposure to confirm results

[rocksteadyx0]

Hey doglover12 well I know cause it was a loud popping sound. It really startled me actually. He doesn't seem to be that pressed about what happened but I am. It seems like I'm alone in this confusion. I hope your right doglover12 I truly do. Teak said the same thing that it would never last this long. I pray you pull through your ordeal just fine. I know the waiting and wondering is annoying isn't it?

[rocksteadyx0]

Thanks Teak for the link and further insight. All I can do now is wait to take the second test and hope for the best outcome. sigh. Thats all I can do whats done is done! Speculation is pointless and so analyzing symptoms at this point.

[rocksteadyx0]

it seems like no one out there can related to my jointpain/muscle inquiry..I guess this is not as common as I thought pertaining to this issue.