Many ARS Symptoms...Complex story, please read all.

[Becjon]

Thank you for this service.
Here's my situation:
I am a 20y/o Caucasian male. Heterosexual.
In September '05 I was diagnosed with a very bad case of Mononucleosis (Glandular Fever). I recovered from the sore throat, swollen glands, etc. But, was still very tired for a while. I had just left for a year long study abroad program in London England.
I didn't wait the recommended 3 months and drank a lot (like most of the Brits do)...I found a steady gf (unprotected sex) and was tested in November '05 to make sure everything was OK. Everything was fine and negative.

Then we broke up at Christmas.
In Mid-January '06 I had unprotected sex 3x over a week with a friend, who had just come abroad for a semester program. It was pretty vigorous, and she was quite "dry", than my normal experiences. I woke up the next day (of the first time) with irritated pubic hair follicles. I still had those irritations when we had sex again the 2nd and 3rd time. I ejaculated in her.  

About a week later I came down with a sore throat, chest infection, swollen glands, etc. I was given amoxycillin for 10 days and I felt better but not completely I also had a rash (possibly shingles) underneath my left eye and blurred vision in that eye.  I went to an eye  specialist and she thought it was viral conjunctivitis..but also asked if I was HIV-positive...which got me thinking.

Since then I've had many ARS symptoms. Swollen glands in throat, arms, and groin. Cancre sores. Cold sores on lips. Pains in my abdominal area. Tiredness like when I had Mono. Weird Change in vision. the rash under my left eye, which has now showed up under my right eye. (I can't find a rash anywhere else on my body.) But my chest does itch randomly. Stiff neck, sore muscles....

I went to get checked about 3 weeks in. They said it was pointless to get an HIV test because I needed to wait the 3 months. (I am in London England, so I don't know how the health system is compared to US/Canada). They said I was low risk.

I found out she had a boyfriend of 2.5 years and broke up with him when she left for her abroad program. But, I also found out that recently one of my other friends had unprotected sex with her also, after me. However, I'm not sure if I was the first before her boyfriend. I confronted her about it but she got very angry, said she was clean and hasn't talked to me since. She seems pretty promiscuous, and not very safe.
Questions:
1) After reading this, with the symptoms I'm experiencing, what do you think my chances of contracting HIV are? I know symptoms don't = HIV, but it's hard to ignore these symptoms. Especially with info im getting about her.

2) When should I go get tested for HIV? its been a month.

3) I would like to get tested for  HSV-1 and HSV-2. How can I do that in London, England, and does it cost anything?

4)Do you think it's possible that due to my drinking right after having Mono, that my symptoms are due to this? Like, the pain in my abdominal area is my liver?

[pencilpen]

A related discussion, Mono vs. ARS was started.

[Becjon]

Dr. HHH,

I'm still concerned about my symptoms and HIV....its been about 6weeks

Recently, I've developed a fever, although it's unconfirmed. It feels like a low-grade fever. Also my glands seem to be swollen still (neck, arms, groin). and i feel itchy all over, feeling like im gonna breakout in a rash....the rash on my face is still there...and it is not itchy at all....also my eye still is blurry, and i've developed 2 tiny cysts on my left eyelid...isnt that weird? a month ago, i also had a cyst on my other eyelid....after a week, it disappeared...
also...my lower abdomen area on each side of my torso is painful....it feels like something internal is wrong...

i've been to a doctor and they barely examine me...im in london.....

tomorrow im going to get tested for HIV as its been around 6 weeks since exposure.

do these symptoms suggest ARS?

[Becjon]

Dr. HHH,

I'm still concerned about my symptoms and HIV....its been about  6weeks

Recently, I've developed a fever, although it's unconfirmed. It feels like a low-grade fever. Also my glands seem to be swollen still (neck, arms, groin). and i feel itchy all over, feeling like im gonna breakout in a rash....the rash on my face is still there...and it is not itchy at all....also my eye still is blurry, and i've developed 2 tiny cysts on my left eyelid...isnt that weird? a month ago, i also had a cyst on my other eyelid....after a week, it disappeared...
also...my lower abdomen area on each side of my torso is painful....it feels like something internal is wrong...

i've been to a doctor and they barely examine me...im in london.....

tomorrow im going to get tested for HIV as its been around 6 weeks since exposure.

do these symptoms suggest ARS?

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Those symptoms do not sound at all like ARV.  If they persist, continue to follow up with your own health care provider or GUM clinic.  I don't understand your comment about whether you had a girlfriend or not; my previous reply just referred to the partner you described in your question.

HHH, MD

[Becjon]

Thank you for your comments.

I have some further concerns

It's now been about 6 weeks since exposure.  I've been getting alot of cancre sores, and cold sores. I also feel like my whole body is itchy and worried that I have a generalized rash. My vision has also definitely changed, and has not improved. My eyes are very sensitive to light, and I've had a rash under my eyes for longer than a month now, with no real reason.

I've never had cancre sores with such frequency, nor had a rash under my eye like this.
It's very disconcerting, and am really worried. How could all of this be just a coincidence

Do these sound like ARS to you?

also. u didn't read my post correctly. I'm not the one with the girlfriend. The girl who I am worried about, had just come out of a serious relationship. But I've heard from her friends that "she is a big slut and is not faithful to him".

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Search the STD forum threads for "time to positive HIV test" for multiple discussions back-and-forth on this topic.

HHH, MD

[Willl]

Search for "time to test positive". He has said before 80 to 90% at a month. Ok, don't quote me on this because I can't back it up, but I read in another forum that someone emailed Dr. Ho and he replied that at 6 weeks tests should be at least 90% accurate. At thebody.com, I have read 95% at 8 weeks.
Also as I have posted here before, it appears Massachusetts is accepting 6 weeks as conclusive.  

http://mass.gov/dph/aids/edu_promo/guide_counsel_test.pdf

[Willl]

Some that are dear to my heart:

http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/524.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1000.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/697.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1357.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/768.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1290.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1177.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1436.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1296.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/2195.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/2011.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1420.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/2309.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1391.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1780.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/1741.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/STD/messages/2323.html
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/STD/messages/2441.html

Other test info from this forum:

-Oral tests are as good as blood tests except for false positives
-Home Access (anecdotally 1st gen) a few days from 4th gen accuracy

[justwondering8]

.... sorry they said they use a HIV 1 and 2 (ELISA 1 and 2???). If it shows positive then they would use a western bloc.

so what are the percentages of accurracy on HIV 1 and 2 being tested at 4 weeks.

[justwondering8]

I believe the type of test they use is called Western Bloc.

[justwondering8]

Dr. HHH, your comment above of "although HIV tests occasionally take as long as 3 months to turn positive, most infected people have positive results within a month" do you know if this holds true for the way they test for HIV in Canada. The Center for Disease Control in British Columbia said that they test for the anti-body and at 1 month they said that there is only a 20-50% chance it would show up positive if you had HIV. Are they just being very conservative?

[HHH,MD]

I meant to add that I can understand why your former girlfriend is angry with you.  From you description, she did not behave irresponsibly, and nobody has an obligation to tell new partners their entire sexual history, to reveal their past partnerships, etc.  And there is nothing in your story to suggest she has an STD or that you caught anything from her.  Unless there is missing information here, you probably owe her an apology.

HHH, MD

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I'll go straight to your specific questions.

1) Based on your description, the likelihood you have HIV is extremely low.  Obvkously that could change if you had stronger reason to believe your partner was infected, but I agree with your providers' assessment that you are at low risk.

2) Visit your one of Britain's excellent genitourinary medicine clinics for personal advice.  You will find people there who understand that although HIV tests occasionally take as long as 3 months to turn positive, most infected people have positive results within a month.  (Search this forum for "time to positive HIV test".)

3) Again, check with a GUM clinic.  They will be able to test you for HSV, or advise where testing is available.  But there is nothing in your description that suggests herpes explains any of your symptoms.

4) To my knowledge, alcohol intake does not affect recovery from mononucleosis.  The reason to avoid it is because mono sometimes causes liver inflammation and so can alcohol, ie avoiding alcohol in theory might reduce the risk of serious liver disease.  But you probably are well beyond that stage.

Good luck--  HHH, MD