This appears to be an unrelated question. I will provide a single answer.
Your 7.5 week test is highly reliable. I would believe it and move on. EWH
Hi Doc,
I have some follow up questions, hoping you can assist me.
After 4.5 weeks past possible (HIV) exposure I came down with a really weird set of symptoms which prompted me to go to the doctor. I was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. I had fatigue, muscle and bone pain, sore throat, swollen tonsils and neck glands, upset stomach along with a cough and shortness of breath. I took a rapid HIV test at 6 weeks and another one at 7.5 weeks (53 days) to be exact (both negative). My cough is still present at the moment and tonsils and neck glands are still swollen. I went back to my doctor and she's not too sure whats going on at the moment. Throat culture results are still pending. My question is the following:
Can I rely on my 7.5 weeks rapid test at the moment. I have never experience this specific symptoms before which for the most part lasted about 3 weeks. Can I discard HIV infection from a 7.5 weeks rapid test?
Thanks in advanced Doc!!!
Welcome back to the Forum. Realizing that your concerns reflect your concern that you might have had sex during your black out period (do you really think you could get an erection under the circumstance. I end to doubt it) and the fact that there were no WBCs on two occasion, the chance that you had chlamydial infection is miniscule- less than 1% when all is considered, probably far less.
It would be most atypical for chlamydial infection to present as a onetime discharge. Typically symptoms start and then become more pronounced over time.
No, there is no smell associated with chlamydial infection.
Your HIV question takes your "what if" scenario to another level. Do you really think a HIV infected IV drug user would have sex with you, and not take you money? Seems unlikely to me. If you had sex with an infected person, the risk of getting HIV is about 1 infection, on average, per thousand exposures.
Cipro is not reliably curative for chlamydial infection but it can make symptoms resolve. Were this the case, the tests your urologist has taken would be expected to be positive.
I hope this helps. My guess is that there was no sex and no risk. I do not have an explanation for sour single episode of smelly urethral discharge. EWH