To all those who are stressing out... some words of comfort and my experience

[FreakedOut24/7]

Just got my 6th week results: Negative. I am now ready to move on with my life, and it has helped me to realize that people are freaking out over something, and in their mind create a larger problem.

Unlike others, I had a slightly possible risk, unprotected sex twice with my girlfriends whose ex used to be into some seedy stuff and a notorious womanizer. Naturally I freaked out about STDs, and coincidentally got sick at the same time, sore throat, fatigue, stiffness in neck, and all the symptoms looked like ARS so I was like a chicken with its head cutoff worrying day and night. Spent hours on these damn websites trying to calm me down, would wake up in the middle of the night worrying so much about HIV infection. Got myself so worried I developed an aphthuous ulcer in my mouth, now it also presents itself in HIV sufferers, so I was basically out of my mind at that point, and didn't relate it to the stress I put myself under.

Stopped whining and searching for symptoms, took my balls out of my purse and got tested. That week waiting for results was torture. After that went back, sat down with a counselor, my heart about to pop out of my chest and heard "Negative." What a sigh of relief! The counselor then talked to me about my fears, she laughed and stated that my chances are so low, getting it from heterosexual contact is really low risk, the only way they get worried is when you have had homosexual contact, use of needles, or your partner uses/used needles. The risk I was at was low. I had myself built up over nothing and looked for something to validate it! What a waste of time!

Anyways I'm getting on with my life, and all those that were in my shoes, don't waste time looking for something, you will either find something small and relate it somehow to ARS, or if nothings there, your mind will create it. aYOur mind is a VERY powerful thing, don't let worry take a hold of you.  If you are really worried, GET TESTED!!!

To bigdummy: I have seen alot of your posts... dude you have a really low risk of HIV. Get on with your life! You are wasting your time, find your balls and get tested! I have truly found out what Teak and others have stressed for so long, SYMPTOMS MEAN NOTHING, ONLY SURE WAY IS TO GET TESTED!!.

[anonym3333]

Hi,

also to all worried - if you scroll down a bit, also I was having a ton of so called symptoms and still have some after 6 weeks. They either maybe unrelated different problem partially (and certainly aggravated by psyche) and some maybe psychological only.

I begin to believe the experts after my 6 weeks Antibody test...am still somewhat scared about the 8 weeks though.

But I'm also absolutely sure by now, that your psyche (and I never ever went through so much continous stress and sleep depriviatin ever in my life, than this last 6 weeks), can easily trigger some of them - or increase other normal stuff.

So - take this as an example as well - at least so far (6 weeks) I'm still negative - and I do surely hope to stay negative - most experts told me so from very early and I start to believe it.

So also I can definitely be used as perfect example, what your mind can do being overly anxious, feeling heavy guilt and fear.

HIV Phobie seems to be much more common, than HIV.

[regularjoey]

Guilt and HIV phobia, you said it.
Plus lack of real knowledge about how HIV is spread.
Dr.HHH had this excellent post today about HIV "education" out there.

"I agree with your assessment of the available information. In my opinion, it isn't only (probably not even mostly) because of overt (and intentional) biased by religious or political conservatives. Clearly that explains some 'educational' messages, but many others probably are just naive, with the writer, or the agency the writer works for, unthinkingly saying what they been told, without real understanding. Others may be developed by non-epidemiologists who don't really understand how to incorporate perspective instead of absolute risk statements. Still others are driven by a legalistic, CYA perspective--i.e., to take no chance of liability if someone reads the information and gets infected. In most cases, probably several of these dynamics are at work simultaneously."

[Teak]

That's the reason for the disclaimer on this website:

Information contained within this site is intended solely for general educational purposes and is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice relative to your specific medical condition or question. Always seek the advice of your physician or other health provider for any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies.

[anxy08]

Hello anonym333

I'm having almost similar thing you encountered before. How are you now ? What is you r final result after 3 months ? 6 months ?

I'm got my 8 weeks - negative, still worried, since weight loss is persistent

[helpplz03]

8 weeks negative. Ur done my friend. Get on with ur life.

[anxy08]

how sure it is ? is there any case where 8 weeks turns positive later. I'm still having lingering sore throat (past 1 mth), weight loss and mild fever (37 c).

i am still afraid for my 3 mth elisa test, which will be another 3 weeks.