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HIV Prevention (Expert Forum)
Am I at risk...what should I do now???
Answered by
Edward W Hook, MD - HIV Prevention, stds
This forum is limited to prevention of HIV and to safe sex in general. If you believe you might have been exposed to HIV and want help to judge your risk, would like advice about HIV testing, or have questions about the effectiveness of condoms or the risks associated with specific sexual practices, this is the site for you.
IMPORTANT
No questions will be accepted on the treatment of HIV/AIDS or its complications, viral load, and similar topics. If you have questions about a specific STD other than HIV/AIDS, please visit the STD Forum. Questions that do not pertain to the above topics will be removed from the forum.
If you have not done so, please review other threads in our archives for questions similar to yours and Dr. Handsfield's replies. Questions that duplicate other frequent ones, for which abundant replies exist, and that have little educational value for other forum users, will be DELETED WITHOUT RESPONSE. YOUR PAYMENT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. The most common examples of such questions are those about low risk exposures to HIV, such as oral sex, condom- protected intercourse hand-to-genital exposure, and nonsexual contact with possibly infected blood or body fluids as well as symptoms of early HIV infection.
No questions will be accepted on the treatment of HIV/AIDS or its complications, viral load, and similar topics. If you have questions about a specific STD other than HIV/AIDS, please visit the STD Forum. Questions that do not pertain to the above topics will be removed from the forum.
If you have not done so, please review other threads in our archives for questions similar to yours and Dr. Handsfield's replies. Questions that duplicate other frequent ones, for which abundant replies exist, and that have little educational value for other forum users, will be DELETED WITHOUT RESPONSE. YOUR PAYMENT WILL NOT BE REFUNDED. The most common examples of such questions are those about low risk exposures to HIV, such as oral sex, condom- protected intercourse hand-to-genital exposure, and nonsexual contact with possibly infected blood or body fluids as well as symptoms of early HIV infection.
Am I at risk...what should I do now???
by prettyworried43, Apr 30, 2008 10:22AM
Dear Doctors,
About 7 weeks ago I had proteced oral and vaginal intercouse with a CSW at a massage parlor. I had the same experience again with the same girl a week later and then two weeks after the second encounter. The girl brought the condom out in a kleenex, which has me worried. I dont think the condoms ever broke because I believe I would have noticed. I asked her if she went to the doctor to get checked out often and she said she did so that she could take care of herself. About a week after the last exposure, I began to have a constant discomfort in the tip of my penis (not during urination) which felt like I had to consantly go the the bathroom. This had me worried about possibly gonorrhea. I went and had an STD check at the health department 15 days after last exposure (getting the results this friday). I also had blood drawn to check for HIV and syphillis.
Last week I began to have a stiff neck and yesterday I began to have soreness under one of my arms and sore muscles in the shoulder region. I also had diarrea yesterday and today and have also felt sick at my stomach for about a week before.
Should I be very concerned about HIV and have another test at a later date? I have read through all the posts, but I wanted to get your advice for my personal case. I also wanted to know if anyone you have every dealt with on these forums has actually gotten HIV from the situations they told you about. Thanks for your time.
About 7 weeks ago I had proteced oral and vaginal intercouse with a CSW at a massage parlor. I had the same experience again with the same girl a week later and then two weeks after the second encounter. The girl brought the condom out in a kleenex, which has me worried. I dont think the condoms ever broke because I believe I would have noticed. I asked her if she went to the doctor to get checked out often and she said she did so that she could take care of herself. About a week after the last exposure, I began to have a constant discomfort in the tip of my penis (not during urination) which felt like I had to consantly go the the bathroom. This had me worried about possibly gonorrhea. I went and had an STD check at the health department 15 days after last exposure (getting the results this friday). I also had blood drawn to check for HIV and syphillis.
Last week I began to have a stiff neck and yesterday I began to have soreness under one of my arms and sore muscles in the shoulder region. I also had diarrea yesterday and today and have also felt sick at my stomach for about a week before.
Should I be very concerned about HIV and have another test at a later date? I have read through all the posts, but I wanted to get your advice for my personal case. I also wanted to know if anyone you have every dealt with on these forums has actually gotten HIV from the situations they told you about. Thanks for your time.
Doctor's Answer
by Edward W Hook, MD, Apr 30, 2008 02:42PM
, Apr 30, 2008 02:42PM
You are about to get the same advice that you have seen given to others repeatedly. Condoms work and thus, with condom protected sex you are not at risk. Furthermore, the odds are that your partner did not have HIV (few commercial sex workers do) and, even if she did and even if the condom had broken (both unlikely) the odds of getting infected are 1 in 1000 per episode. Bottom line - you are not at risk.
As for your symptoms, to also repeat prior advice, the symptoms of the ARS are TOTALLY non-specific and when people experience "ARS symptoms" they are much more likely to have something else, usually some other, more typical virus infection. When this has been studied in the US, less than 1% of persons seeking medical care for "ARS symptoms" are found to have HIV, the remainder having symptoms due to other processes. In addition, it is also important to realize that many person who acquire HIV do not experience the ARS. For a person to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time. Your muscle stiffness, sore neck, and GI upset are not an indicator of HIV.
You do not need further testing. Time to move on. Hope this helps you to do so. EWH
As for your symptoms, to also repeat prior advice, the symptoms of the ARS are TOTALLY non-specific and when people experience "ARS symptoms" they are much more likely to have something else, usually some other, more typical virus infection. When this has been studied in the US, less than 1% of persons seeking medical care for "ARS symptoms" are found to have HIV, the remainder having symptoms due to other processes. In addition, it is also important to realize that many person who acquire HIV do not experience the ARS. For a person to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time. Your muscle stiffness, sore neck, and GI upset are not an indicator of HIV.
You do not need further testing. Time to move on. Hope this helps you to do so. EWH
Thanks again for your time.