Help put my mind at ease doc.

[scared4878]

I have posted a similar question in the public forum and received answers but I have decided that it would be best to pay the fee and hear directly from the Dr.

Here is my situation.  
I had unprotected sex with a 19 year old white college girl about 8 weeks ago.  I was tested negative at 3 weeks and tested negative at 7 weeks.  It seems like constant conflict about when test results are reliable.  I was on antibiotics  for some time prior to these test, 5 days of zithromax and 10 days of biaxin, for a chronic sinus and ear infection.  Some people make me think that results are only good at 13 week and not a day before and that is it.  Others say results are good from 6-8 weeks, its making my head spin, I wish I would have never looked up symptoms on the internet. Here are my questions for you

1) Did my antibiotics have any effect on my results? Is it safe to say that I can move on and try to not think about this anymore?

2) I have had a few canker sore type sores show up in my mouth this week, I know that ARS symptoms usually show up after 2-4 weeks, but could these sores be HIV related? Would any symptoms I get at this point unrelated to ARS?

Thank you for this great service you provide here, it has really helped me out through these few weeks.  

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I have not read your post on the public forum but I'm sure you were told your risk was very low.  That is certainly what I am going to do.  Before I answer your specific questions however, let's put this in perspective.  There are over 300 million people living in the United Stated of whom 1 million have HIV.  Thus, on the basis of this fact alone your changes of having HIV are less than 3 in 1000.  Then, realizing that infections are more common among men who have sex with other men, drug users and minorities, the chances that your partner was infected are still lower.  Then, your odds of getting HIV, IF SHE WAS INFECTED, are less than 1 in 1000 exposures.  thus, your odds of infection are somewhat less than 1 in half a million at that point.  Clearly, the odds are in your favor (this is not an endorsement of unprotected sex, just a statement of the risk).  Still worried?  Don't be. At seven weeks, when you were last tested, 98-99% of all tests that are going to be positive will be.  Now, if my math is correct, your odds of infection are more like 1 in 50 million.  Pretty slim and not something to worry about.  Now on to your questions:

1.  Antibiotics do not effect the development of a positive HIV antibody tests.  you have nothing to worry about.
2.  No, no way.  Read a selection of posts on this site. In doing so you will find that we never endorse symptoms as an indicator of HIV.  Your canker sores are just that, canker sores.

Hope this helps.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Lymph node swelling is a non-specific reaction by your body to an insult.  Your sore would qualify and to have lymph node swelling there is quite typical.  Unless it is casuing your great trouble, I would not be concerned or feel the need to see your doctor. EWH

[scared4878]

I promise that this is my final question.  Would it be abnormal to have a sore lymph node just under my chin on the same side as the ulcer or cut or whatever it is in my mouth?  Would you recommend seeing a Dr in this case?

[scared4878]

Thank you so much for your answer, hopefully I can put this in the back on my mind and focus on my graduation this weekend.