Anxiety or HIV?

[jacklaco]

Hello, I posted this in the HIV forum but they say my risk didn't exist for it even though I think I somehow got it. Can someone here read my very real symptoms in the post to tell me if this all can be caused by anxiety or something else? I want to feel normal again and don't know what to do. Thanks.

In 2008 I had a risky exposure with a female CSW. I had condom protected sex, with an unprotected handjob. I am not sure how I was exposed but I am 99% certain I have been due to symptoms I have started experiencing in December. Up until then, I have only had a weird unexplained body rash that appeared last year that I would consider "weird".  It came and went away.

But as of December I have had the following HIV symptoms: stomach aches (slightly better now), loose stools & diarrhea once a morning every morning and constant stomach growling,, GERD (acid reflux), heartburn, mouth ulcers and tongue pains, white tongue with sometimes thick coat? (thrush?), dry lips, plugged up sinuses with yellowish mucus in the morning (which I still have, is this a sinus infection?), small blood when I blow my nose (sometimes), achey leg pains in right upper leg & groin, and behind left knee (possible lymph nodes), possibly swollen lymph node in neck and right armpit, pimples, contact dermatitis on sides of head where glasses meet skin... is this seborrhea? (I have had eczema as a kid)  , dry skin and dry hands (I wash them a lot), scratchy throat but not severe or really painful, dry cough (sometimes), extreme fatigue sometimes, (not as bad lately), eye floaters are seen a lot more than usual ( I am nearsighted), numbness in left foot sometimes.... And more.

Are these classic HIV symptoms? Why get a lot of this in December? Would HIV start affecting me all of a sudden 2+ years after? This was my only stupid mistake I have ever made that put me in danger. Is it possible I have HIV with a condom protected encounter, something could have went wrong without me knowing! I just feel not right at all since December, everything I get points to HIV. Most of what I am contacting now sticks with me and doesn't go away, isn't this a sign of a poor immune symptom? Experts out there... does this sound like I have HIV?

I appreciate you taking the time to read this and help me,

Thanks.

[nataliexxx]

I have a massive hiv anxiety and i dont have it, but had ALL the symptoms.
your body can do all sorts to you. i swear i could feel swollen glands in my arm pitts and groin and nearly had a heart attack when a heat rash appeared on me.
but suprise suprise i didnt have it.
your 'exposure' to HIV was ZERO!!!!! goodness if HIV could be passed on that way, i think we would all have it,
maybe its guilt that is doing this to you???? but you do not have it from this.

in my instances the only way to get it out of my head was to get a test, it would be a complete waste of time for you, but it will stop your anxiety and funnily enough ALL your symptoms will go away.

[Tristan32]

Okay, so I typed really fast.. lol.. job, HIV and.. I forgot to metion..yes, with the ocd anxiety.. you get all kinds of symptoms.. because you think them up.. try to take it easy.. best of luck :)

[Tristan32]

I can understand your worry. I myself have Anxiety. Not just the blow off kind.. the kind that sometimes dictates my life. I've gotten three HIV test in the past few years.. and.. I've been with the same guy for 6. Doesnt make sence does it?.. Right before him and I got tegether i was with someone different..then there was him.. so I worried about possibly being exposed.. even though.. there was no chance of that. You cant get aids by a hand jub unless you had an open sore on your "stuff" and she had an open sore on her hand. Aids or HIM dies when exposed to air. ALll these symptoms you may be experiencing may just be stress induced along with a few other things.. like Allergies, colds, heat rash, stress rash, and maybe some are just because your putting way.. to much thought into it. Get a test done.. it will ease your mind.. and then.. step away.. maybe talk to your doc while your in there about whats on your mind.. and how you've been feeling.. I'm 21.. and never knew until a year ago I had anxiety.. I wouldnt accept it.. i called bs. Then.. I started to notice things .. and now.. I deal with constant fear.. sometimes depressed.. and deffinatly overly stressed. The doctor told my i had something called OCD Anxiety.. I worry about my health.. alllll the time. I worry about others.. and a possible impending doom in every situation. I hope I may have been some help. Or maybe gave you a few more ideas. Either way.. good luck.. try to be open minded.. and if you can help it.. try not to think the worst.

[nursegirl6572]

If this was your only exposure, and you didn't have unprotected anal or vaginal sex, or shared IV drug works, then you absolutely do NOT have HIV.  Condoms work, and handjobs present ZERO risk.  And, before you ask, that includes if any bodily fluids came in contact with your skin, or any cuts you may have had.  HIV is NOT transmitted in this manner.  HIV requires a set of near perfect circumstances to occur, and transmission has to occur INSIDE the body, where conditions are proper to keep the virus from becoming inactive.  The virus cannot survive nor infect outside of the body...and if your condom didn't burst wide open (you'd have known), then the condom worked.

Just about ALL of the symptoms you listed are typical of anxiety.  Anxiety can cause a HUGE variety of symptoms...and the more you worry and the more you seek info about HIV, the more you will convince yourself your "symptoms" are related to HIV.  That's what anxiety does.

If you cannot accept these facts and put this behind you, then talk to your doctor about addressing your anxiety.  

Again, HIV is NO concern here at all.  NONE whatsoever.  You don't require testing.  If you feel it would help you to move on, then seek out a simple HIV antibody test.  It will be negative.

[cj29]

Health anxiety is quite common in this community.  You had protected sex, so you have nothing to worry about in my opinion.  Have you been tested since 2008?  I believe that you should focus on your anxiety.

Anxiety is a very powerful force in my opinion.  In health anxiety, we can convince ourselves that we have what  we are concerned about in my experience with it.  For example, the source of my original anxiety was concerns about my heart health.  I felt every little pain, palpatation, twinge, etc....you name it, I felt it.  Do you have access to counseling?   For me, talking it over with someone gave me the knowledge to comprehend what was going on and gave me the tools to deal with it....keep us posted!