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HIV early signs? please help I'm scared
I had sex with 17 days ago with a female who I've met in the club with condom. then after 2 days I had neck pain and back pain in my neck, could this be an early signs of HIV infection? I got really anxious and stress about all these symptoms and constantly looking through the internet. Then after three days after I had sex I started seeing red marks that looks like scratch marks in my skin that appears and disappear in 5-10 minutes. I still have them now 17 days after my encounter. I live in the UK now and I must say that the weather is really hot this time between 25-30 degrees Celsius. I have had this kind of rash last year but it is more like a hives that looks bumpy and watery inside that last for 5-10 minutes too. I've constantly pressed my lymph nodes in my neck and armpit for more than a week now and now they are swollen too. I am really anxious, stressed and scared right now, my blood pressure tends to go up as well. Can someone help me please? thank you everyone.
Thank you very much! I can't thank you much enough for your help. I will try not to think about it too much from now on. Honestly, I have been really stressed for nearly 3 weeks now and constantly thinking that I am infected, that I have ruined my life. I will try to avoid touching all my lymph nodes in my body from now. Thank you
Also, we have an HIV Anxiety user group here that you may find helpful:
http://www.medhelp.org/groups/hiv_anxiety_support
http://www.medhelp.org/groups/hiv_anxiety_support
You never had an HIV risk. When a condom remains intact covering the head of your penis, transmission is impossible. You did a good job by insisting on safe sex.
*And also, could it be possible to have swollen lymph nodes in my jaw through constant touching and pressing? Absolutely.
*Can stress and anxiety mimic all the early symptoms of HIV? Yes. Plus, you have to understand that TRUE ARS symptoms are very commonly seen in SO many other conditions/infections/issues. It's not like HIV has a unique telltale symptom that would be hard to ignore if it presented. Not to mention, the timing of your symptoms (like remar said) would absolutely exclude HIV infection, even if you had HAD a real risk (which you didn't).
There was a study done among thousands of people seeking help in an ER setting, convinced they had HIV due to their "symptoms". Over 99% of those people tested negative for HIV and their symptoms were attributed to something else...common garden variety infections, anxiety, etc.
Sadly, there is SUCH an overinflated view about HIV, due to poor education and fear based teaching. HIV is actually quite rare, and VERY difficult to get. The only way you would ever place yourself at risk would be through unprotected vaginal or anal sex, or by sharing IV drugs/works. Nothing else will put you at risk, not even other non-intercourse sexual acts.
You don't need testing for this encounter. IF you feel it will help you move on, then have a single antibody test at 3 months. Ignore the urge to excessively test, as that will only fuel your anxiety. If you still find that you cannot let it go and quit worrying about it, then seek professional help for the anxiety. Keep yourself busy, don't search the internet...that will help you put this behind you.
You never had a risk, and you don't require testing.
*And also, could it be possible to have swollen lymph nodes in my jaw through constant touching and pressing? Absolutely.
*Can stress and anxiety mimic all the early symptoms of HIV? Yes. Plus, you have to understand that TRUE ARS symptoms are very commonly seen in SO many other conditions/infections/issues. It's not like HIV has a unique telltale symptom that would be hard to ignore if it presented. Not to mention, the timing of your symptoms (like remar said) would absolutely exclude HIV infection, even if you had HAD a real risk (which you didn't).
There was a study done among thousands of people seeking help in an ER setting, convinced they had HIV due to their "symptoms". Over 99% of those people tested negative for HIV and their symptoms were attributed to something else...common garden variety infections, anxiety, etc.
Sadly, there is SUCH an overinflated view about HIV, due to poor education and fear based teaching. HIV is actually quite rare, and VERY difficult to get. The only way you would ever place yourself at risk would be through unprotected vaginal or anal sex, or by sharing IV drugs/works. Nothing else will put you at risk, not even other non-intercourse sexual acts.
You don't need testing for this encounter. IF you feel it will help you move on, then have a single antibody test at 3 months. Ignore the urge to excessively test, as that will only fuel your anxiety. If you still find that you cannot let it go and quit worrying about it, then seek professional help for the anxiety. Keep yourself busy, don't search the internet...that will help you put this behind you.
You never had a risk, and you don't require testing.
Thank you for your help. And also, could it be possible to have swollen lymph nodes in my jaw through constant touching and pressing? My red marks seems to be even more aggresive when I'm thinking too much about it and when it's hot. Can stress and anxiety mimic all the early symptoms of HIV? I don't have any diarrhoea, fatigue, vomiting, cough, cold, fever and night sweats. I'm just really worried about it for two weeks now. I just wish that I didn't have sex at all, anxiety and stress iis overpowering my normal day to day life now. Thank you for your help
No, you would not be seeing any symptoms after only 2 days. If you used a condom and it did'nt fail, meaning it did'nt break or slip off, then you're fine.
You can be tested to ease your mind but I don't think it's possible that you have HIV or any other kind of STD as long as there were no problems with the condom.
The red marks could either be from hives, which can happen with stress, or like you said, from the heat.
You can be tested to ease your mind but I don't think it's possible that you have HIV or any other kind of STD as long as there were no problems with the condom.
The red marks could either be from hives, which can happen with stress, or like you said, from the heat.
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