Can you have acute HIV symptoms 9 weeks after exposure?

[Sall2006]

Hello Doctor,
I have posted a question before, so you can put my question under the first inquiry I put in before.
Well my question is pretty simple, Can a person have acute hiv symptoms at 9 weeks after exposure?
I am still worried my 8 week negative test will show positive at 12-13 weeks.
7 days ago I got a soar under my tongue.
3 days ago ( 8 1/2 weeks after exposure) I got a very soar throat and a very runny nose, with a headache, and I developed a fever of 101, then went to 102, but went back to normal after taking tylenol. I went to ER and told the doctor about my situation.
He diagnosed me with Pharyngitis and gave me an antibiotic. I develope a rash on my arm, its redish but not very, a little bumpy and it itches. It is forms a circle on my around the diameter of an inch an a half. There is no rash any where else.
I am worried that hiv took that long to show up with symptoms on my body.
Your answer would be highly appreciated.
Thank you so much.
Sal

[scaredofdeath]

I had the worse 7 weeks of my life.  I went for a check-up to the Dr. in mid June because I was not feeling well.  Dr. did his usual exams and sent me to Lab Corp., to get some blood work done.  Along with the usual blood work, he ordered a bunch of STD tests including HIV.  My first thought was, "what the heck did he see that he is sending me to do this?".. I spent all weekend on the internet looking up my symptoms.  All my symptoms pointed to HIV.  The more I researched, the more symptoms I had. 4 days later my tests all came back negative.  I was temporarily relieved, but then I started to second guess the results.  In my mind, I was saying "well, the test could be wrong..... 2 weeks later, health conditions getting worse, I had another HIV test, this time I had the oral Elisa test which gives you the results in 20 minutes.... Came back negative.  I kept researching the internet and foound that these tests only search for Anti-bodies and not the actual virus, so here I go again thinking that my body hasn't developed the Anti-bodies because my T-Cells are still high enough.... I go back to my Dr. and ask him to give me a PCR test which he said he would just to make me happy, but he was sure it would come back negative.. I asked him why he felt so sure and he said that the Elisa test was 99% accurate and that I should stop looking in the internet because it was making me worse. I was obsessed with this issue to the point that it gave me a post-anxiety disorder and completely screwed me up mentally and physically. After a week of waiting for the PCR test to come back, the results were once again negative.  This time the Dr. said, go home, relax it is 100% certain YOU DO NOT HAVE HIV.  needless to say, at that point, I regained my appetitite after losing 20 lbs, my nerves came back to normal, I no longer had panic attacks and i feel good.  WHY DID I POST THIS LONG STORY?.... STAY OUT OF THE INTERNET, IT WILL MAKE YOU WORSE. TRUST YOUR DOCTOR AND STAY AWAY FROM RISKY BEHAVIOR.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

As I have said so many times, symptoms NEVER are a reliable indicator for or against HIV infection.  Sounds like you caught a cold.  I'm not sure about the rash, but none of this suggests HIV.  And no, you can't get acute HIV symptoms so late; your 8 week HIV test result was reliable; and a follow up test at 12-13 weeks (or any other time) will remain negative.

HHH, MD

[Jimmyjjjx]

A related discussion, My Experience was started.

[rajubangalore]

A related discussion, waiting for answer from HHH was started.

[jaybillion2008]

A related discussion, HIV Symptoms or due to Anxiety was started.

[Sall2006]

I'm sure it would be.

[ConcernedNY]

Will a 6 week Home Access be reliable as well?

[Sall2006]

Thank you so much doctor.