Having many symtoms and not sure

[traveler123]

Dr.,
I had a high risk foolish encounter with a Chinese massage worker in Kuwait on July, 13 2008, and have soon returned home from the Middle East. We had intercourse with a condom, but after she performed oral sex on me without one. When I got home I had a baseline Elissa HIV 1/2 test on 7/18, 7/26 and 8/05 (All Negative) I told my doctor exactly everything right up front because I was scared about HIV, Herpes etc. She agreed to track me health.  I started to feel out of it at, meaning flu like symptoms at around July, 23 or 24th. At first it was one day where I felt really tired, and weak and just crappy, and then a week later again and so on 1  more time but always felt better.

After July I seemed fine, but on exactly 8/23  bad I could not even get out of bed Headache, nasal drip, dizzy, sinus pressure, flush face, soar lymph nodes in armpit and neck, night sweats, and felt hot but no high temperature? This went on for about 2.5 weeks, and I went to the doctor and they ran all kinds of tests WBC/Differential etc HIV/ Ultra Sensitive PCR/RNA on 9/09/08 "Not Detected" , Thyroid, Red Blood, just many tests but they were all in range or negative.

But then about 10 days later they came back but with new ones Tired, Headache, flush face Swollen hard lymph nodes, stiff neck,  and a weird rash on my face and wrist area came and went in about 10 days, and then most recently tremor in my body specifically my right side of my body i.e. hand leg just lightly tremble, and twitching of muscles?  I also started getting  a bad outbreak of cold sore in my mouth area since I have HSV1 already. I just  had another Negative HIV 1/2Elissa on 9/29/08. I have traveled to Iraq, Kuwait, Belize, Honduras, and Mexico before all of this and don't know what I have?

I am confused and my doctor is trying to figure out what to do... It has been roughly 79 days since my possible HIV exposure. And I have had all negative HIV tests? Should I still consider HIV?




tech

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You are beating a dead horse. Yes, I did already say you do not have HIV.  that means good to go.

there are a huge number of other, non-STD, non-HIV infections which could account for your symptoms. Many are viruses that will ultimately go away on there own. Others need diagnosis and treatment. That is the reason I suggested you work with your doctor on this.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You need to believe the tests. Test after test has proven that without a doubt you do not have HIV.  It is time for you to think of other possibilitites.  Your positive HLA B-27 is a test which is sometimes associated with rheumatologic illnesses.  I would suggest you see a rheumatologist.  For further evaluation of your symptoms which are, without a doubt NOT related to HIV.  EWH

[traveler123]

Dr. Hook,

I wrote to you about a month or so ago in reference to my HIV scare I had a high risk foolish encounter with a Chinese massage worker in Kuwait on July, 13 2008, and have soon returned home from the Middle East. To follow-up you mentioned that what was making me sick was not HIV based on my negative tests and I was happy. Since we last talked I have had a new symptom of the tip of my tongue is smooth and a red and when I wake up has a whitish boarder and my moth sometimes feels raw as well and a nerve pain down my left back side. I also am having a stiff neck on both sides every day.

I have also had another negative HIV PCR/RNA Test on 10/06. My ID doctors tested me for many viruses that there are tests for  and all were negative.She sent me to a
R hematologist to make sure it was not an autoimmune disease for which my first round of tests were all negative except 1 HLA-B27 RELATED AG. I am just following up because I am just confused about the reason I am sick. My ID doctor stated because of my negative HIV tests, especially PCR/HIV  beyond 6 weeks she does not feel it is HIV. The symptoms just keep going though, I am confused and kind of scared. I just thought I would provide an update. Thank You.

Mike

[traveler123]

OK, well I definitely feel better... I was just a little confused because different sources of on-line media have confusing info about HIV infection symptoms and testing that its overwhelming. Thank You for clearing up my concerns and being direct with your answers... I never even gave these type of concern a second thought, since I have been married and in a monogamous relationship for 16 years.. I can tell you I will never do something like this again... whew... Thank You. Dr. Hook..


Tech

[traveler123]

Dr. Hook,

Thank You for the fast response to my dilemma. Not to beat a dead horse; But, Just to follow-up so you think all the Negative HIV tests I have had including Ultra Sensitive PCR/RNA at 56 days post exposure and Elissa after 79 days I should be good to go... Second even though all these symptoms I am having being weak, headaches, lymph node being soar, general just feeling bad, as well as bad night sweats, soar throat could be other medical reasons? My doctor tells me there are so many other viruses and disease states that could cause the same symptoms to consider. Do you agree..  I just feel like I have survived being Iraq/ in a war zone and have survived multiple near death experiences to come home and just be sick and not no the cause is tough...Thank You Dr. Hook..


Tech

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I'm sorry to hear that you’ve been feeling poorly.  I hope it will help you a little to know that you can be sure that the reason you feel poorly is NOT HIV.  Your genital exposure was protected, thus no risk and the odds of you getting HIV from your partner had HIV which is unlikely in and of itself, is less than 1 in 10.000.  Thus, even before you were tested, changes that you had HIV were very, very low.  Now you have had multiple negative HIV tests including a negative ELISA assay 11 weeks following exposure. AT that time the ELISA would have detected about 99% of infections which are going to occur.  Put another way, with your last test result you now have a 1% chance of being the 1 out of 10,000 persons who might have gotten infected if your partner was infected.  This translates to a less than 1 in million chance of having HIV.  You can be confident that you do not have HIV.

My advice is to go work on this problem with your doctor. I do not know what it is that is making you ill but I know that it is not HIV.  Good luck.  EWH