Possible Anal, Don't Remember, ARS Symptoms, Please Help

[WorriedSickUnsureNeedAnswers]

Background, I'm a 26 year old straight male. always practiced safe sex.
3 Weeks ago I went out w/some friends in SF and had way too much to drink.  We got separated late in the night and I began to walk home. Somewhere along the way -- I was in and out of consciousness, which is why I'm horrified -- I befriend a homeless man and he walked with me for a long time, until I finally flagged down a cab. He got in the cab w/me & attempted to ride it home w/me.  Again, I don't remember everything, but at some point I kindly asked the homeless man to leave.

The following morning I woke up extremely sick from drinking too much. But then I started to fear that I may have been RAPED. Again, I don't remember everything. I fear that he may have done something to me.  I've never had anything go up my a**.  I examined it for the following week and I even tried to put a finger up there to see if I was unknowingly into that, but I couldn't do it. To make matters worse, I had a hemorrhoid there for the past weeks & just this past week it went away. Having a hemorrhoid there I know furthers my risk of infection.

This was 3 weeks ago. Last week, so 2 weeks post possible encounter, I developed very swollen lymph nodes and general fatigue. A few days later I was in the hospital with a horrible fever. Obviously, I'm freaking out.

I've hit all of the main ARS symptoms right in the timeframe and I don't know if I was raped or not. I'm very afraid. The worse part of it all is that I just met a beautiful girl that I'm very into, but I don't want to touch her until I've waited 3 months for the proper testing. I think I ruined my life by drinking too much and I don't know what to do. Please help.
1.) Would I have remembered being anally penetrated for the 1st time in my life despite being blacked out?
2.) Would the hemorrhoid have popped?
3.) With confirmed FEVER and Swollen Lymph Nodes right in ARS time frame, is there anything I can do to save myself at this point?

Please help me.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I'll try to help but I must, at least in part, agree with those who are not taking you seriously.  Had you been raped by this homeless person, you would have almost certainly known it.  Remember, you did not black out, you were so drunk you were in an out of things.  Had you been raped, you would have known it.

1.) Would I have remembered being anally penetrated for the 1st time in my life despite being blacked out?
Yes, you would, as I said above.

2.) Would the hemorrhoid have popped?
I noted above that you equate the presence of a hemorrhoid with increase risk. There are no data that I am aware of that this is the case.  In answer to your question however, rectal sex does not "pop" hemorrhoids.

3.) With confirmed FEVER and Swollen Lymph Nodes right in ARS time frame, is there anything I can do to save myself at this point?
It is flu season and there are many, many other sorts of typical, community acquire viral infections that can cause ARS-like symptoms.  When "at risk" persons with flu-like symptoms are studied, only about 1% of them turn out to have the ARS.

What to do.  If I were you, I would suggest you go to the SF Health Department ST Clinic an get tested.  They are expert in sorting out HIV risk an at testing for HIV.  If your flu-like symptoms were the ARS, your HIV test would be positive at this time.  I am confident that, if you test, the test will be negative.  

OI hope these comments are helpful. EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

1.  People focus on the ARS out of paranoia.   Scientists and physicians focus on it becasue the earlier we can diagnose HIV, the more steps we can take to prevent transmission to others.

2.  As I've already told you, had you been raped, you would have known it.  Given your description you would have become aware during the process and you may well have had anal discomfort the following day.

3.  In my judgement, you would not put other partners at risk because you were not assaulted.

4.  Yes, this is coincidence.

This will conclude this thread.   You may post the results of testing here but if you wish to discuss your fears with others through MedHelp, you'll need to take it to the HIV Prevention Community site.  Alternatively, you may wish to dicuss your fears, anxieties and perhaps shame with a counselor or other mental health professional.  In my judgement your fears n anxieties are not justified.  I say this out of concern for you an your mental health, nothing more.  EWH

[WorriedSickUnsureNeedAnswers]

p.s. I do hope my above follow up gets a good response and I'd welcome all the additional advice and guidance I can get at this point. I'm extremely scared and convinced that something bad must have happened and MY ANXIETY has made each day over the past 3 weeks hard to live.

[WorriedSickUnsureNeedAnswers]

Thanks DR I appreciate the knowledge & quick response. It is hard for anyone to take me seriously on this, but with these symptoms and me not remembering the night vividly my anxiety has ruined me with fear. I have a few follow up questions I hope you dont mind answering. 1.) if only that percentage of people show ARS then why is it so widely discussed? 2.) Would there have been any physical manifestations of rape? Like, would I have been in pain the next day? Or have noticed anything else? 3.) Would I be putting the girl I like at risk by being intimate with her? 4.) Is it just a coincidence that my hemmroid went away a few days after this possible scare or was it in fact compromised by the possible anal penetration!? - Thank you again for your insight

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I do not suspect you have HIV.  I suggested the testing to provide you with the comfort of knowing that you are not infected, not because I think there is any reasonable likelyhood that you have HIV from the events you suggest may have happened.  EWH

[WorriedSickUnsureNeedAnswers]

Mr. Hook,

But you do believe there is a possibility that I have HIV and that I was raped. You suggest that I should get tested to make sure?  This is what I feared and I'm very scared to get tested. This seems like a huge risk.

[WorriedSickUnsureNeedAnswers]

the worse part of this fear is no one is taking me seriously. I've told a few close friends and they think I'm joking. They'll say: "You'd remember if you were raped," or "your butt would have hurt the next day," etc. etc.  Or, my parents asked, "well is there something you aren't telling us?" And I say no. This is my fear and this is what I remember and I don't know what to do. Especially with this ARS. Please doctors, please help.