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Worried...Am I at Risk?
Hi,
Me: 23yrs, gay, male
Since November, I've had 4 male partners and have never had a 'high' risk exposure, but I'm still very worried and anxious. What would be my risk of having HIV considering this timeline? ...
November 3rd- briefly gave unprotected oral, but no ejaculation (2-3 minutes). Briefly received protected anal penetration, but no ejaculation (2-3 minutes).
December 15- Briefly gave and received unprotected oral and gave protected anal (few minutes each and no ejaculation during either)
January 31- Negative Rapid HIV test
April 29- Unprotected giving and receiving oral for 10 minutes, no ejaculation
May 2- Unprotected giving and receiving oral for 10 minutes, no ejaculation
I am worried mainly because from December until now I have had issues with my prostate (swelling causing me to pee more frequently and some discomfort at times). I have seen a doctor about this twice and was on cipro for a month and doxycycline for a month (cipro in March, doxy in May), neither of which have cured the problem (my symptoms are minor now, but still present). Also, while on cipro, I developed a white coating on my tongue that really hasn't gone away since. It just seems whiter than usual and brushing doesn't wipe it out entirely (worried it could be thrush?). And finally, over the last 3-4 days I've had a sinus headache (sides of my head hurt and upper teeth and jaw are sore). No other HIV symptoms, I'm just worried that the lingering prostate infection and sinus infection could mean my immune system was compromised (I've never had a sinus headache that affected my teeth).
I hope it's just my imagination and I'm just reading too much into all of these symptoms, but still HIV is a terrifying thing. What are the chances that I contracted HIV during one of those instances? All of my partners said they were negative when I asked, but of course people lie.
Thank you,
J
Me: 23yrs, gay, male
Since November, I've had 4 male partners and have never had a 'high' risk exposure, but I'm still very worried and anxious. What would be my risk of having HIV considering this timeline? ...
November 3rd- briefly gave unprotected oral, but no ejaculation (2-3 minutes). Briefly received protected anal penetration, but no ejaculation (2-3 minutes).
December 15- Briefly gave and received unprotected oral and gave protected anal (few minutes each and no ejaculation during either)
January 31- Negative Rapid HIV test
April 29- Unprotected giving and receiving oral for 10 minutes, no ejaculation
May 2- Unprotected giving and receiving oral for 10 minutes, no ejaculation
I am worried mainly because from December until now I have had issues with my prostate (swelling causing me to pee more frequently and some discomfort at times). I have seen a doctor about this twice and was on cipro for a month and doxycycline for a month (cipro in March, doxy in May), neither of which have cured the problem (my symptoms are minor now, but still present). Also, while on cipro, I developed a white coating on my tongue that really hasn't gone away since. It just seems whiter than usual and brushing doesn't wipe it out entirely (worried it could be thrush?). And finally, over the last 3-4 days I've had a sinus headache (sides of my head hurt and upper teeth and jaw are sore). No other HIV symptoms, I'm just worried that the lingering prostate infection and sinus infection could mean my immune system was compromised (I've never had a sinus headache that affected my teeth).
I hope it's just my imagination and I'm just reading too much into all of these symptoms, but still HIV is a terrifying thing. What are the chances that I contracted HIV during one of those instances? All of my partners said they were negative when I asked, but of course people lie.
Thank you,
J
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello J.,
Thank you very much for your post and welcome to our HIV forum.
First of all, I would like to reassure you because you have not put yourself at any significant risk at all of HIV infection. All your protected penetrative sexual encounters were completely safe, and the unprotected oral ones would not involve any real risk of HIV at all. However they do involve risk of STIs such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and other bacterial infections, either in your urethra (which if untreated can spread to the prostate and cause prostatitis like in your case) or in the throat. Prostatitis can take a while to clear with antibiotics but it will eventually go. It seems that you have been treated with the correct antibiotics. Antibiotics can cause oral thrush (coated tongue), which is a very common side effect. Therefore I would not read too muchh into all these symptoms as they have absolutely nothing to do with HIV.
Best wishes,
Dr José
Thank you very much for your post and welcome to our HIV forum.
First of all, I would like to reassure you because you have not put yourself at any significant risk at all of HIV infection. All your protected penetrative sexual encounters were completely safe, and the unprotected oral ones would not involve any real risk of HIV at all. However they do involve risk of STIs such as Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea and other bacterial infections, either in your urethra (which if untreated can spread to the prostate and cause prostatitis like in your case) or in the throat. Prostatitis can take a while to clear with antibiotics but it will eventually go. It seems that you have been treated with the correct antibiotics. Antibiotics can cause oral thrush (coated tongue), which is a very common side effect. Therefore I would not read too muchh into all these symptoms as they have absolutely nothing to do with HIV.
Best wishes,
Dr José
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