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ARS symptoms, blood test
Dear Docs,
As I explained in my earlier posts, I have experienced all kinds of symptoms related to ARS (headache, night sweats, sore throat for several weeks, fever, back pain, general discomfort, very mild swollen lymph nodes, diarreah with blood in stools, etc). The symptoms generally lasted for a couple of weeks. The fever (only lasted 36hrs) and diarreah (lasted 10 days) came at 5 weeks after exposure. The sore throat came at 3 weeks and lasted about 3 more weeks as well as headache and back pain.Now most symptoms are almost completely gone and I definitely feel better ( I took ciprox, a wide spectrum antibiotic for the intestine infection due to Shygella that the drs diagnosed me with, I could tell the medicine really worked). Since day one I have had a really bad case of anxiety due to the fact that I regret having sex (although protected) with the sex worker. I am already going to a psychiatrist since it has affected deeply my mental health. My urologist and psychiatrist say that most of the symptoms are anxiety caused (except the fever, diarreah with blood in stools). Whenever I take clonazepam I do not have night sweats, headache and other discomforts. I have had 2 intercourses in all my life, the latter being the problematic one.
I took a hiv antibody test (HIV 1 and 2) at 1 week and now at 7 weeks, both came back negative. CBC and 5 weeks had some elevated liver enzymes but the dr say that it was due to the high fever. CBC at 6 and 7 weeks came back totally normal.
Is 7 weeks enough or should you recommend a test at 12 weeks due to what I have mentioned above?
As I explained in my earlier posts, I have experienced all kinds of symptoms related to ARS (headache, night sweats, sore throat for several weeks, fever, back pain, general discomfort, very mild swollen lymph nodes, diarreah with blood in stools, etc). The symptoms generally lasted for a couple of weeks. The fever (only lasted 36hrs) and diarreah (lasted 10 days) came at 5 weeks after exposure. The sore throat came at 3 weeks and lasted about 3 more weeks as well as headache and back pain.Now most symptoms are almost completely gone and I definitely feel better ( I took ciprox, a wide spectrum antibiotic for the intestine infection due to Shygella that the drs diagnosed me with, I could tell the medicine really worked). Since day one I have had a really bad case of anxiety due to the fact that I regret having sex (although protected) with the sex worker. I am already going to a psychiatrist since it has affected deeply my mental health. My urologist and psychiatrist say that most of the symptoms are anxiety caused (except the fever, diarreah with blood in stools). Whenever I take clonazepam I do not have night sweats, headache and other discomforts. I have had 2 intercourses in all my life, the latter being the problematic one.
I took a hiv antibody test (HIV 1 and 2) at 1 week and now at 7 weeks, both came back negative. CBC and 5 weeks had some elevated liver enzymes but the dr say that it was due to the high fever. CBC at 6 and 7 weeks came back totally normal.
Is 7 weeks enough or should you recommend a test at 12 weeks due to what I have mentioned above?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Unwarranted fear that does not respond to reason is usually a sign of an underlying psychological disorder. If you still cannot shake such irrational fear, it probably means you should seek mental health counseling. I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.
That's all for this thread. Also note MedHelp's rule about a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on the professionally moderated forums. We have already been tolerant of that rule, but no more. Any new questions on this forum before next June will be deleted without comment, and without refund of the posting fee.
That's all for this thread. Also note MedHelp's rule about a maximum of 2 questions every 6 months on the professionally moderated forums. We have already been tolerant of that rule, but no more. Any new questions on this forum before next June will be deleted without comment, and without refund of the posting fee.
Thank you Dr. I can see you understand how frigthened I am.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It is an abuse of your MedHelp priviledges to keep posting the same questions, especially when only a limited number of questions can be accommodated and superfluous questions block others with their own legitimate questions.
We don't expect much of forum questioners, but we do expect them to read our responses and pay attention to them. Dr. Hook ended your previous thread with "It really doesn't matter how many times you test or when. You had a no risk exposure. Repeated testing will no give you different results than you already have gotten. You did not get HIV from the exposure you describe." The same day, I said much the same thing when you asked your questions on the STD forum. At that time, you already had the 7 week test result that you describe again here. Did you think our opinions might have changed between then and now?
Even if you had symptoms typical for HIV -- which you do not --- it wouldn't matter. Test results ALWAYS outweigh symptoms in judging whether or not someone has HIV.
You don't have it. End of story. I don't mean to be harsh, and I know you're frightented. But it is an irrational, unwarranted fear. Forget all this and go on with your life.
HHH, MD
We don't expect much of forum questioners, but we do expect them to read our responses and pay attention to them. Dr. Hook ended your previous thread with "It really doesn't matter how many times you test or when. You had a no risk exposure. Repeated testing will no give you different results than you already have gotten. You did not get HIV from the exposure you describe." The same day, I said much the same thing when you asked your questions on the STD forum. At that time, you already had the 7 week test result that you describe again here. Did you think our opinions might have changed between then and now?
Even if you had symptoms typical for HIV -- which you do not --- it wouldn't matter. Test results ALWAYS outweigh symptoms in judging whether or not someone has HIV.
You don't have it. End of story. I don't mean to be harsh, and I know you're frightented. But it is an irrational, unwarranted fear. Forget all this and go on with your life.
HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the HIV - Prevention Forum
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Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
