ARS symptoms

[worriesnconcerns]

Hi I'm hoping you can give me some uplifting optimism because Im totally anxious and stressed. 3 and half weeks ago I had a "drunken hook up" with a friend. I remember asking about a condom and having him say that he had one...and then again the following morning I asked and he said he had used it. Now 3 and half weeks in I am feeling aches in muscles/chills/sore throat/ ear pain but no fever. I went to the doctor on the third day of these symptoms, thinking I had strep/ear infection and was informed that I had fluid in my ears and enlarged tonsils...also that my lymph nodes were swollen (in my neck). Well I left the doctor and it dawned on me later that "swollen lymph nodes" is a symptom of HIV. Doctor prescribed me sudafed and clariten. The next day feeling fine symptoms gone cept now I have mild diarrhea it lasted for 3 days (allother symptoms gone). Could it be because of combination of the meds? I saw diarhhea is also another symptom of HIV. I feel fine today with no other symptoms. Did I just catch a "bug" or are these flu-like symptoms comparable to that of HIV ARS? What should I do? Should I call my doctor and run these symptoms by her? Im totally going nuts...can I call the "friend" and ask his status? Statistically speaking are my chances high risk?
Im so upset by this...am I stressing over nothing...

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Having read some of our archived responses you know that symptoms are a poor indicator of HIV.  You caught a cold/sore throat.  The lymph nodes that drain the head and throat are in the neck.  This explains your symtoms.

As for your risk- let's look at this objectively:

1.  You do not know your friend's HIV status.  Realistically however do you think he is infected?  My guess is that it is unlikely.
2.  He used a condom.  You asked- he told you- why would he lie?
3.  If he was infected and if he did not use a condom, both of which are unlikely, your chances of infection would e less than 1 in 1000.  
4.  As you know from reading on this site, symptoms are meaningless

Taking all of this together, your chances of being HIV infected are so close to zero that I would not even recommend testing,  time to take your sudafed and move on.  I hope your cold gets better soon.  EWH

[worriesnconcerns]

To add to my previous post:
I have taken the time to read the archives and I see that its unrealiable to diagnose on symptoms.  However, typically speaking how long does ARS last?  Do symptoms happen all at once?  Mine started on Monday with just the body aches, then Tues body aches gone and sore throat and ear pain...then Wed I consulted the doctor...Thurs previous symptoms gone and diarrhea for Thurs/Fri/Sat without any other symptoms (could it be combination of meds?)  I went to work though all of this by the way so it wasnt like I was bed-ridden.  All in all it was almost a week before whatever I had been experiencing ended.

I could really use a response from a health care professional...PLEASE.

[alienshadow]

sudafed and clariten are not a good combination it can cause the blood pressure to raise pretty high