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Am I just overly paranoid about HIV??

A few years ago, I went through a very brief promiscuous phase. During this time (November 2009 to February 2010), I was admittedly very irresponsible in my decisions about sex and was not always safe. In January sometime, I contracted pretty bad strep throat and was bed-ridden for a couple of days because of it. I'm worried that this may have been the symptomatic "flu" that happens during the early stages of HIV. In May, I discovered a swollen lymph node on the back of my neck and my blood test tested positive for mono (though I'd had no other symptoms). In June, I confessed to my doctor about my escapades and she tested me for several STIs as well as HIV. I tested negative for everything; however, it was a urine test and not a blood test so I am not sure how accurate that is. Since that February two years ago, I have had a monogamous sexual relationship with my current boyfriend. But on and off, I get paranoid about that time in my life and whether I might have contracted HIV. I find myself getting coughs and colds more often than I used to, I have a rash on my lower back (I've had eczema on my torso and back since I was a child, but I still freak out that it could be the HIV rash), and I can't stop thinking about that bout of strep throat or that one swollen lymph node.

I plan to rid myself of my paranoia once and for all by going for a point-of-care HIV test tomorrow - or sometime this week if it's by appointment only - but I need my mind to be eased a little bit before I go. How likely is it that I have the illness even though I tested negative after 4 months of possible infection -- but using a urine test instead of a blood test? Are all of my "symptoms" just in my head?
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It's all in your head because you have a conclusive negative test result.
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Avatar universal
*January 2010
*May 2010
*June 2010
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