Weird Symptoms and HIV anxiety

[dfadfa23232df]

Hi Doctors,

Greeting from Hong Kong.  

I am hoping for an explanation for my situation. If not, at least kindly explain how they could not have been caused by the virus.

Weird Symptoms: (Hoping that I could get a normal explanation for them)
1) Irregular low-grade fever (37C to 37.5C)
i)Onset Time: started 2 days after 1st exposure(15/8)
ii)Duration: more than 3.5 months(up until wintertime)
iii)Nature: Worst when in heavily air-conditioned area; gradually relieved in the winter;
After 3-4 months(now) of relief, feeling feverish again after the hot day 2 days ago(now climate cooler again)
2) Night Sweat:
i)Onset Time: started 2 days after 1st exposure(15/8)
ii)Duration:1.5 weeks
iii)Nature:High room temperature, waking up in the middle of the night,soaked on the neck and back, feeling feverish
3) Sore throat (less concerned, could be due to acid reflux during sleep but i don't know)
i) Duration: ~2-3 months
ii)Nature: Started off as dry mouth and then developed to swallowing pain

Test results:
1)3 wks after last exposure:
i)  Negative: HIV I & II ab: Negative(oc=0.08) (Lab-Blood Draw)
ii)Non-Reactive: Syphilis
iii) Abnormalies: 80% neutrophil(H), 12% lymphocyte(L) (was having nasal congestion and sore throat that time)
2)12 wks after last exposure:
i) Non-Reactive: HIV I & II ab (Lab-Blood Draw)
ii)Non-Reactive: Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, HSV1&2
3)14 wks after last exposure:
i) Non-Reactive: HIV I & II ab & HIV I p24 antigen (Lab-Blood Draw)
ii)Non-Reactive: HBV, HCV
I am really concerned and afraid to go do any more blood tests. The clinic doctors' diagnosis are ambiguous, making me more depressed and scared.
I am totally depressed of it. I feel that I could not move on with my life with these in my mind.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.  However, I do not understand your need to ask these questions.  You posted a thankful common on an earlier thread that explained why test results are always valid after a few weeks; and that thread in turn contained links to others that explain, among other things, that test results always overrule symptoms and exposure history.  You also said in that comment "I have read no less than 100 posts by you 2 after the incident."  

Surely in all that reading of the forum, you understand that your negative HIV tests prove you are not infected and that somehting else explains your symptoms.  There are no exceptions:  with the modern HIV tests, and especially the combination of tests you have had, there is no such thing as having HIV despite the negative test results. That's an urban myth; it simply does not happen.

Therefore, your symptoms and your exposure history therefore are irrelevant with respect to HIV.  As for other causes of your many symptoms, on this forum we do not speculate on causes of symptoms other than HIV; that's an issue between you and your doctor.  However, my best guess is that most or all your symptoms have an emotional origin, i.e. the physical manifestations of anxiety, stress, or depression.  That may explain why your doctors are "ambiguous" about it.  I suggest you ask them direclty whether they believe your symptoms are psychogenic.

Regards--  HHH, MD

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

From my last reply:  "Don't ask for any further clarification on this forum.  There is no information you can possibly provide that would change my opinion or advice."

[dfadfa23232df]

Hi Doctor,

I am posting back about my discovery of the possible reasons for the prolonged elevated body temperature.
I figured out that it was probably due to lack of sleep. Because of the hyper-anxiety about getting HIV, I interpreted the slight elevation of body temperature as abnormal which leaded to prolonged insomnia causing more elevations of body temperature.

Btw, Doctor,
I have been having sore throat (burning sensation when you swallow saliva) for 3 weeks already. It was preceded with elevation of body temperature for a week. Then as soon as I had a good night sleep, my body temperature was back to normal again. But the sore throat followed.
Will you still be certain that I don't have HIV if you just take my 12-week ab test into account? I think it is weird because from my knowledge normal viral/bacteria infections would clear itself within a week at most.
I know I may sound ridiculous but I just need 1 last re-assurance from you.
I hope you could answer me one last time.

thank you

[dfadfa23232df]

Dear Dr. HHH,

After reading your last input, I am completely satisfied.

thank you

[dfadfa23232df]

Dear Dr. HHH,

Thanks for your prompt response. It is really grateful to have either of you answering my question.

" You posted a thankful common on an earlier thread that explained why test results are always valid after a few weeks..."
Dr, this is definitely true as i could not find a single website all around the internet other than this one that offers such re-assuring expert points of view. (Could not have thanked you 2 enough for making this place for such a relief to many others as well)

So in respond to why i am posting this again, I could summarize it as 2 reasons.
1) My clinic doctors could not explain how the symptoms could be lasting that long despite the tests. After 6 months since the last incident, my mysterious low-grade fever seemed to emerge again which put me into panic again overriding all my logical thoughts.
2) If it is to be believed as of psychogenic origin, I thought it would be great to have a definite diagnosis from one of the experts on the field at least ruling out the possibility of HIV. I believe listening directly to an expert's view would, I supposed, do the job subconsciously of relieving my symptoms.

So anyways, from above I could read perfectly clear that I have 0% concern of getting HIV from either of the exposures I described above. I am going to move on.


Thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I saw all these comments before I replied above.  They do not change my opinion or advice.  Questions 1 and 2 are answered above.  3) Self diagnosis of a wart on the hand is unreliable, and I doubt it's a wart.  But if it is, it has nothing to do with HIV.  4) You do not have "low grade fever".  37C is not the maximum normal body temperature; it is the average temperature over the course of a day.  Everybody's temperature reaches 37.5 from time to time; it's not abnormal at all.

That will be all for this thread.  You need to accept the overwhelming scientific evidence that you do not have HIV, as well as the reasoned reassurance you have had both on this forum and from your doctors.  Don't ask for any further clarification on this forum.  There is no information you can possibly provide that would change my opinion or advice.

[dfadfa23232df]

Additional Questions:

1) I read that by Dr. Edward, people would be tested positive within 1-2 weeks after onset of ARS.
But will I be a rare guy who may in fact have a weak immune system that was unable to produce enough abs for detection making the symptoms last longer in oppose to standard ARS duration(1 week)?


2) I read that by Dr. HHH, no ab tests is not 100% conclusive by 8 week.
Will it apply to my case? I mean is it medically possible that I am the rare type that could go pass 3 months with being detected?

3) Around 1 month ago, I found an outbreak of flat warts on my hand. Could the HPV be an explaination for my low-grade fever?

4) Could Stress/Anxiety/Lack of sleep cause the low-grade fever?

[dfadfa23232df]

Exposures:
13/8: Oral & Vaginal Sex with Low-paid CSW (Both protected but not sure if it was damaged)
15/8: Oral & Vaginal Sex with Low-paid CSW (Both protected but not sure if it was damaged)
plus handjob with her vaginal fluid+BB oil (she hj my shaft RIGHT AFTER taking off the condom)

Medical History:
1)Not taking any drugs.
2)Not known to have any long-term diseases
3)Seldom ill (flu/cold 1-2 times/year)