Dear all,
I have been reading a lot on this website recently, and it already helped me a lot, so thanks to all the contributors.
Recently I had uprotected oral sex (1 min) with a commercial sex worker in Thailand, followed by regular intercourse with a condom. The condom was a little short, e.g. it did not cover the shaft completely. I don't know if the CSW in question has HIV or not.
Four days after this risky exposure I developed throat pain and a headache and I got worried. And now, 6 days after, I developed a mild fever, diarrhea, headache, muscle pains. Obviously, I am extremely worried and I have booked myself for a RNA PCR test next week to get some clarity. I must say that my worrying after the first 4 days compounded my problems, I have lost my appetite, can't sleep and am continuously anxious and my heart rate is way above normal. Also my hands shake a little. I hope the diarrhea is caused by the anxiety and not by HIV, as I normally get stomach cramps when I am anxious, and now I am anxious 19 hours a day ( I still get 5 h of sleep at least).
Questions I have are:
What are the chances for people who show symptoms and who had a risky exposure to actually be infected? We washed before having sex and she used Listerine mouthwash prior to having sex, does that help my odds or is it irrelevant? I read that odds are pretty low in general, but the symptoms have got me worried.
If the symptoms I display are caused by acute HIV, does this mean I have detectable levels of HIV already for the PCR test? I read they are most reliable after 4 weeks, but I also understand most people only develop symptoms after 2-4 weeks. Given that I have symptoms already, does this mean the test will also work sooner?
Is it true that people who show symptoms early (like I do, if I am infected) have a poorer prognosis? E.g. are more likely to transgress in to AIDS quickly.
To help cope with the stress I am reading up on the subject and also read up on living with HIV. I have read many inspiring posts on this, so thank you all for contributing. Personally, I am at a loss of how I would cope if this turns out to be true. I hope my wife would forgive and support me.