Low Risk Fear

[TEE38]

Hey doc, i had a low risk situation. I have this right nipple piercing which i have a hada little over a year. I was seeing this guy for a little whil, maybe like 6 months. Well anyways i thought that what if he had a cut in his mouth while sucking on my nipple. And i could have gotten it that way. I know its not likely. 10 days after the situation, i got a sever sinus inrection with clear and green phlem. and then after that i got sever body aches and weakness followed by peripheral neuorapthy, which i have never gotten before. I think sometimes that i have swollen lymphs, but iam not sure, its hard to tell. The nerve pains hurt so bad, its seemed like i had spots in my  mouth that didnt hurt, they came and went and i usually woke up wit them, at times they looked slighly purple and or like a sore. I also kept getting canker sores for a while, they are not that bad now. It seemed like i had easy brusing. No rash that i noticed to be abnormal. I didnt get a fever or sore thoat, since then i have never felt the same. I tested negative at 1 month and than negative again at 10 weeks. My cd4 and cd8 was also normal. My white blood count, my neutrophils were slightly high when i first got that sinus infection.
Any ideas as to what it is? possible ars? i dont know, it lasted a while, but i was also not eating and i lost a lot of weight, during this time and sleep. My throat bothers me a lot, i have less than half a thyroid, i dont know if that plays a role. If i had not gotten sick and found out that the person i was dealing with was a compulsive liar, i would have never thought anything of this. Everybody says im fine, but i dont think so at times.I got a little white bumps going towards the back of my throat maybe like 3, i dont know if the bumps where always there or not. The nerve thing hurt like hell, and is whats really bothering me. Iam about to go for my 3 month test but I am very nervous. Before this incident i was negative. Thank you

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I read every word of your question and took all the information into account.  Yes, even if he was bleeding in his mouth.

Many, many things can cause peripheral neuropathy; HIV is a rare cause.  And HIV-related PN is a sign of advance AIDS, not early HIV infection.  I have no way of guessing the cause in your case.  And you may not have PN anyway; that diagnosis isn't easy and other things cause similar symptoms.

It wasn't smar to have CD4 testing in the absence of known HIV infection.  The results can only be confusing.  Lots of medical conditions cause low and elevated CD4/CD8 counts, and everyone's counts vary normally over the course of 24 hours.

Please re-read the last line of my reply above.  Beyond that advice, I cannot help.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

There is nothing that changes the reliability of HIV tests.

You came here for reassurance.  I gave it.  Accept it and stop trying to talk me into buying into your irrational belief that you have HIV. You do not.

This thread is over.  Do not post any more anxiety driven questions or I will delete the entire thread.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Relax; all is well.  I agree with your self assessment of the low risk from the exposure you describe, and with your friends' asessment ("everybody says I'm fine").  Your symptoms don't sound like HIV.  And with modern tests, it is not possible to have HIV and have a negative blood test 10 weeks after the last possible exposure.  You really didn't need a 3 month test; that result also is going to be negative.

Find a health care provider you trust to evaluate the cause(s) of your symptoms. But put HIV out of you rmind.  No worries there.

Good luck--  HHH, MD

[TEE38]

thank you very much for you patients and reassurance.

[TEE38]

If you were exposed to a small dose of the virus would it take your body longer to develop antibodies? Does high levels of stress and less than half of a thyroid impede the development of antibodies?

[TEE38]

Thank you! But even if he was bleeding from his mouth? not even a reason to worry, that piercing was an open wound. Can you give me a hint as to what caused the peripheral neuropathy? and would there have been any change in my cd4 or cd8 if i did have it? thanks again