OK - here's my story:
June 06 - VERY brief protected vagial sex with So. American sex worker while on business. Never before, never again. Regret and grief is beyond words. however... I immediately fell ill right afterword with flu-like/cold-like symptoms on flight back to US. Been pretty much sick off and on since then - and worried.
Symptoms: dry mouth, folliculitis, pains in mouth/apthous ulcers, pain under right rib, odd skin burning (like dry skin, red - transient on arms and thighs), scalp pimples, lost some weight but gained it back, light diarreha, odd node pain in arms and groin ... massive anxiety.
First trip to ER (within days)- docs said I was probably fine, urine showed up clear and they said I probably had condom reaction (never wear them normally).
So, on to the tests:
@ 1 month: HIV 1 EIA, PCR, HSV I&II, HepPanel, Syph, Chlamid, Ghon, BLood word -- all negative/normal
@ 2,3 months: HIV 1&2 EIA, HSV I&II, Hep, Syph, several HIV rapids - all negative/normal
@ 4,5,6 month: HIV 1&2 EIA, HIV 1&2 PCR, Hep, Syph, CBC, Liver test, scans, etc -- all negative, normal
@ 7,8,9 month: HIV 1/0/2/ EIAs, several rapids, Hep, Syph, CBCs -- all negative/normal
@ == means I had these each of those months, not just at end of them ... Yes... like 70 tests in all. I know.. I know.
So here I sit at 10 months -- still freaking out that I am a outlier. I continue to have persistent (albeit mild) folliculitis in scalp, chest, legs -- and pain under right rib. All specialists, scans and tests (thousands of $$$) show nothing, negative, fine. I even saw a Psych for this.
My question is - can folliculitus (stated online as a "subtle" way early HIV can present as the immune system is slowly eroded -- i friggin hate how they word things like this) be a sign that HIV is fooling the tests and I still have it?
HELP --- can I put this behind me? The worry and symptoms are killing me already... ;-(
Much thanks - all the best.