Aa
Oral and symptoms, very nervous
Dr's,
I had/ gave unprotected oral sex to a man who admitted has been with other men in the past but he doesn't anymore. I consider myself straight, but I was curious and now know this isn't for me. He said he was neg and his last test was earlier in the year. A week after doing this, my groin became sore. That cleared up and the 2nd week, my armpits became sore. I started to freak out and scoured the Net and found that those could lymph node enlargements. So daily, I check for bumps, etc. At week 4 I had this small lymph node bump on my left neck. It is about the size of a half bean and is still there at week 7. Also around week 3, I had a few of nights of sweats but I had no fever.
At week 5 I had a physical where they did blood work, but it was for general purposes, not HIV. The lymphnode and WBC was normal. The nurse said that meant that I don't have any infections. I didn't want to do a HIV so early as it wasn't 8 weeks yet.
Around the start of week 6, I had a small discomfort at the inside opening of my penis and I checked and there was some whitish stuff that looked like a pimple. It went away the next day. I've had this before a few months back where it only lasted a day or two at the most.
I am in week 7 and am thinking of a HIV test next week. I am a total wreck right now and wanted your opinion if I should calm down or do I have a real worry.
Another thing, he wanted to go all of the way, but I didn't want to, which leads me to think he just told me he had a neg test to see about going all of the way. I spoke with him briefly later on and he seemed that night was not a good thing to do.
Could these symptoms be related to ARS or STDs (pimple thing)? I also read on here where you two Dr's say the ARS period is 2 to 4 weeks, but I read that the Dr on the International forum said he has seen it from 2 to 6 weeks.
Also, I know it isn't an HIV test, but could my WBC and lymphnode blood work coming back normal put me at some ease too?
I had/ gave unprotected oral sex to a man who admitted has been with other men in the past but he doesn't anymore. I consider myself straight, but I was curious and now know this isn't for me. He said he was neg and his last test was earlier in the year. A week after doing this, my groin became sore. That cleared up and the 2nd week, my armpits became sore. I started to freak out and scoured the Net and found that those could lymph node enlargements. So daily, I check for bumps, etc. At week 4 I had this small lymph node bump on my left neck. It is about the size of a half bean and is still there at week 7. Also around week 3, I had a few of nights of sweats but I had no fever.
At week 5 I had a physical where they did blood work, but it was for general purposes, not HIV. The lymphnode and WBC was normal. The nurse said that meant that I don't have any infections. I didn't want to do a HIV so early as it wasn't 8 weeks yet.
Around the start of week 6, I had a small discomfort at the inside opening of my penis and I checked and there was some whitish stuff that looked like a pimple. It went away the next day. I've had this before a few months back where it only lasted a day or two at the most.
I am in week 7 and am thinking of a HIV test next week. I am a total wreck right now and wanted your opinion if I should calm down or do I have a real worry.
Another thing, he wanted to go all of the way, but I didn't want to, which leads me to think he just told me he had a neg test to see about going all of the way. I spoke with him briefly later on and he seemed that night was not a good thing to do.
Could these symptoms be related to ARS or STDs (pimple thing)? I also read on here where you two Dr's say the ARS period is 2 to 4 weeks, but I read that the Dr on the International forum said he has seen it from 2 to 6 weeks.
Also, I know it isn't an HIV test, but could my WBC and lymphnode blood work coming back normal put me at some ease too?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
"Considering my exposure and negative results at 6 wks/ 5 days, can I put this to rest?"
Yes.
Thanks for the kind words. Take care.
Yes.
Thanks for the kind words. Take care.
Dr, Great news! My HIV test came back negative (non-reactive)!! Thank God!
And thank you for your help!
I got worried that all of a sudden at 6 weeks and 2 days I started feeling this way (swollen lymph nodes, night sweats, tired, etc). And I've read on the international forum that symptoms could start between 2 to 6 weeks.
Anyhow, my test was done at 6 weeks and 5 days. Could I bother you for your last thoughts please and I'll close this off.
- Considering my exposure and negative results at 6 wks/ 5 days, can I put this to rest?
- And if my lymph nodes, etc acting up last Friday would a positive result come about on Monday if it were ARS symptoms (I took the test yesterday, Monday)? I thought I recall reading on this forum that if lymph nodes were swollen due to ARS, the test would be positive at that time. Is that correct?
Thank you again for your service. You provide a great deal of comfort and sound advice and I commend you for your patience of worrisome people that put themselves at risk (not just me, but anyone on here).
Last words...please don't ever retire!! You are too valuable! :)
(but I would appreciate your thoughts on those two last topics above and I won't have any follow ups, thanks again)...
And thank you for your help!
I got worried that all of a sudden at 6 weeks and 2 days I started feeling this way (swollen lymph nodes, night sweats, tired, etc). And I've read on the international forum that symptoms could start between 2 to 6 weeks.
Anyhow, my test was done at 6 weeks and 5 days. Could I bother you for your last thoughts please and I'll close this off.
- Considering my exposure and negative results at 6 wks/ 5 days, can I put this to rest?
- And if my lymph nodes, etc acting up last Friday would a positive result come about on Monday if it were ARS symptoms (I took the test yesterday, Monday)? I thought I recall reading on this forum that if lymph nodes were swollen due to ARS, the test would be positive at that time. Is that correct?
Thank you again for your service. You provide a great deal of comfort and sound advice and I commend you for your patience of worrisome people that put themselves at risk (not just me, but anyone on here).
Last words...please don't ever retire!! You are too valuable! :)
(but I would appreciate your thoughts on those two last topics above and I won't have any follow ups, thanks again)...
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Oops -- sorry about that! This sounds very much like you have a sebeceous cyst in or near your urethral opening, or perhaps minor congenital anomaly such as a blind pouch of the urethra. You should consider seeing a urologist about it.
It would seem you haven't yet had an HIV test. It is true that it's too late for HIV symptoms to show up. Otherwise I'm not going to comment on your night sweats, armpit discomfort, etc until you do so. It is pointless to speculate about HIV on the basis of symptoms, which almost never are a useful indicator, when a definitive answer is available.
It would seem you haven't yet had an HIV test. It is true that it's too late for HIV symptoms to show up. Otherwise I'm not going to comment on your night sweats, armpit discomfort, etc until you do so. It is pointless to speculate about HIV on the basis of symptoms, which almost never are a useful indicator, when a definitive answer is available.
Dr. I never heard back from you abouf the penile pimple follow up and my 2nd lymphnode question. Also last night I felt more lymph swellinf undef my arms and beside my nipple are. I also had night sweats again. Its been post 7 weeks. Can symptoms show up this late? Thanks.
Dr., I was curious if had a chance to see my reply to your question and the followup question I had. Thanks.
Thanks for the quick response Dr. For the penile issue, if you can imagine slightly opening the slit where the urethra is at and on one of the sides at the very tip, that is the trouble area. I had one about two months back, but I have to admit, I probably irritated it. Also, about 15 years ago, I had one as well. I've been tested for a full STD screening about 2 years ago and everything was negative. This recent one is, again me being overly paranoid, is where there was a very slight discomfort, but not painful at all and I noticed it because I am always checking it after this incident. There was no flowing discharge or anything like that.
For the one a couple of months ago, It didn't hurt when I peed, except when I took a qtip to rub off the abnormal looking area (and that was the time a couple of months back). During that time, it only hurt (but not bad) for about a second when the pee first came out as I can only imagine the urine was coming in contact with broken skin in the urethra. I purposefully didn't do that this time and the next day it was fine. But even the one a couple months back only lasted about 1.5 days.
But if you can imagine a pimple without the bump (there was no actual bump, I just didn't know what else to call it) where there is some pus looking stuff, but very very small. Then the next day, there is only slight redness, then by the end of the day, it looks fine again.
I've read that syphlis hangs around a lot longer, so I don't think it is anything like that, do you?
For a lymph node follow up question (for my own general knowledge), I've read on the Net that if that is a sign of ARS, it wouldn't be a small little bump, but a fairly large lymph bump. And that there would be several all over the place and it always accompanies fever. Is that correct?
For the one a couple of months ago, It didn't hurt when I peed, except when I took a qtip to rub off the abnormal looking area (and that was the time a couple of months back). During that time, it only hurt (but not bad) for about a second when the pee first came out as I can only imagine the urine was coming in contact with broken skin in the urethra. I purposefully didn't do that this time and the next day it was fine. But even the one a couple months back only lasted about 1.5 days.
But if you can imagine a pimple without the bump (there was no actual bump, I just didn't know what else to call it) where there is some pus looking stuff, but very very small. Then the next day, there is only slight redness, then by the end of the day, it looks fine again.
I've read that syphlis hangs around a lot longer, so I don't think it is anything like that, do you?
For a lymph node follow up question (for my own general knowledge), I've read on the Net that if that is a sign of ARS, it wouldn't be a small little bump, but a fairly large lymph bump. And that there would be several all over the place and it always accompanies fever. Is that correct?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question. I'll separately address the HIV issues, then your penile symptoms and other STD issues.
There is virtually no chance you caught HIV. You describe a partner who probably isn't infected, despite your uncertainty about his proposal for last minute testing. Second, oral sex carries little or no risk for HIV transmission: some experts believe truly zero risk, and others point to CDC statistics suggesting an average risk of once for ever 10,000 exposures to infected partners (for the oral/receptive partner) or 20,000 exposure (for the penile/insertive one). Your symptoms are not at all suggestive of a new HIV infection. Your normal blood counts don't really mean anything one way or another, however.
You can be tested for at any time -- indeed could have done so as soon as 4 weeks after exposure. In any case, when you do it, you definitely can expect negative results. Below is the link to a thread that discusses the time required for accurate testing, including why it's rarely necessary to wait until 3 months as officially recommended.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV---Prevention/RNA-and-oraquick-swab-test-/show/1891685
Although I'm not worried on your behalf about HIV, I'm curious about your apparently recurrent penile pimple-like lesion and possible transient discharge from your urethra. These symptoms potentially suggest an STD problem -- although obviously not from the recent exposure, since you've apparently had it before. Can you say more about it? Has it been professionally examined or have you had urine or urethral tests for gonorrhea and chlamydia?
Best regards-- HHH, MD
There is virtually no chance you caught HIV. You describe a partner who probably isn't infected, despite your uncertainty about his proposal for last minute testing. Second, oral sex carries little or no risk for HIV transmission: some experts believe truly zero risk, and others point to CDC statistics suggesting an average risk of once for ever 10,000 exposures to infected partners (for the oral/receptive partner) or 20,000 exposure (for the penile/insertive one). Your symptoms are not at all suggestive of a new HIV infection. Your normal blood counts don't really mean anything one way or another, however.
You can be tested for at any time -- indeed could have done so as soon as 4 weeks after exposure. In any case, when you do it, you definitely can expect negative results. Below is the link to a thread that discusses the time required for accurate testing, including why it's rarely necessary to wait until 3 months as officially recommended.
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV---Prevention/RNA-and-oraquick-swab-test-/show/1891685
Although I'm not worried on your behalf about HIV, I'm curious about your apparently recurrent penile pimple-like lesion and possible transient discharge from your urethra. These symptoms potentially suggest an STD problem -- although obviously not from the recent exposure, since you've apparently had it before. Can you say more about it? Has it been professionally examined or have you had urine or urethral tests for gonorrhea and chlamydia?
Best regards-- HHH, MD
Totally forgot to say, those were my only symptoms. I haven't had any fevers or sore throat.
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