HIV Exposure and Rash

[Kingo88]

Hello,

I recently had a possible exposure on January 8 where I had protected vaginal sex with a stripper. I was a bit drunk so I don’t remember the condom breaking. Three days later I had sore throat, headache, fever, and night sweats and it turned out I tested positive for COVID. COVID symptoms lasted one week. Then on Feb 5, had had drunken protected vaginal sex with another stripper and don’t recall the condom breaking then either.  The very next day I developed many red dots on my back, neck, shoulders, and scalp. Sometimes it’s itchy in these areas.

Here are my questions:
1) This “rash” appeared 28 days (4 weeks) after my first vaginal sex exposure. Is this an ARS rash? What about the timing of the rash?
2) Can this “rash” be ARS rash the day after my second vaginal sex exposure on February 5?
3) I don’t have any other symptoms with this rash and since the other symptoms (fever, sore throat, night sweats, headache) showed up 4 days after my first exposure (which I tested positive for COVID), I want to believe it was truly COVID and not ARS from HIV. Can you please confirm?
4) Would I have other symptoms coinciding with the rash if it’s from ARS?

Apologies for the 4 questions, but I’m worried here. Please help.

Thank you.

[Kingo88]

If you’re telling me this is NOT related to HIV and that I don’t have HIV, why test?

[AnxiousNoMore]

THere is no reason to test.


However you are getting a communication breakdown so should reread all the thread and refresh yourself with what was said
OR
read the below summary.

1. You had no risk since the condom didn't break but you didn't accept that and kept posting that you were afraid you got hiv.
2. Curfew said if you can't accept the science and move on, then test - you will see a negative result and at that point realize you got a rash like billions of other negative people get every year - instead of thinking you got an hiv rash.

[Kingo88]

Apologies, but you never answered whether or not this rash could simply be from HIV itself and not specifically during the ARS stage. Thank you once more. Your response to this would be greatly appreciated.

[CurfewX]

There is NOTHING more to say.  You don't have HIV because you never had a risk. So, obviously, your rash has NOTHING to do with HIV.

[AnxiousNoMore]

Since you don't have hiv it is purposeless to talk about ARS that hiv people get.
Mothers don't take their toddlers to hospitals for an hiv test every time they get a rash because unlike you, the mothers don't conclude that the rash made ARS.

[Kirstie_MHModerator]

Our members have fully advised you that you were never at risk for HIV, and for that reason, your symptoms cannot be related to HIV.

Further concerns about your non-risk event can be directed to your personal physician or a sexual health clinic.

********** THREAD CLOSED **********

[CurfewX]

The only risks for HIV in adults are:
1) Having unprotected anal or vaginal sex, or
2) sharing intravenous needles with IV drug users.

A condom break sufficient to allow for HIV transmission is noticeable.  It would have been wide open at the end.  

Scattered itchy bumps isn't an ARS rash either. It would be on your torso, and raised but not itchy, and yes, you would have multiple other symptoms if you were developing ARS.

You didn't have a risk for HIV at all, so whatever symptoms you have had or are having have nothing to do with HIV.

[Kingo88]

Sorry, the red bumps on my back are NOT itchy. Being that the red bumps all over my back is the only symptom right now, it’s not ARS correct? Guess what I’m trying to ask is that this rash appearing 28 days after my first exposure on January 8 is not ARS, correct? And the  symptoms 28 days ago were from COVID since I tested positive for it, NOT ARS, correct?  Can you please confirm? Thank you.

[Kingo88]

Also, would an ARS rash develop only one day after the exposure?

[CurfewX]

You don't have ARS.  I'm not going to go into the actual symptoms of ARS, because then people focus on symptoms, which are NEVER used to diagnose HIV.  There is no STD, including HIV, that shows symptoms after one day, and your symptoms are NOT in line with ARS.

If you can't get past this, test at 28 days after your most recent exposure and collect your negative result so that you can move on.

[Kingo88]

Thank You

[Kingo88]

I have one final question please. If my only symptom is a rash now, could the symptoms I had 28 days ago such as fever, sore throat, night sweats (four days after my exposure) be from ARS or ARS/COVID co-infection, since I tested positive for COVID then? And if so, could this rash simply be a random later symptom of HIV 28 days after the exposure?

[CurfewX]

And final answer:
You wouldn't get ARS 4 days after exposure.  I've already answered that your rash isn't an ARS rash and has nothing to do with HIV, and you should get tested when possible for these no-risks events instead of focusing on random "symptoms."

[Kingo88]

Why do I need to test?

[Kingo88]

If you’re telling me this is NOT related to HIV and that I don’t have HIV, why test?