Extremely Scared!!

[torn2death09]

I am a female who had unprotected sex with a male about 5 weeks ago. It will be 6 weeks on the 7th of February.  The next day after intercourse, I started experiencing diarrea. It went away, but then about 6 days later I started to feel hot and cold along with a runny nose. I also had a few instances of diarrea. Went away after a day or so. After returning home from a family vaction three weeks later (the whole family was sick), (which involved flying) the glands in my neck swelled up and I also got a bad sinus headache. I had a lot of pressure in between my eyes and a stuffy nose. About 4 days later, I developed a soar throat that lasted a day. A few days later, after my glands went down.. I got a minor yeast infection. Occurred right after I took more ibprofen. I also noticed during this time frame, white stuff on the back of my tongue that can be brushed away. A pimple formed on the side of my mouth, I popped it and it formed a cut like thing and crusted over. All symptoms disappeared, except the headache, post-nasal drip which still occurs. No fevers, rash, or night sweats. I also have one swollen node under my jaw, but I hear it take weeks for them to go down after a cold. I have had two negative ELISA'S at 3 weeks and 4 weeks and 5 days. Please Help!! I have been so worried...Thank You!!

Questions:

1. I know you say symptoms are not a reliable source, but do these sound like ARS?

2. Can excessive use of anti-inflammitories sometimes cause yeast infections? I read that somewhere..

3. Should I continue through with the 3 month testing period, or do you think my 4 week and 5 day test is reliable enough?

4. Do most people really test positive within the first month?

5. Is absence of fever or rash a good sign? How many people experience fever or rash with ARS?

6. What are my odds that I contracted this virus from a one time risk without ejaculation in me?

7. If I get a negative six week test, (hopefully) should I still be concerned?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your exposure is low risk and VERY low risk if he was in the Air Force since the military folks get tested for HIV every year.  Being in the military is also consistent with everything he has  said and his being thin (they work out constantly).

As far as your questions, I will go through them in a moment but before I do, let me deliver my summary statement.  Your symptoms are NOT suggestive of ARS.  The diarrhea is not an ARS symptom and started too soon, the absence of fever and rash is convincing evidence that you do not have ARS.  Similarly, the lymph node swelling of HIV tends to persist, not appear and resolve.  At the time of your six week test, in your situation and this setting, you can take it as proof that you did not get HIV.  A blood test at 6 weeks would be expected to detect well over 95% of infections acquired 6 weeks before and in your situation with a chance of less than 1 in 1 million of being infected, that last 5% is statistically inconsequential.  Once you have your negative test result, you do not need further testing. Now for your questions:

1. See above.  this does not sound like ARS.
2. I don't typically think of use of anti-inflammatories increasing risk for yeast infections. On the other hand, plenty of people get yeast infections without any particular predisposing factors.
3. See above, after  6 weeks you do not need further testing.  Five weeks, probably not then either except for your own peace of mind
4.  Yes, they really do
5.  Most people with ARS have a fever and rash
6.  Very low.  If he was infected, and this is unlikely, the odds of getting infected from a single sexual encounter are less than 1 in 1000
7.  See above.  No reason for concern

Hope this helps.  EWH

[torn2death09]

Also,

Just wanted to write some comments about the guy. He told me he was in The Air Force, which seemed to correspond with the pics he had on his profile of himself in his uniform with his name on it. I asked him if he smoked cigarettes or pot. He sayed he wished he could smoke pot, but they test regularly for drugs and such. I kept texting him asking if he was clean, he finally got fed up and yelled at me and told me to leave him alone. When I asked him to pick me up once, he said he couldn't drive because he had been drinking and couldn't risk being pulled over. He also told me that some girl tried to claim that he raped her once, but I really don't know the situation but it kind of freaked me out. She could be just crazy, or maybe he is? The first time we met, he apologized for being thin because he hadn't been to the gym. He wasn't unusually thin to me. Afterward, he took off and assured me he hadn't done that since his last girlfriend. Who knows?? I am freaked out..I am going to write him to ask him to get tested with me.

[torn2death09]

Thank you for answering my questions! I am still a bit worried though, as I have one swollen node under my Jaw that won't seem to go away. I keep poking it, but it is not really that noticeable. Does it take a while for the swelling to go down after a cold? I read it can take a few weeks for them to go down. I tried to contact the guy again, he told me once again that he had just been tested, and the next time I try to contact him that he is going to call the cops. Maybe, I am just being paranoid. I have lost a lot of sleep over this, and my sinus infection and yeast infection seem to worry me. I never have had either one of these things, but I also live in a very dry climate now. My diet isn't very good as well, I have a sweet tooth. Maybe that has a reason for the yeast? The diarrhea came with the hot feeling and slight runny nose. I'm pretty sure I didn't have a fever, and it wasn't enough to keep me in bed. My friend convinced me the diarrhea was because of nerves, and it went away after that. I have also suffered from a few other instances of diarrhea, mainly after drinking a little bit or making myself sick with worry over HIV. I also don't drink enough water. Thank you for all that you do! This disease has become so much more apparent to me now, I will do everything I can to make sure people get tested annually. My thoughts and prayers are with those who are infected!

[torn2death09]

Also, do ARS symptoms usually occur all at once and dissappear all at once? The ladies at Planned Parenthood tell me that it is a waste of my time to keep coming back before the three month mark. I also have a boyfriend now, we have been practicing safe sex for our entire relationship. This has greatly affected my sex life, and I can't enjoy it when I am always worrying whether or not I will give him something. Do you think it is a good idea to get tested together, and if we both come back negative should we still use condoms? We are both extremely committed and faithful to each other. Should I wait till the end of the three months, just to be sure? Thank You

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The ladies at PPH have given you good advice.  To continue to worry about this does you no good.  Believe you test results and stop poking, prodding and asking what it questions.  Trying to sort out clinical symptoms REALLY is a waste of time.  As for your swollen lymph node under your jaw, if you are concerned because it could be HIV, don't be.  if you are concerned for other reasons, then see a health care provider.  I'm not trying to be coarse here.  I hope my comments help.  EWH

[torn2death09]

Thank you for the help! I also forgot to mention that I had a rash under both armpits, but it looked more like razor burn and went away after I used lotion. My boyfriend has been with many people, but he always used protection he says. Except with his past two serious girlfriends. I will still get tested at the 6+ week mark for peace of mind and praying that it will come back negative. I have faith that it will, and I trust the opinion of a great doctor. Thank You!!! You have been very helpful..