Please Help

[worriedsicklb]

I had a potential exposure 16 days ago.  8 days ago I got body aches and fatique only which was gone in 5 days.  Nothing else of any kind.  Could be the anxiety or could be ARS.  I also had a ear infection and felt run down a few days prior to the exposure.  4 days after the exposure I went to the doc and got cipro for my ear.  On day 9 I started taking the drug but have never gotten better which I am concerned.  I easily kick these kinds of this with antibiotics.  

My 2 questions are is it typical to experience body aches without fever with ars?  It routinely is said to be like the flu but my flus always came with fever.  And the other is does ars render antibiotics useless during this time or did I just happen to catch a cipro resistant bug.  Also as soon as I stopped the cipro my aches quit.  Could it be a cipro side affect?

Thank you so much doc!!!  I intend to be tested obviously but its too early and the anxiety is killing me and I have already had 2 breakdowns.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  Isolated body aches are not ARS. The ARS is a complex syndrome in which people have fevers, rashes and swollen lymph nodes in addition to body aches.  The "ARS" is also a non-specific illness which mimics the symptoms of common, non-HIV, non-STD viral illnesses which are hundreds of times more common than HIV, even in persons who have had exposures which may put them at risk for HIV.  I urge you not to worry.  Take care.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, , even with early HIVthe antibiotics would work on the infections they are meant to work on. Many sinus and ear infections however are due to respiratory viruses, not bacteria, thus sometimes the antibiotics do not work.  EWH

[worriedsicklb]

Please let me clarify.  Would antibiotics work on routine sinus infections ear infections etc. If you did have ars at the time of the antibiotic treatment or would the body be so suppressed during this time that antibiotics would help you fight of routine infections.  Last question I promise.  Thank you for all you do!!!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Antibiotics have no effect on the ARS, its resolution or development of antibodies to HIV.  EWH.

[worriedsicklb]

Any comments on the use of antibiotics while you may have ars.  Would antibiotics work in the middle of ars?