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Medical reason for testing? ARS? Should I be worried?
I'm a 25 year old male. Virgin, aside from kissing, mutual masturbation. Still got my V-card.
On April 2nd, I got what I assumed were cold-like symptoms:
- Runny nose
- Productive cough
- Sneezing
- Swollen and/or tender glands around neck and throat
To my recollection, there were no other symptoms. The most severe of these symptoms cleared up in a matter of 3-5 days. A dry cough lingered for much longer, possibly up to 1-2 weeks. People at my office had been sick for a month or two leading to this.
What worries me is the 2nd time I got these same symptoms, only 4 weeks later on May 2. This troubled me as I don't get sick very often, and never 2 times in a month. I've gone years without catching a cold/flu before this. What also troubled me was that around the time I was recovering from these symptoms again (the worst of which didn't seem to last as long as the first time), I started having night sweats. I can't recall if I was simply hot or if they were cold sweats. It's possible that they had occurred in the months prior, but I can't recall. I also discovered a pink, itchy rash on the right abdomen. It wasn't painful. My dry cough has lingered up until a few days ago.
These symptoms, while not alarming to me at the time, have now caused me to obsess that I may have gotten HIV. I have no knowledge of any risky activity prior to this. I went bar hopping with friends in NYC a month prior to May 2, and eventually to a night club, and was moderately drunk. I don't believe I blacked out, but there were very minor lapses in memory here and there. In all cases, even drunk, I remember entering and leaving, each venue, entering and leaving the club, every girl I tried to talk to, drinks I bought, dancing, etc. My fear, despite this, is that I could have had sex or done something risky sexually without remembering. My obsessive fear of HIV is causing me to retroactively analyze these symptoms and search for possible incidents of exposure.
On April 2nd, I got what I assumed were cold-like symptoms:
- Runny nose
- Productive cough
- Sneezing
- Swollen and/or tender glands around neck and throat
To my recollection, there were no other symptoms. The most severe of these symptoms cleared up in a matter of 3-5 days. A dry cough lingered for much longer, possibly up to 1-2 weeks. People at my office had been sick for a month or two leading to this.
What worries me is the 2nd time I got these same symptoms, only 4 weeks later on May 2. This troubled me as I don't get sick very often, and never 2 times in a month. I've gone years without catching a cold/flu before this. What also troubled me was that around the time I was recovering from these symptoms again (the worst of which didn't seem to last as long as the first time), I started having night sweats. I can't recall if I was simply hot or if they were cold sweats. It's possible that they had occurred in the months prior, but I can't recall. I also discovered a pink, itchy rash on the right abdomen. It wasn't painful. My dry cough has lingered up until a few days ago.
These symptoms, while not alarming to me at the time, have now caused me to obsess that I may have gotten HIV. I have no knowledge of any risky activity prior to this. I went bar hopping with friends in NYC a month prior to May 2, and eventually to a night club, and was moderately drunk. I don't believe I blacked out, but there were very minor lapses in memory here and there. In all cases, even drunk, I remember entering and leaving, each venue, entering and leaving the club, every girl I tried to talk to, drinks I bought, dancing, etc. My fear, despite this, is that I could have had sex or done something risky sexually without remembering. My obsessive fear of HIV is causing me to retroactively analyze these symptoms and search for possible incidents of exposure.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
I scanned your discussions on this on the OCD forum. I agree with the advice you received there about HIV transmission.
As you undoubtedly realize, the problem with OCD is that rational argument and facts don't actually have much impact in reducing compulsive thinking or the irrational fears that go with it. All I can do is reiterate what you already have been told, and which you know intellectually: that you have not been at risk for HIV and your symptoms do not suggest it. Translating that information into true (i.e., emotional, gut-level) understanding and belief is a mental health issue that I cannot help with and won't try.
I'll just say that acute HIV infection doesn't cause runny nose, nasal congestion, or cough; and that for every million people with symptoms like yours, HIV would simply never be the cause. That similar symptoms appeared more than once also is irrelevant; recurrent allergies and colds are infinitely more common than acute HIV. Your rash and supposed night sweats (which are not true night sweats if you don't have substantial fever) also aren't suggestive. Even in people with "typical" HIV symptoms, the large majority don't have it. Every symptom listed for HIV occurs much more frequently from other causes.
As for your alcohol hazy night on the town, there is no reason to suggest you were exposed to HIV. Although there are rare HIV cases in people who intially seem to not be at risk, one of the obvious risky exposures (unprotected sex, shared needles, etc) always turns up once all pertinent information is available.
That's as far as I'm going to in convincing you there's no problem here. You could consider HIV testing after enough time has passed (depending on the specific test, 4-8 weeks from whenever you fear you were infected). But my guess is that even with a negative test, your OCD will generate "what if" scenarios that look for reasons the test result wasn't valid. (Just scan this forum for innumerable such discussions.) As I noted above, the ultimate solution to your fears is going to come through OCD management.
Best regards-- HHH, MD
I scanned your discussions on this on the OCD forum. I agree with the advice you received there about HIV transmission.
As you undoubtedly realize, the problem with OCD is that rational argument and facts don't actually have much impact in reducing compulsive thinking or the irrational fears that go with it. All I can do is reiterate what you already have been told, and which you know intellectually: that you have not been at risk for HIV and your symptoms do not suggest it. Translating that information into true (i.e., emotional, gut-level) understanding and belief is a mental health issue that I cannot help with and won't try.
I'll just say that acute HIV infection doesn't cause runny nose, nasal congestion, or cough; and that for every million people with symptoms like yours, HIV would simply never be the cause. That similar symptoms appeared more than once also is irrelevant; recurrent allergies and colds are infinitely more common than acute HIV. Your rash and supposed night sweats (which are not true night sweats if you don't have substantial fever) also aren't suggestive. Even in people with "typical" HIV symptoms, the large majority don't have it. Every symptom listed for HIV occurs much more frequently from other causes.
As for your alcohol hazy night on the town, there is no reason to suggest you were exposed to HIV. Although there are rare HIV cases in people who intially seem to not be at risk, one of the obvious risky exposures (unprotected sex, shared needles, etc) always turns up once all pertinent information is available.
That's as far as I'm going to in convincing you there's no problem here. You could consider HIV testing after enough time has passed (depending on the specific test, 4-8 weeks from whenever you fear you were infected). But my guess is that even with a negative test, your OCD will generate "what if" scenarios that look for reasons the test result wasn't valid. (Just scan this forum for innumerable such discussions.) As I noted above, the ultimate solution to your fears is going to come through OCD management.
Best regards-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
As I said at the outset: "As you undoubtedly realize, the problem with OCD is that rational argument and facts don't actually have much impact in reducing compulsive thinking or the irrational fears that go with it. All I can do is reiterate what you already have been told, and which you know intellectually: that you have not been at risk for HIV and your symptoms do not suggest it. Translating that information into true (i.e., emotional, gut-level) understanding and belief is a mental health issue that I cannot help with and won't try."
We don't view clinical photos on this forum. See a doctor or clinic if the rash persists or otherwise concerns you. It is not possible it has anything to do with HIV.
That will end this thread. Do your best to move on.
We don't view clinical photos on this forum. See a doctor or clinic if the rash persists or otherwise concerns you. It is not possible it has anything to do with HIV.
That will end this thread. Do your best to move on.
Hi Dr. Handsfield
I know I said those were the last of my questions, so I leave it totally up to you if you'd like to answer one last thing for me.
Here are some photos of a recent rash I've developed:
http://imgur.com/HC4Sl75
http://imgur.com/h2vrxfx
http://imgur.com/Qpvbg1o
Does this look like HIV rash? I was doing yard work the other day and it's possible I came into contact with something that touched poison ivy.
While I'm not totally obsessing about this, the OCD keeps telling me "what if". I know this is annoying for you guys and you deal with a lot of paranoid people on this forum so I'll leave it up to you.
I know I said those were the last of my questions, so I leave it totally up to you if you'd like to answer one last thing for me.
Here are some photos of a recent rash I've developed:
http://imgur.com/HC4Sl75
http://imgur.com/h2vrxfx
http://imgur.com/Qpvbg1o
Does this look like HIV rash? I was doing yard work the other day and it's possible I came into contact with something that touched poison ivy.
While I'm not totally obsessing about this, the OCD keeps telling me "what if". I know this is annoying for you guys and you deal with a lot of paranoid people on this forum so I'll leave it up to you.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
"As far as your suggestion that I "could" take an HIV test, do you suggest this as a precautionary tool, or simply to help quell my irrational concerns?"
The latter.
"is fever very obvious?"
Low grade fever can be asymptomatic, but you wouldn't miss a fever high enough to cause night sweats -- usually along with shaking chills. Night sweats are the result of a high fever "breaking" (rapidly returning to normal or below) during the night and typically they are drenching.
The latter.
"is fever very obvious?"
Low grade fever can be asymptomatic, but you wouldn't miss a fever high enough to cause night sweats -- usually along with shaking chills. Night sweats are the result of a high fever "breaking" (rapidly returning to normal or below) during the night and typically they are drenching.
Thanks Dr. Handsfield for your quick and thoughtful response.
I forgot to mention that I did take an OraQuick at-home test 6 weeks after my bar hopping and it came up negative, assuming I did it correctly. Faint line on the C, no line on T. Still, I questioned that I did the test correctly.
As far as your suggestion that I "could" take an HIV test, do you suggest this as a precautionary tool, or simply to help quell my irrational concerns?
One more question: is fever very obvious? I didn't use a thermometer or anything, but I didn't have typical fever symptoms (i.e. chills, weakness, etc).
These are the last of my questions. Thanks again.
I forgot to mention that I did take an OraQuick at-home test 6 weeks after my bar hopping and it came up negative, assuming I did it correctly. Faint line on the C, no line on T. Still, I questioned that I did the test correctly.
As far as your suggestion that I "could" take an HIV test, do you suggest this as a precautionary tool, or simply to help quell my irrational concerns?
One more question: is fever very obvious? I didn't use a thermometer or anything, but I didn't have typical fever symptoms (i.e. chills, weakness, etc).
These are the last of my questions. Thanks again.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
"...what if I blacked out for an hour and had sex or something."
Nonsense.
Nonsense.
Also, in addition to the blackout fears, I don't consider myself somebody who would engage in such risky behavior. I'm a very cautious person, and paranoid about catching STD's. Still, my potentially ARS-like symptoms are causing my mind to race with "what if" scenarios. That being said, my knowledge of the events of me getting drunk is very solid. I remember most of everything, and no friends ever said I did anything that I didn't remember. I still think though, "what if I blacked out for an hour and had sex" or something.
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