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Comment Please
Hi Doc.,I am 43yrs old. I had unprotected sex (oral and vaginal) with a 40yr woman from South Africa (not skinny). This was on the 11th of January. I immediately experienced great fear and remorse, and had diaria within 3 days. I lost 10kg's over the next two weeks. On the 23rd I purchased and did two rapid HIV tests - Neg. On the 13th I flew from SA to Nothern America - 24 hr fligt time and several hours transfer time. I started experiencing all kinds of symptoms I never experienced before : Diaree, growling stomack, itchy left arm and hands, constant pain on left side of penis, groin pains, neck pains, muscle pains. Currently I only have the groin pains , neck/throat pains and some muscle pain.
On the 20th February I went to a STD clinic and tested for STD's and HIV. I got the results on the 27 - all Neg. I had no sores, no discharge. I do however feel dizzy, have a tremble in my hands and feels like limph nodes in my groin and side of neck is swolen, have the growling stomack and some stinging pain on stomack from time to time, and had a headache for the past 5 days. Could you comment please - worried, A LOT !!
On the 20th February I went to a STD clinic and tested for STD's and HIV. I got the results on the 27 - all Neg. I had no sores, no discharge. I do however feel dizzy, have a tremble in my hands and feels like limph nodes in my groin and side of neck is swolen, have the growling stomack and some stinging pain on stomack from time to time, and had a headache for the past 5 days. Could you comment please - worried, A LOT !!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No medicines have any effect on the reliability of HIV test results. Your antibiotic treatment makes no difference in my opinion or advice. This also is something you could have learned for free by reviewing existing threads.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. I have to assume you did not read the prominent "Disclaimer" message at the top or at least did not follow that advice to review other threads for similar questions. You would have seen that symptoms almost never are useful in deciding whether a new HIV infection is likely, and that HIV test results always outweigh symptoms, if the test was done long enough after exposure (usually 4-8 weeks).
Your negative HIV test result almost 6 weeks after the sexual exposure is nearly 100%proof you didn't catch HIV and definitely proves your symptoms were not due to HIV. They don't sound much like HIV symptoms anyway. Certainly intestinal noise, dizziness, headache, trembling, etc are not possible HIV symptoms. They also are not symptoms of any other STD. It sounds mostly like anxiety or depression, nothing more.
If you want even stronger reassurance, have another HIV antibody test at the 3 month mark. You can be certain it also will be negative.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Your negative HIV test result almost 6 weeks after the sexual exposure is nearly 100%proof you didn't catch HIV and definitely proves your symptoms were not due to HIV. They don't sound much like HIV symptoms anyway. Certainly intestinal noise, dizziness, headache, trembling, etc are not possible HIV symptoms. They also are not symptoms of any other STD. It sounds mostly like anxiety or depression, nothing more.
If you want even stronger reassurance, have another HIV antibody test at the 3 month mark. You can be certain it also will be negative.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You don't need 10 weeks for syphilis test reliability. Six weeks is plenty.
I never guarantee someone isn't infected, but if I were in your situation, knowing what I know, I would fee completely comfortable continuing unprotected sex with my wife. Indeed, I would have done that without awaiting a 10 week test result.
That ends this thread, please.
I never guarantee someone isn't infected, but if I were in your situation, knowing what I know, I would fee completely comfortable continuing unprotected sex with my wife. Indeed, I would have done that without awaiting a 10 week test result.
That ends this thread, please.
Good Day Dr.,
Thank you for your previous response. It really meant a lot to me as I was truly concerned. I took your advise and retested, unfortunately not at the 12 week mark but 10 weeks and 2 days due to practical reasons. As you predicted my results were negative, although the operator said that HIV and Syphilis is not conclusive at this time. (I called in for my results).
As this is my last post, would you be so kind as to deliver a final opinion on the 10 week 2day result for HIV and Syphilis?
Can I continue my normal marital relationship with confidence?
Then Doc, I do not know if you know how comforting and reassuring your comments and advice are, but know this - it carries eternal value ! Thank You !
Blessings.
Thank you for your previous response. It really meant a lot to me as I was truly concerned. I took your advise and retested, unfortunately not at the 12 week mark but 10 weeks and 2 days due to practical reasons. As you predicted my results were negative, although the operator said that HIV and Syphilis is not conclusive at this time. (I called in for my results).
As this is my last post, would you be so kind as to deliver a final opinion on the 10 week 2day result for HIV and Syphilis?
Can I continue my normal marital relationship with confidence?
Then Doc, I do not know if you know how comforting and reassuring your comments and advice are, but know this - it carries eternal value ! Thank You !
Blessings.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This makes no difference in my opinion or advice. There is no medical condition that alters HIV test reliability. There is speculation about very advanced diseases like terminal cancer and highly potent chemotherapy, but even those are theoretical; as far as I know, there are reported instances of actual interference with HIV test results.
That will have to end this thread. Take care.
That will have to end this thread. Take care.
Hi Doc., I am sorry to bother you again. I saw some comments on immunodeficiency and impact on testing results and times. I had Guilliam Bare in 1992, and again in 2002. The first time I recovered fully, but the second time had some respitory damage (32%) which still remains and never healed. Further than that I am ok (before all these symptoms and ?anxiety?). Will the almost 6 weeks testing still be an "almost concluse" result that I am ok? On the STD's and HIV?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You're welcome. Take care.
Thank you Doc !!
Your answer is a great relief to me -- you certainely have a wonderful and good thing going via this website!
Thank you once again and blessings !!
Your answer is a great relief to me -- you certainely have a wonderful and good thing going via this website!
Thank you once again and blessings !!
Ps Doc. I was on antibiotics for flu like symptoms on the second/third week after the incident - cannot remember the name of the medication. Will that influence the tests?
You are reading content posted in the HIV - Prevention Forum
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
Can I get HIV from surfaces, like toilet seats?
Can you get HIV from casual contact, like hugging?
Frequency of HIV testing depends on your risk.
Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may help prevent HIV infection.
