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Scared I'm infected with HIV - Bell's Palsy

First off let me say, I've swore off all contact with anyone for at least the next six months. I plan on getting tested at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months.

I was having protected anal sex, I was the top. The condom broke and I noticed it probably within 20-30 seconds. I pulled out washed off with hot water and soap. Since I was in panic mode I also dumped a bunch of Vodka on it, doubt that helps but I was in panic mode. It burned when I did this and I'm worried I had open sores. I had recently been battling a yeast infection given to me by my Ex-GF I thought it was completely healed, I'm also uncircumcised. The other male refused to get tested and I'm worried it's because he already knows he's positive and didn't inform me. I initially accepted my odds and was learning towards a positive outlook that I wouldn't be infected based on the odds. I know I'm at a higher risk being uncircumcised and having a possible active yeast infection. At the time I was uninformed and didn't know PEP existed, I would have gladly paid the large fee for it if I knew.

Right now I'm freaking out and I'm in full on panic. 3 days after my exposure I began to have a stiff neck and pain behind my right ear. One the 4th day late at night after I had been drinking I noticed I was having trouble closing my right eye and couldn't wink it. I went to sleep thinking I was just to drunk but when I woke up and tried to brush my teeth the right side of my mouth wouldn't open. I rushed to the doctor and was diagnosed with Bell's Palsy, this was the 5th day after my exposure.

Now I've done quite a bit of research and I know Bell's has been linked to early HIV infection. From most of the information I gathered, I shouldn't experience any acute HIV-1 symptoms until 2-4 weeks or never at all. However, I'm still terrified, there's not a whole lot of research on the link between Bell's and HIV. Could an HIV infection affect me so early, either on it's on or by distracting my immune system letting another virus infect my 7th nerve? I've tested positive for HSV-1 a couple years ago but my most recent test showed no HSV-1 or HSV-2 infection. I have had sores in my mouth before, nothing exterior I'm not 100% if they were herpes related or canker sores. In addition I had chicken pox when I was a kid, I believe that's a herpes zoster infection, could that have re-activated? At this point if I did contract an STD, I'll take anything over HIV. Is it possible he had anal HSV-1 and it reactivated my virus?

Any information someone could provide would be most helpful. I'm trying to stay positive but losing the ability to properly; speak, chew/taste food, drink without spewing water everywhere and the loss of vision in my right eye has pushed me over the edge I'm breaking down.

Thank you
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Avatar universal
No, if one has symptoms they come on 2-4 weeks post exposure.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Can there be symptoms in the first few days? There seems to be conflicting information out there. Some say there would be no symptoms until 2-4 weeks if at all. Some say you can experience symptoms anywhere from a few days to 4 weeks. Seems rather coincidental to me that I have this incident then get Bell's which is one of the symptoms of acute HIV. I know it's different for everyone and A may not be related to B, but the conflicting information has me on a horrible roller coaster. My mind won't stop living in that moment and it's causing me to lose focus on the rest of my life and I can barely sleep.

I'm treating myself as though I'm infected, what an awful wait this is going to be. With luck I won't experience any more medical issues and the test will go well but I'm not sure if I should get my hopes up only to get possibly get crushed. Maybe it would be better to try to come to terms with it over the next 4 weeks until I get tested and then based on that figure out what I'm doing until I hit 3 months.

Thank you very much
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Avatar universal
3 month is when you can get a conclusive test. Bell's Palsy has nothing to do with HIV. You can't use symptoms to diagnosis or even get an indication because they are generic and some don't even get symptoms.
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Avatar universal
Anyone? Sorry for the grammatical and spelling errors in my first post. I was typing in a hurry trying to hit post before my laptop died.
Helpful - 0
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