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Symptoms from possible exposure
Hi and thanks for taking my question. I am a male in my early fifties. I had two encounters with sex workers about 3 weeks apart. I performed unprotected oral on both these women but protected vaginal intercourse. I have been extremely stressed over this. I intend to get a rapid hiv test in a few days which will mark the 6 week date of last exposure. About one week after last exposure which would be 4 weeks after first exposure, I started having dizzy spells and felt lightheaded. These spells have now diminished somewhat but I still feel lightheaded. About a week and a half after the dizzy spells started, I started developing what looks like hives on my chest and torso. Heat seems to make things worse. This rash seems to come and go and is itchy. I know that oral carries low risk but I am concerned about these symptoms. Do these sound like ARS symptoms or would stress and anxiety really cause such symptoms? Is the fact that these symptoms came about a week and a half apart significant? If ARS, would symptoms not come together at the same time. Is dizziness and hives typical ARS symptoms. I am extremely stressed, please let me know asap if I am just worrying myself sick or I have a ligitimate concern.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
There is no need for another HIV test; your 9 week result is conclusive, despite official advice for testing at 3 months. See this thread:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1704700
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1704700
Hello Dr H., I am just posting because I have just come back from a 9 week from last exposure rapid antibody blood test which came out NEGATIVE. The Nurse that administered the test also did a couple of other sti tests by a throat swab and said they would be back in a week or two but she feels these results will probably be negative as well. She also suggusted coming back in 3-4 weeks to do a 2nd hiv test just to make sure although she believes it will most likely be negative as well. Do you think I should take a 2nd test. I do feel a lot more reassured now and believe that you were absolutely right and I will be moving on and take this as a learning experience.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I'm glad to have helped. Take care.
Thanks for your quick response. I will definetly have a blood test asap. Just so you know, the reason I posted here after I had already posted in the open forum is because the rash symptoms came after my first post which made me more anxious. I guess your mind can have quite an effect on your body. I will let you know my results. Your response is reassuring but that I think a negative test is the only thing that will put me completely at ease. Thanks again!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
Although the replies on the community forum were brief, they were exactly right. Condoms work; and oral sex carries little or no risk. And cunnilingus has never been reported to result in HIV transmission, for either partner. In addition, in the US and most industrialized countries, under 1% of female sex workers has HIV and mostly it's under 1 in 1,000.
Your symptoms are not at all suggestive of HIV. They're the wrong symptoms and the timing also is wrong; symptoms of acute HIV infection start 1-2 weeks after exposure. I also agree with your own apparent conclusion about them: these sympoms are typical physical manifestations off anxiety, stress, depression, etc.
However, your self-described solution to your worries is correct: have an HIV test. From a strictly medical or risk standpoint, there is no reason for testing, but the negative result is probably what you need to move on without worry.
You don't need to wait until 6 weeks. If you'll seek out a clinic or lab that offers an HIV "duo" or "combo" test (for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen), you can have a conclusive result any time 4 weeks or more after the last exposure. However, if you follow through on your current plan for a rapid antibody-only test at 6 weeks, go to a clinic for a blood test, not the oral fluids test -- which might take a bit longer to become positive.
Whatever test you choose, feel free to return with a comment to let me know the result. Stay mellow in the meantime. It will be negative.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Although the replies on the community forum were brief, they were exactly right. Condoms work; and oral sex carries little or no risk. And cunnilingus has never been reported to result in HIV transmission, for either partner. In addition, in the US and most industrialized countries, under 1% of female sex workers has HIV and mostly it's under 1 in 1,000.
Your symptoms are not at all suggestive of HIV. They're the wrong symptoms and the timing also is wrong; symptoms of acute HIV infection start 1-2 weeks after exposure. I also agree with your own apparent conclusion about them: these sympoms are typical physical manifestations off anxiety, stress, depression, etc.
However, your self-described solution to your worries is correct: have an HIV test. From a strictly medical or risk standpoint, there is no reason for testing, but the negative result is probably what you need to move on without worry.
You don't need to wait until 6 weeks. If you'll seek out a clinic or lab that offers an HIV "duo" or "combo" test (for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen), you can have a conclusive result any time 4 weeks or more after the last exposure. However, if you follow through on your current plan for a rapid antibody-only test at 6 weeks, go to a clinic for a blood test, not the oral fluids test -- which might take a bit longer to become positive.
Whatever test you choose, feel free to return with a comment to let me know the result. Stay mellow in the meantime. It will be negative.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
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