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Testing and throat symptoms Please help
So to make my question simple:
I like many other guys here chose to have sex with an escort. The sex was protected and to my knowledge the condom did its job. Both vaginal and oral.
I've tested from the very first week out to I believe the 11th week, all AB test as duo are not common here. All have been negative. I have had a total of 5 tests, 1 blood draw and 4 finger pricks.
I have had something going on in my throat for weeks, maybe about two weeks into it. I did not give oral so I find it hard to think it would be an STD but HIV does alarm me. It causes discomfort and I can see some vessels I guess you would call it in my mouth and medium sized red lumps on the wall of my throat. I've tried allergy meds but no improvement. I tried to search the forums first but found nothing similar. Don't know if that's good or bad. Today would be during my 13th week from that exposure. Should I retest? It would be another rapid finger test.
I like many other guys here chose to have sex with an escort. The sex was protected and to my knowledge the condom did its job. Both vaginal and oral.
I've tested from the very first week out to I believe the 11th week, all AB test as duo are not common here. All have been negative. I have had a total of 5 tests, 1 blood draw and 4 finger pricks.
I have had something going on in my throat for weeks, maybe about two weeks into it. I did not give oral so I find it hard to think it would be an STD but HIV does alarm me. It causes discomfort and I can see some vessels I guess you would call it in my mouth and medium sized red lumps on the wall of my throat. I've tried allergy meds but no improvement. I tried to search the forums first but found nothing similar. Don't know if that's good or bad. Today would be during my 13th week from that exposure. Should I retest? It would be another rapid finger test.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Such changes of the tongue are very common after antibiotics like clarithromycin (Biaxin), not to mention many other minor medical conditions. Since this forum deals only with HIV and STDs and it is clear you have none, I will not have any further advice.
Hello Doctor,
I visited my physician and he said there was evidence of drainage down my throat. He speculated that maybe i had a sinus infection and gave me a 10 day course of biaxin. Today was my last day on it. It did stop the drainage but the lumps are stil there bothering me.
I must say, i went against your word and did an oraquick test 13.5 weeks out and it was negative. So that makes 6 negatives in 3 months. For what its worth, i believe you now. I have an ent appointment monday. Should i go through anymore tests or say no thanks.
Also ive been having minor peeling on my fingers and a semi hairy tongue since the 10 day biaxin.(2- 500mg a day) Is this normal?
I visited my physician and he said there was evidence of drainage down my throat. He speculated that maybe i had a sinus infection and gave me a 10 day course of biaxin. Today was my last day on it. It did stop the drainage but the lumps are stil there bothering me.
I must say, i went against your word and did an oraquick test 13.5 weeks out and it was negative. So that makes 6 negatives in 3 months. For what its worth, i believe you now. I have an ent appointment monday. Should i go through anymore tests or say no thanks.
Also ive been having minor peeling on my fingers and a semi hairy tongue since the 10 day biaxin.(2- 500mg a day) Is this normal?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
As already implied above, "several red lumps" in the back of the throat isn't necessarily abnormal. Even if there is an inflammatory process, such as an allergy or mild infection, there isn't the least reason to assume it has anything to do with performing oral sex on your girlfriend. This clearly is not an STD. (Throat STDs typically cause no symptoms -- no sore throat, nothing.) This has nothing to do with the sexual exposures you have described.
I already have told you that no more HIV testing is recommended or needed. Just drop HIV from your mind -- it's simply not a possiblity given your current test results. And HIV wouldn't cause such throat symptoms anyway!
Don't post another question in the STD forum. The answer won't be any different. Just suck it up and do your best to move on. I'm confident your doctor will say much the same.
I already have told you that no more HIV testing is recommended or needed. Just drop HIV from your mind -- it's simply not a possiblity given your current test results. And HIV wouldn't cause such throat symptoms anyway!
Don't post another question in the STD forum. The answer won't be any different. Just suck it up and do your best to move on. I'm confident your doctor will say much the same.
Just saw your reply, please excuse the HIV question. I will gladly post about the STD possibility in the correct forum for the fee. Thank you, Doctor.
Happy new year to you too, Doctor.
I started to assume I was over testing when the clinic workers started to look at me crazy.
As for my throat, I've only performed oral sex on one person in my life, which would be my long term girlfriend. Though I have done both vaginal and anal oral on her. My throat as I said has several red lumps on the back wall and two around the webbing near my tonsils on both sides that cause an irritated feeling. I did just make an appointment to have it looked at. Would those acts cause anything like such? and would an std stick around for this many weeks? I realize this is a little off topic for the forum and will only ask that.
1. Should I be worried about the throat? Would I know thrush if it were that? what about thrush in my throat? I don't have trouble swallowing, just a pretty consistent irritated feeling as well as the physical redness and lumps. Don't recall node swelling or any fever to cause alarm. This all started when I caught a cold almost two months ago. Terrible congestion to the point my face hurt and I could hear my ears squeaking.
2. Do I need to try and find a duo test? I read somewhere from you that there really is no point as far as the duo goes past a certain time from potential exposure?
I started to assume I was over testing when the clinic workers started to look at me crazy.
As for my throat, I've only performed oral sex on one person in my life, which would be my long term girlfriend. Though I have done both vaginal and anal oral on her. My throat as I said has several red lumps on the back wall and two around the webbing near my tonsils on both sides that cause an irritated feeling. I did just make an appointment to have it looked at. Would those acts cause anything like such? and would an std stick around for this many weeks? I realize this is a little off topic for the forum and will only ask that.
1. Should I be worried about the throat? Would I know thrush if it were that? what about thrush in my throat? I don't have trouble swallowing, just a pretty consistent irritated feeling as well as the physical redness and lumps. Don't recall node swelling or any fever to cause alarm. This all started when I caught a cold almost two months ago. Terrible congestion to the point my face hurt and I could hear my ears squeaking.
2. Do I need to try and find a duo test? I read somewhere from you that there really is no point as far as the duo goes past a certain time from potential exposure?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
As already noted, HIV is not in the picture. There are many potential causes for prolonged throat discomfort, most of which aren't serious. Anyway, I'm glad to hear you've got a medical appointment scheduled. You can expect the outcome to be reassuring.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question.
The HIV blood tests are among the most accurate diagnostic tests ever developed, for any medical condition. If enough time has passed since the last possible exposure (4-8 weeks, depending on the specific test or combination of tests), the results are conclusive and overrule everything else: exposure history (no matter how high the risk) and symptoms (no matter how typical for an HIV infection).
So you were seriously overtested: I would have recommended a single test, or two at most, e.g. at 4 and 8 weeks. In any case, your negative results prove for sure you didn't catch HIV and that something other than HIV explains your throat symptoms.
As for other explanations for your symptoms, I can only speculate. I am confident they are not due to any infection from the sexual exposure. Anxiety sounds like a pretty good bet. I would recommend you stop examining yourself -- you don't describe anything that sounds abnormal. If the discomfort continues or you otherwise remain concerned, see a doctor or clinic for professional evaluation. In the meantime, however, you can stop worrying about HIV. Don't have any more tests.
I hope this has helped. Best wishes and happy new year-- HHH, MD
The HIV blood tests are among the most accurate diagnostic tests ever developed, for any medical condition. If enough time has passed since the last possible exposure (4-8 weeks, depending on the specific test or combination of tests), the results are conclusive and overrule everything else: exposure history (no matter how high the risk) and symptoms (no matter how typical for an HIV infection).
So you were seriously overtested: I would have recommended a single test, or two at most, e.g. at 4 and 8 weeks. In any case, your negative results prove for sure you didn't catch HIV and that something other than HIV explains your throat symptoms.
As for other explanations for your symptoms, I can only speculate. I am confident they are not due to any infection from the sexual exposure. Anxiety sounds like a pretty good bet. I would recommend you stop examining yourself -- you don't describe anything that sounds abnormal. If the discomfort continues or you otherwise remain concerned, see a doctor or clinic for professional evaluation. In the meantime, however, you can stop worrying about HIV. Don't have any more tests.
I hope this has helped. Best wishes and happy new year-- HHH, MD
Forgot to ask, if this were some kind of throat infection, would a recent HIV infection cause it to linger for so long? Months? Almost 2 now. It's not a regular sore feeling, but more of a irritation that can clearly be seen. I just scheduled a doc appointment for Monday. Figured it's time.
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