Aa
Unhinged
I had unprotected vaginal and anal sex with a man I’ve been dating for a few months. This was my first (and definitely my last unprotected encounter). After our high risk encounter, I asked him about his HIV status, and he was honest enough to tell me he hadn’t been tested in a while, and wasn’t really sure.
Exactly 1 week to the day later, I came down with a sore throat, and flu-like symptoms (weakness, light headedness), and very slight congestion. I’ve taken my temp several times (a ridiculous amount) over the last few weeks and it was usually normal (97.5 – 98.7). I’ve felt overly warm several times in the past week, but my temp hasn’t risen about 99.1 except for a single time over a week later after when it rose to 100.3 and came down 2 mins later after rest. It also seems that I have swollen nodes in my neck and under one armpit.
Within that week I developed a burning sensation upon urination, but tested negative for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia. I plan to have a full STD panel performed.
This second week, I started having moderate dizziness and nausea intermittently, which I still have now, and really can’t tell if I have a rash, but I’ve been intermittently getting odd itchy/burning type sensations all over – including my eyes.
I am completely aware that I need HIV testing at 4 and 12 weeks, and that symptoms aren’t reliable indicators of ARS, but my risk and symptoms are very real, and the fear and anxiety have been having a negative impact on my job performance. I’m too ashamed to tell my normal doc of my incredibly stupid screw up, but seriously believe I have contracted HIV. All of my coworkers have noticed my distraction. Should I be considering going to an HIV specialist, and taking the PCR and HIV tests. I am positive I was negative prior to this event, and am concerned the standard HIV test wouldn’t provide me any level of comfort at this early stage, and I'm very close to becoming unhinged.
Exactly 1 week to the day later, I came down with a sore throat, and flu-like symptoms (weakness, light headedness), and very slight congestion. I’ve taken my temp several times (a ridiculous amount) over the last few weeks and it was usually normal (97.5 – 98.7). I’ve felt overly warm several times in the past week, but my temp hasn’t risen about 99.1 except for a single time over a week later after when it rose to 100.3 and came down 2 mins later after rest. It also seems that I have swollen nodes in my neck and under one armpit.
Within that week I developed a burning sensation upon urination, but tested negative for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia. I plan to have a full STD panel performed.
This second week, I started having moderate dizziness and nausea intermittently, which I still have now, and really can’t tell if I have a rash, but I’ve been intermittently getting odd itchy/burning type sensations all over – including my eyes.
I am completely aware that I need HIV testing at 4 and 12 weeks, and that symptoms aren’t reliable indicators of ARS, but my risk and symptoms are very real, and the fear and anxiety have been having a negative impact on my job performance. I’m too ashamed to tell my normal doc of my incredibly stupid screw up, but seriously believe I have contracted HIV. All of my coworkers have noticed my distraction. Should I be considering going to an HIV specialist, and taking the PCR and HIV tests. I am positive I was negative prior to this event, and am concerned the standard HIV test wouldn’t provide me any level of comfort at this early stage, and I'm very close to becoming unhinged.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, substantial fever is a prominent component of the ARS, as is a rash and muscle aches.
A negative result on his end should reduce your fears 100%, not 95%. EWH
A negative result on his end should reduce your fears 100%, not 95%. EWH
Dr. Hook - I can't thank you enough for your speedy and comforting reply. My boyfriend is currently traveling, and will not be able to test until later this week. I have shared my fears with him (perhaps not to this degree), and he has agreed to get tested. My larger fear (beyond the symptoms, as you've correctly surmised) stems from the fact that he later referred to himself as a "wild child" in the past, having had a number of unprotected episodes. If these "episodes" were unprotected anal sex, then I don't like the odds in conjunction with my symptoms.
If you don't mind one additional question (I promise)....Is it likely that ARS would present without significant fever and with moderate bouts of persistant nausea?
A negative result on his end will reduce my fears by 95%. I will await his results and try to remain calm in the interim. Many thanks for your kind words in this terrifying situation.
If you don't mind one additional question (I promise)....Is it likely that ARS would present without significant fever and with moderate bouts of persistant nausea?
A negative result on his end will reduce my fears by 95%. I will await his results and try to remain calm in the interim. Many thanks for your kind words in this terrifying situation.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. I'll try to help. You note that you have been dating this person for several months, thus this is someone you can find and talk with. Far and away, the simplest and most direct approach is for you to ask this person to go and get tested. For the sake of symmetry, completeness and fairness you should go and get tested at the same time. The most likely outcome of testing in this way is that you will find that you both have negative tests and you cannot get HIV from someone who has a negative test two weeks after exposure. If that is the case, you will know that your recent viral illness (which really does not sound like the ARS) was not HIV and was coincidence, nothing more. Testing with rapid tests at a local testing center (your health department can tell you where you can go to get this) will provide reliable results in less than an hour.
To elaborate a bit more, your symptoms seem to be the catalyst for many of your concerns. If your symptoms had been ARS, your standard HIV antibody test would be positive the week after they began.
I hope this is helpful. Despite your concerns, the fact is that your risk from this exposure is rather low unless there is something about your partner which makes him likely to have HIV. EWH
To elaborate a bit more, your symptoms seem to be the catalyst for many of your concerns. If your symptoms had been ARS, your standard HIV antibody test would be positive the week after they began.
I hope this is helpful. Despite your concerns, the fact is that your risk from this exposure is rather low unless there is something about your partner which makes him likely to have HIV. EWH
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