Worried Sick

[nervousasheck]

Dear Doctors,

Here is my situation.  Over three months ago I had three sexual encounters as follows:

1.  Unprotected vaginal sex with a woman I know who said she was clean, but I also know that she "gets around" - not judging, just saying.

2.  Unprotected oral and vaginal sex with a woman I know who said she is clean.  I know that she spent some time getting treated for dysentary in Bhutanese hospital before our encounter.

3.  Protected (condom) oral and vaginal sex with a CSW in the eastern US.  I did not notice a problem with the condom at all.

I am now in a committed relationship and we would like to start having sex without condoms.  I went in for a battery of tests (chlamydia, gonnorhea, syphilis and HIV) earlier today.

I have had no symptoms that I would link to an STD of any type.

I am really scared right now and am having trouble concentrating at work because all I can think of is whether I have HIV.  Do I need to be worried?  Thank you very much for your time.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Take care.  EWH

[nervousasheck]

negative test.  thank you doctor.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You are over reacting.  If you would rather have me say there is basically no chance your tests will be positive, consider me to have said this.  I do not use the same words with every response.  Your anxiety is getting the best of you.   EWH

[nervousasheck]

Thank you for your response.  I'm sorry to sound like a pain in the butt, but it's terrifying to me that you are contemplating that the tests could be positive.  I know that you "anticipate" that the tests will be negative and would be "surprised" if it were positive, but based on some of the other answers that you and Dr. HHH have provided to previous posters, I was hoping for something more along the lines of "there's basically no chance that it could be positive."  Is there something in particular about my posting that may have elicited a different response?  I know that you can't provide 100% assurance, and I don't mean to be insulting to you in any way, I'm just out of my mind with stress right now and it's really affecting my work.  Thank you for your help.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum. You have done exactly what you needed to do.  After encounters with three different sexual partners, all more than 3 months ago,  you have sought testing (we call testing of persons without symptoms "screening").  The thing you need to do at this time is believe your test results.  I anticipate that they will all be negative.  when they are, there is no need for further concern of testing.    

As far as the encounters themselves,   you encounter with the CSW was low risk because you used a condom and the other two partners sound as though they were rather low risk to start with.

I would be surprised in any of your tests are positive.  If they are, please let me know and we can discuss what needs to be done. That said, as I said above, I anticipate that your tests will be negative.  When they are, believe them.

I hope my comments are helpful to you.  EWH