Around two months ago I had a sexual encounter, unprotected with a good friend of mine and thought nothing of it. On may 20, I had unprotected sex with another good friend at her bday party and again, thought nothing of it. On may 27 I started to feel fatigued, and have diaherra. Like most of you i got online and ran a symptom checker only to find that Hiv popped up. Keep in mind that around this same time I started a new stressful job where I was working 60hrs a week and sometimes 8 or 9 days in a row. All the sudden I had every symptom of acute Hiv infection. I lost 12lbs in a week, I couldnt eat, I couldnt sleep, occasionally I would have night sweats, and my mind was totally preoccupied with the fact that I was sure I had contracted this disease. I even had some nasty inscet bites pop up on my lower leg and inter thigh, which, automatically thought were lesions. I was more terrified than I had ever been in my life and couldnt function. I spent all my time reading these forums and searching symptoms online and trying my best to start coming to grips with the fact that I had contracted HIV, or worse I had given it to one of my friends, on her bday none the less.
My point is this. I have taken an Home Access Express hiv test, approved by the FDA, at day 16 and it came back negative. I know that I am not 100% in the clear.
The reason I am typing this to you all today is to to tell you to go to the doctor, tell them that you're scared and that the window period has not elapsed for you. Tell them this anxiety is taking over you life, because I know it is. Get some medicine, and think positive until the windo period closes and you can be sure your negative result(god willing) is accurate. Get off the internet, stop searching for symptoms, quite looking at every new pimple, or every new bruise in the mirror and wondering, "could this be it".
Anxiety is a very natural thing when it comes to your life. And they make medicine to help you. Since I did that, now maybe once a day, it crosses my mind, and since I have started taking the meds, most of the "symptoms of HIV" that i was having have gone away. No more night sweats, no more constant headaches brought on by worry and stress. My point is.. bottom line, you have to wait for the window. Dont make yourself suffer this whole time, you could do serious psychological damage to yourself.
Take this not from someone who was worried but found out that they are negative. Take this from someone who is still dealing with the fact that it is possible they are positive and trying to cope and live my life until I know for sure. I hope this post helps someone like me, and if it does. Copy and post it on other forums.
Dont let anxiety over something that you can longer do anyting about take over your life,
Thanks for reading,
james