Aa
diarrhea and rash
Dear Experts,
I am a 30 year old male. My story is unprotected vaginal about 7 weeks ago. At about 16 days post exposure, i had a mild diarhea, about a week after that, there was a 2 days period where diarrhea got worse. I had 3 'enlarged' lymph nodes on my neck, one on my right armpit. I cannot tell if they were swollen or not, but it caused no pain. One neck node went away during the 4th week, armpit node went away around 5th week, but 2 on side of neck still persist till today. At 4 weeks, I got a negative elisa (should be 3rd generation), which relieved me a little. At 5 week mark, mild diarrhea came back for 1 day. At 6 week, I got another negative elisa test (should be 3rd generation too). At 43 days, I started checking my chest for rash, and I found a small patch of redness on my middle upper chest, just below my neck, I would say about 5cm in length and 2cm in width. It is flat and not raised, no pain, no itchiness, no irritation, infact it feels the same as normal skin. It could have been there before but i never noticed. It is still there today. However I looked at pictures of myself from a year ago, there were no redness on my chest. At 45 days, I got up in the morning with bad stomach pain and diarrhea. It went away after 2 sessions in the toilet. I am now at 7+ week mark. Throughout the whole time, from 2 weeks till now, my stools has not been completely normal, but not watery either. Fatigue, stiff neck, slight sore throat, slight joint pain, all were lingering around during these few weeks, but nothing major. I usually have these symptoms even before because I live quite an unhealthy lifestyle, heavy drinker and smoker, general lack of sleep.
My questions are,
1) If diarrhea at 16 days were due to ARS, my 6 week test would have showed?
2) Regarding my rash, I cannot tell when it came about, if it is related to ARS, would it have shown in my 6 week test? Would it have persisted till now (close to 8 weeks since exposure)? For example, if my rash actually came during 2nd week along with diarrhea, could it have last till now?
3) Should I get a test at 8 weeks? or wait till the 12 week mark.
Really appreciate if someone can reply to ease some of my anxities..
Thanks in advance!
I am a 30 year old male. My story is unprotected vaginal about 7 weeks ago. At about 16 days post exposure, i had a mild diarhea, about a week after that, there was a 2 days period where diarrhea got worse. I had 3 'enlarged' lymph nodes on my neck, one on my right armpit. I cannot tell if they were swollen or not, but it caused no pain. One neck node went away during the 4th week, armpit node went away around 5th week, but 2 on side of neck still persist till today. At 4 weeks, I got a negative elisa (should be 3rd generation), which relieved me a little. At 5 week mark, mild diarrhea came back for 1 day. At 6 week, I got another negative elisa test (should be 3rd generation too). At 43 days, I started checking my chest for rash, and I found a small patch of redness on my middle upper chest, just below my neck, I would say about 5cm in length and 2cm in width. It is flat and not raised, no pain, no itchiness, no irritation, infact it feels the same as normal skin. It could have been there before but i never noticed. It is still there today. However I looked at pictures of myself from a year ago, there were no redness on my chest. At 45 days, I got up in the morning with bad stomach pain and diarrhea. It went away after 2 sessions in the toilet. I am now at 7+ week mark. Throughout the whole time, from 2 weeks till now, my stools has not been completely normal, but not watery either. Fatigue, stiff neck, slight sore throat, slight joint pain, all were lingering around during these few weeks, but nothing major. I usually have these symptoms even before because I live quite an unhealthy lifestyle, heavy drinker and smoker, general lack of sleep.
My questions are,
1) If diarrhea at 16 days were due to ARS, my 6 week test would have showed?
2) Regarding my rash, I cannot tell when it came about, if it is related to ARS, would it have shown in my 6 week test? Would it have persisted till now (close to 8 weeks since exposure)? For example, if my rash actually came during 2nd week along with diarrhea, could it have last till now?
3) Should I get a test at 8 weeks? or wait till the 12 week mark.
Really appreciate if someone can reply to ease some of my anxities..
Thanks in advance!
Hi Teak,
Thanks for your quick response. I know you will you say symptoms are never an indicator of HIV status. But based on your knowledge and experience, can you give me any indication of what you think my status is based on the timeline of my potential ARS status? Are what I described in line with a person experiencing ARS? I just need an opinion from someone else because I have no one else to speak to..
Thanks for your quick response. I know you will you say symptoms are never an indicator of HIV status. But based on your knowledge and experience, can you give me any indication of what you think my status is based on the timeline of my potential ARS status? Are what I described in line with a person experiencing ARS? I just need an opinion from someone else because I have no one else to speak to..
sorry i forgot to mention that the lymph nodes I felt, especially the 2 'enlarged' on the sides on my neck that are still around, could have been there for years, but i never used to feel my neck to such detail, so i wouldnt know when it came about
Hi Vance,
Hope you are well. Im sorry to be bothering you.
Just that I cant remember the last time I had diarrhea, or dont remember having this red patch below my neck/upper chest ever. I do get red easily on my chest after sports or alcohol, but not permanently like this. And all this happened after the exposure while im still in the window period
1) Whatever symptoms I have mentioned plus the timeline, does it sound consistent with ARS to you? I know there isnt a definite answer for now, but just need someone that might have an opinion on it
2) My diarrhea started at 2 weeks, if it really was ARS, it would have shown on my 6 weeks test? Am i correct here?
Please, I have never felt this down in my life before...
Hope you are well. Im sorry to be bothering you.
Just that I cant remember the last time I had diarrhea, or dont remember having this red patch below my neck/upper chest ever. I do get red easily on my chest after sports or alcohol, but not permanently like this. And all this happened after the exposure while im still in the window period
1) Whatever symptoms I have mentioned plus the timeline, does it sound consistent with ARS to you? I know there isnt a definite answer for now, but just need someone that might have an opinion on it
2) My diarrhea started at 2 weeks, if it really was ARS, it would have shown on my 6 weeks test? Am i correct here?
Please, I have never felt this down in my life before...
Hi Vance,
Im so sorry to be bothering again with another message, Im just curious when you said my diarrhea has nothing to do with ARS. I read on some websites that says 32% of people with ARS do experience diarrhea. Along with the diarrhea, I had enlarged lymph nodes (neck and armpit), 2 went away 1-2 weeks later, which means that they were indeed enlarged. What is the reason that you say has nothing to do with ARS?
Im so sorry to be bothering again with another message, Im just curious when you said my diarrhea has nothing to do with ARS. I read on some websites that says 32% of people with ARS do experience diarrhea. Along with the diarrhea, I had enlarged lymph nodes (neck and armpit), 2 went away 1-2 weeks later, which means that they were indeed enlarged. What is the reason that you say has nothing to do with ARS?
Because you don't get this symptom or that symptom. You get a very high fever and you can't diagnosis lymph nodes as being enlarged.
Yes, having no fevers, chills or night sweats are whats comforting me for now.. but I've read on HIV positive forums, a bunch of people dont get fever nor night sweats. One person even said he only had rash and diarrhea, which is whats frightening me at the moment..
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