Aa
peace of mind / hiv fear
good morning.
First of all let me apologize for my bad english, as i writting you from outside US.
A few weeks ago (4 weeks to be precise) i had submited myself into a risk that i regret everyday since then. I went to Spain for the weekend and in one of the nights i ended having unprotected vaginal and oral sex with a girl wich STDs status is unknown to me. The vaginal sex lasted less than a minute, as i realized we couldn't be doing that without a condom... She's 21 and i'm 26.
Even though i haven't been experiencing any of typical ARS symptoms, lately i'm feeling anxious and stress.
i think i also have swollen lymph nodes in the neck, but i'm no specialist so i can't tell if they are normal or not. My muscles are tense, i'm depressed and i'm having trouble to sleep, and though i try to appear normal, all that is becoming impossible to hide and it's reflecting in my daily work and in my relashionship with friends and colleagues. I've a girlfriend that i adore, and we're not having sex since this happened. questions are starting to appear as she realizes that i'm strange and distant. I don't want her to think that it's her fault, but i dont know what to do anymore, and i just can't hide this for much longer...
I've been doing a lot of reading these days, and by the way, let me thank you for all the help this website has been providing me, appart from all the other things available in the internet.
I know noe that my risk is low, and i also know that symptons are not meaningful, but as time passes i'm starting to feel more worried and afraid with the idead that i might in fact have something after all...
I'm planing to do a test at the 8 week and another at 3 months...
I guess all i'm looking now is some peace of mind, and some reassurance from someone who is a specialist in this matter. I never experienced anything like this before. i feel really dumb. i'm just counting the days, and this idea is constantly in my mind
Does anyone knows what i'm talking about? Does a negative test at the 8 week gives enough evidence that everythings fine with me? And if so, do you believe that i can restart my sexual activity with my girlfriend? we never use condoms so i can't simply start using one without rising more questions...
it would be great if i could get any help from some specialist
best regards
First of all let me apologize for my bad english, as i writting you from outside US.
A few weeks ago (4 weeks to be precise) i had submited myself into a risk that i regret everyday since then. I went to Spain for the weekend and in one of the nights i ended having unprotected vaginal and oral sex with a girl wich STDs status is unknown to me. The vaginal sex lasted less than a minute, as i realized we couldn't be doing that without a condom... She's 21 and i'm 26.
Even though i haven't been experiencing any of typical ARS symptoms, lately i'm feeling anxious and stress.
i think i also have swollen lymph nodes in the neck, but i'm no specialist so i can't tell if they are normal or not. My muscles are tense, i'm depressed and i'm having trouble to sleep, and though i try to appear normal, all that is becoming impossible to hide and it's reflecting in my daily work and in my relashionship with friends and colleagues. I've a girlfriend that i adore, and we're not having sex since this happened. questions are starting to appear as she realizes that i'm strange and distant. I don't want her to think that it's her fault, but i dont know what to do anymore, and i just can't hide this for much longer...
I've been doing a lot of reading these days, and by the way, let me thank you for all the help this website has been providing me, appart from all the other things available in the internet.
I know noe that my risk is low, and i also know that symptons are not meaningful, but as time passes i'm starting to feel more worried and afraid with the idead that i might in fact have something after all...
I'm planing to do a test at the 8 week and another at 3 months...
I guess all i'm looking now is some peace of mind, and some reassurance from someone who is a specialist in this matter. I never experienced anything like this before. i feel really dumb. i'm just counting the days, and this idea is constantly in my mind
Does anyone knows what i'm talking about? Does a negative test at the 8 week gives enough evidence that everythings fine with me? And if so, do you believe that i can restart my sexual activity with my girlfriend? we never use condoms so i can't simply start using one without rising more questions...
it would be great if i could get any help from some specialist
best regards
We use the guidelines set by the manufacture and the FDA. Dr.Hook has real life experience and can make that statement based on his experiences.
just one more question regarding this...
I've been reading some other posts and found out that there are diferent opinions regarding the time to a conclusive test.
For example i pick up this one ..."a negative 4th Generation Duo at 9 weeks PROVES that you did not get HIV. The peole who recommend a 12 week follow-up are using out of date information and being overly conservative. EWH"
I don't doubt about your expertise in this area, and i also want to say that you've been a great help to me. i'm just trying to understand this different views...
on 1hand, i think that in a hiv suspect case we're never "extra-conservative", but on the other hand, people need to move on with their lives (without putting others to risk, of course!!), and so if reassurance could be given sooner...
best regards
I've been reading some other posts and found out that there are diferent opinions regarding the time to a conclusive test.
For example i pick up this one ..."a negative 4th Generation Duo at 9 weeks PROVES that you did not get HIV. The peole who recommend a 12 week follow-up are using out of date information and being overly conservative. EWH"
I don't doubt about your expertise in this area, and i also want to say that you've been a great help to me. i'm just trying to understand this different views...
on 1hand, i think that in a hiv suspect case we're never "extra-conservative", but on the other hand, people need to move on with their lives (without putting others to risk, of course!!), and so if reassurance could be given sooner...
best regards
Thanks! in the meantime all i can do is wait...
At the 8 week the, odds of getting a false negative are minimal right?
At the 8 week the, odds of getting a false negative are minimal right?
it is unlikely that this woman had hiv...MOST ppl do NOT. secondly...penetration was MINIMAL...almost non existant...and it is also unlikely that you contracted hiv from this exposure. the quoted odds for a one time unprotected exposure is somewhere around 1 in 2,000 and that is IF she had hiv. throw in the fact that she probably does not AND the minimal exposure time...and the odds are GREATLY in your favor.
with all that being said...the ONLY sure fire way to know your status is by testing. you can do a test at 6 weeks and have a very good indication of your status...but do follow up at 3 months for a conclusive test result.
with all that being said...the ONLY sure fire way to know your status is by testing. you can do a test at 6 weeks and have a very good indication of your status...but do follow up at 3 months for a conclusive test result.
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