Aa
worried!
Hi I am 23 and female. I had a possible exposure to hiv exposure on feb. 6, 2012. It was unprotected vaginal sex for about a minute with a complete stranger who is a drug user. He said he injected heroin once with a needle from a package. He also said he had mono (whether it was diagnosed as mono is unknown to me). I had come down with a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes and extreme fatigue about a week after. I finally decided to see the doctor about these symptoms and i tested positive for strep a through a swab of my throat. At 8 weeks post exposure I woke up feeling pain in my right knee, this continued for about 2-3 days but then switched to my left knee, the pain goes back and forth from knee to knee for the past 4 weeks and now is more of a feeling of cold patch sensations that i can feel happening switch from knee to knee in different areas (on the knee cap, around etc.) These sensations are still continuing as I write and sometimes i have pain sensations in my hands. I've had xrays done and there are no signs of what it could be (no inflamation of the joints). I am worried that this may be acute hiv peripheral neuropathy and mylagia. In addition I had a surgery done (dec. 23, 2011) a month and a half prior to the exposure called ets (endoscopic thoracic sympathectomy). Two weeks after the surgery I had a severe allergic reaction to something which created extreme red blotches and itchiness everywhere on my body and swollen hands, eyes and lips. This lasted for about 1 and a half weeks.
I had an antibody test done (may 1st, 2012) 12.5 weeks post exposure and the result was negative, as well as for syphillis and hep c.
1. Would this surgery a month and a half prior to the exposure and the following allergic reaction effect my immune system?
2. Is my test at 3 months post exposure conclusive?
3. Do you think that this pain/sensation that I am feeling is arthritic or something neurological?
4. Can too much rest/anxiety cause this kind of pain to come on?
I had an antibody test done (may 1st, 2012) 12.5 weeks post exposure and the result was negative, as well as for syphillis and hep c.
1. Would this surgery a month and a half prior to the exposure and the following allergic reaction effect my immune system?
2. Is my test at 3 months post exposure conclusive?
3. Do you think that this pain/sensation that I am feeling is arthritic or something neurological?
4. Can too much rest/anxiety cause this kind of pain to come on?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, I think you mis-understood, I was not suggesting that ETS surgery is a likely cause of periferal neuropathy - I really know little about the complications of ETS surgery. Be cautious however, only a health care provider can accurately diagnose periferal neuropathy and if you have one, there are many possible causes. On the other hand, periferal neuropathy is quite rare in persons with early HIV and you have PROVEN that you do not have HIV. I suggest you discuss your symptoms with a neurologist. In the meantime, put your fears of HIV from the exposure you describe away. EWH
So from what you are saying is it possible that the ETS surgery could cause peripheral neuropathy?
I am experiencing pain in knees sometimes in hands, tingeling, cold/warm burning sensations, crawling, itching, and pins and needles. This has gone on for 6 weeks straight. This is nowhere exageratered or 'in my head' this is very real. It brings me to tears quite often because it is so bothersome. I don't know whether to associate it to the hiv exposure or the surgery.
I am experiencing pain in knees sometimes in hands, tingeling, cold/warm burning sensations, crawling, itching, and pins and needles. This has gone on for 6 weeks straight. This is nowhere exageratered or 'in my head' this is very real. It brings me to tears quite often because it is so bothersome. I don't know whether to associate it to the hiv exposure or the surgery.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our forum. I'll try to help. I can certainly understand how the combination of an unprotected exposure to a somewhat risky partner and your combination of symptoms might be concerning. The good news however is that your negative tests prove that you were no so unlucky as to have gotten HIV from this exposure. The odds were in your favor even before testing but your test results are now definitive.
Here are the reasons the odds are in your favor:
1. Most IV drug users do not have HIV. Even if he'd injected drugs more than once or had shared needles, the likelihood that he had HIV is less than 1 in 10, on average.
2. The risk of infection from a single act of unprotected vaginal intercourse is about 1 in 1000.
Thus putting these numbers, the odds are in your favor and as I said, the test prove you did not get HIV.
In answer to your specific questions:
1. Would this surgery a month and a half prior to the exposure and the following allergic reaction effect my immune system?
No, neither the surgery nor the allergic reaction would change the reliability of your test results. They are to be believed.
2. Is my test at 3 months post exposure conclusive?
Yes. In fact, test results are conclusive at 8 weeks so your certainly are.
3. Do you think that this pain/sensation that I am feeling is arthritic or something neurological?
I cannot tell you that without examining you. I'd suggest you see your own doctor or, if you do not have a regular doctor, see an internist to discuss this. You've already had neurological issues (hence the ets) and arthritis is common. You could have both. Either way, you can be confident that neither of these is due to HIV based on your test results.
4. Can too much rest/anxiety cause this kind of pain to come on?
Anxiety can certainly enhance or make persons more aware of pain and discomfort. this may be a contributor. The best way to address this discomfort is to establish and ongoing relationship with a health care provider that you trust and can work with. Sometimes these things take time to work through.
I hope you find my comments helpful. time to put your concerns about HIV aside. Your test results are to be believed and you do not need more testing. I hope my comments are helpful to you. EWH
Here are the reasons the odds are in your favor:
1. Most IV drug users do not have HIV. Even if he'd injected drugs more than once or had shared needles, the likelihood that he had HIV is less than 1 in 10, on average.
2. The risk of infection from a single act of unprotected vaginal intercourse is about 1 in 1000.
Thus putting these numbers, the odds are in your favor and as I said, the test prove you did not get HIV.
In answer to your specific questions:
1. Would this surgery a month and a half prior to the exposure and the following allergic reaction effect my immune system?
No, neither the surgery nor the allergic reaction would change the reliability of your test results. They are to be believed.
2. Is my test at 3 months post exposure conclusive?
Yes. In fact, test results are conclusive at 8 weeks so your certainly are.
3. Do you think that this pain/sensation that I am feeling is arthritic or something neurological?
I cannot tell you that without examining you. I'd suggest you see your own doctor or, if you do not have a regular doctor, see an internist to discuss this. You've already had neurological issues (hence the ets) and arthritis is common. You could have both. Either way, you can be confident that neither of these is due to HIV based on your test results.
4. Can too much rest/anxiety cause this kind of pain to come on?
Anxiety can certainly enhance or make persons more aware of pain and discomfort. this may be a contributor. The best way to address this discomfort is to establish and ongoing relationship with a health care provider that you trust and can work with. Sometimes these things take time to work through.
I hope you find my comments helpful. time to put your concerns about HIV aside. Your test results are to be believed and you do not need more testing. I hope my comments are helpful to you. EWH
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