Unknown STD symptoms (HIV?)

[garybary]

Hi,

Sorry for the long post ahead.

I am a male, and had unprotected sex with a female CSW more that 6 weeks ago (to be exact, on Sept 10.)
I would classify her to be in a VERY-HIGH risk group, because she is quite famous on the escort forums for always insisting on going "live" (i.e. no condom) and allowing her clients to finish inside of her.
And I was quite stupid in wanting to try this experience once as well.

Needless to say, I developed a yellow-discharge from my penis 7 days afterwards.
In a panic, I self-medicated, and immediately took 2g zithromax single-dose (which I found on some site), and 500mg ciprobay XR once-a-day for 3 days (which is the treatment I found on the ciprobay site for symptomatic gonorrhea).

After a bit of research, I realized these might be resisted, and took the highly-recommended 400mg single dose Tergecef (Cefixime) after 5 days (the discharge stopped 3 days after the zithromax dose, and I took these just to prevent a recurrence).

Immediately after taking Zithromax btw, I got a high-fever and watery-stools for a week. I still maintained a feverish feeling in the 2 following weeks (slight nausea, and I am usually shaking from the cold, and always need several blankets). I assumed it was just side-effects, as I did not feel any of these before the medication.

After about 4 weeks from my initial encounter, I had random pains in my lymph node areas (groin, neck).
I just gave a fleeting thought to HIV, and checked my lymph nodes, and they didn't appear to be swollen (smaller than a grain of rice). If other people are HIV-paranoid and like to "symptom-hunt", I was the opposite (I was almost convinced it wasn't possible, and just checked once a while to confirm I didn't match the symptoms). I also normally don't prod or poke my lymph nodes trying to look for swelling, as I know that would make them swell, but sometimes I get curious as to where the pin-prick pain is coming from, and then that is the time I would look for it.

I never really gave any thought about HIV before, because our country supposedly has a very low HIV rate, even among homosexuals, and all recorded HIV cases are from people who went overseas/abroad. Plus the fact that many people say that the chance of contracting HIV from a single encounter is vanishingly low (although it may be increased by the fact that I got the clap from her at that time). The only reason I'm considering it is because of the areas the pain occurs at (near the lymph nodes).

However, the symptoms got weirder in the following days. I get random sharp pin-prick-like or burning pains in random lymph areas, around once or twice every hour, if I leave it be, it goes away in 15-20 minutes, But if I so much as touch it, the pain intensifies, and the entire area feels VERY VERY fatigued and tired, for around 30 mins to an hour. I once had a sore thigh muscle for an entire day that made it difficult to sit, which was caused by me massaging the area for a while trying to get rid of the pin-prick pain.

Also at the 4 week mark, after the watery stools, I had a very quick bowel movement (around 2-3x a day), but it went away at the 5.5 week mark. I assumed this was a lingering side-effect of the zithromax.

Then, at the 5.5 week mark (around Oct. 20), I had a sore throat, that still hasn't healed up to now.
And also a very dry cough due to a very itchy throat.

I also found a single small bump on my neck that was painful to touch (probably a swollen lymph node), but I still discounted HIV since lymphadenopathy was supposed to be generalized to the whole body, and this might just be caused by the sore throat. And it went away after 3 days anyway.

But no fever, in fact, my temperature is consistently at 96-98 F (in my Celsius thermometer, I would never even break past 37).

Now my symptoms are not much like the HIV symptoms (none of the burning or pin-prick pains in the lymph areas have any swelling that I can feel, no bumps or whatnot, it just feels normal). Also, I usually have a burning (but not painful) sensation in my armpits, and sometimes reaches my chest. And the random pains have moved on past the lymph areas (I also get sharp pin pains, but not burning, on my wrist, knees, ankles, and back leg). But most usually in my armpits and thighs. I also get heart palpitations, and acid reflux (I feel like vomiting everytime I cough, and I once woke up with some small amounts of vomit in the back of my throat). I am also VERY VERY sensitive to cold now. And my skin and muscles are very easily "injured" (simply carrying an umbrella for a while makes my palm get red). And a severe sore throat the feels like it is blocked.

I would normally be convinced this isn't an STD, and instead another disease, as looking up the symptoms on the net suggests an autoimmune disorder more than an STD (although I'd like to believe it's just a flu).

The only thing that is bugging me is that the said girl also developed a sore throat (at around Oct. 20), and a fever, a severe sore throat, and pains in her neck and right breast (despite our lack of contact with each other). Also, a week before that, she would have a very quick bowel movement (2-3x a day) but not diarrhea (she was quite cooperative to reveal such a detail).

It might be possible that it was caused by medications, as I told her about the situation, and she willingly took 400mg tergecef (for gonorrhea) and 1g zithromax (for chlamydia). However, she took that at around Sept. 24, which is quite far from the week these symptoms showed (bowel symptoms at around Oct. 10+).

Unfortunately, she cut off any communication since (she left a message claiming she went home to her parents) so I cannot check on her anymore (also, her sudden "disappearing act" from her escort clients is quite suspect, she was cooperative ).

And what's even stranger is that if this is just the flu, nobody else at home is getting the same sickness (not even my 1 year old brother who likes to eat off my plate using my utensils, and drinking out of my glass), which seemed like a giant red light to me that this is sexually-transmitted.

I KNOW the best thing to do is to get tested and see a doctor, and I already have an appointment for next week, and a scheduled DUO test for next, next week (which might still be too early, not yet breaking the 3-month barrier, but I insisted, since a lot who are infected can show up positive by 4-6 weeks), but I would just like to get an opinion on what you think this is, just for my peace of mind, as around 2 weeks is too far away for me, since even now, everyone at work is noticing I am already too much time off (which I do to ease my anxiety). I was more stable back when I KNEW what I had (gonorrhea) and had little to no worries about it.

Thanks.
I hope someone can identify my condition based from the said symptoms, and grant me even a little peace of mind, at least until I can get tested.

P.S. Can anxiety cause such symptoms (pin-prick pains at random locations, burning armpit pains, very low body temperature)? Thanks.

[rileyocool]

Did you work out what was going on ??

[Vance2335]

We can't diagnosis we can only provide guidance. As far as STD's the only thing that matches up is the 1st set of symptoms you got and that was most likely gonorrhea. Other then that everything is non-specific and don't point to a STD.

If you have HIV questions post in the HIV forum.

Testing for all STD's will be the only thing to clear your mind.