Aa
Do I have an STD?
Here's my story.
Last March 18th I had unprotected sex(once) with a female I met at the club. It happened only once. A little over 2 weeks later I developed a serious sore throat that lozenges didn't help and I had a rash between my thighs that OTC Creams didn't help. I also had a tiny nailhead size blister at the base of the head of my penis around the same time but it went away in about 2 weeks.
I simply thought I caught the flu or a yeast infection or something. Well, I got smart and started some research and realized it could have been an STD so thinking it was Syphilis I got some DOXYCYCLINE(SP?) and after 2 days of taking it I immediately felt better. I used to get up in the morning slowly with no energy at all but the MEDS seem to resolve this problem rather quickly. Before taking this I would wake up and my feet were sore and I was just out of energy but that was it. I have no other signs of a rash or sores since but I am concerned if my situation is just because different people have different symptoms. I took the DOXYCYCLINE for 2 weeks. 3 times a day, everyday for 2 weeks and I felt like everything was better.
I am in the military and I was due for my HIV test in June( about 3 months after this encounter)...I am guessing since it is now almost October and I haven't heard anything back I am okay on HIV....I hope this is the case.
It's been over 6 months since this encounter and the only problems I have now are nite sweats(about 2 a week but they only happen when I sleep upstairs with a mink blanket and sore feet...my heals.) I have been under alot of stress lately and I have realized I need to cut back on beer and smoking too. The nite sweats made me think all wasn't okay. I have never had painful urination, blemishes, skin rashes, or any other symptoms I can think of and I was wondering if I was one of the few people that doesn't have the normal symptoms that go along with an STD.
Is there something I should look for specifically?
Again, I had an HIV test about 3 months after this encounter and it was done by the military so I am wondering if their test is reliable and if I did have something, wouldn't I have known by now?.....the nite sweats(though very uncommon) triggered my fears.
I have only talked to this person once to see if she had an STD and all she said was that she didn't and she had just gotten a PAP Smear and her results were normal. Would her bi-annual visit to her OB GYN be able to detect anything thru these visits as well?
Okay, I have used my $10 worth. I look forward to your response.
Am I okay?
Last March 18th I had unprotected sex(once) with a female I met at the club. It happened only once. A little over 2 weeks later I developed a serious sore throat that lozenges didn't help and I had a rash between my thighs that OTC Creams didn't help. I also had a tiny nailhead size blister at the base of the head of my penis around the same time but it went away in about 2 weeks.
I simply thought I caught the flu or a yeast infection or something. Well, I got smart and started some research and realized it could have been an STD so thinking it was Syphilis I got some DOXYCYCLINE(SP?) and after 2 days of taking it I immediately felt better. I used to get up in the morning slowly with no energy at all but the MEDS seem to resolve this problem rather quickly. Before taking this I would wake up and my feet were sore and I was just out of energy but that was it. I have no other signs of a rash or sores since but I am concerned if my situation is just because different people have different symptoms. I took the DOXYCYCLINE for 2 weeks. 3 times a day, everyday for 2 weeks and I felt like everything was better.
I am in the military and I was due for my HIV test in June( about 3 months after this encounter)...I am guessing since it is now almost October and I haven't heard anything back I am okay on HIV....I hope this is the case.
It's been over 6 months since this encounter and the only problems I have now are nite sweats(about 2 a week but they only happen when I sleep upstairs with a mink blanket and sore feet...my heals.) I have been under alot of stress lately and I have realized I need to cut back on beer and smoking too. The nite sweats made me think all wasn't okay. I have never had painful urination, blemishes, skin rashes, or any other symptoms I can think of and I was wondering if I was one of the few people that doesn't have the normal symptoms that go along with an STD.
Is there something I should look for specifically?
Again, I had an HIV test about 3 months after this encounter and it was done by the military so I am wondering if their test is reliable and if I did have something, wouldn't I have known by now?.....the nite sweats(though very uncommon) triggered my fears.
I have only talked to this person once to see if she had an STD and all she said was that she didn't and she had just gotten a PAP Smear and her results were normal. Would her bi-annual visit to her OB GYN be able to detect anything thru these visits as well?
Okay, I have used my $10 worth. I look forward to your response.
Am I okay?
HI,
Sorry I'm in such a rush, but I'm out of town and just happened to check the board at an internet cafe.
Yes, Alias Lola was right about what I meant to write. Sorry about that.
Edc, Dr. H knows the numbers much better than I do. All I know is that it generally takes about 3 weeks for people to build antibodies to HIV and therefore decrease the initial viral load. Immediately after infection the viral load is high, and it is the high viral load that makes a person infectious. THerefore, generally speaking, after 3 weeks, a person's immune system has some ways to check the virus, and the viral load stays low; therefore the person is less infectious after that point.
I'd be able to put this much more clearly, but I'm running off to an event in Virginia. BEst wishes to everyone!
J
Sorry I'm in such a rush, but I'm out of town and just happened to check the board at an internet cafe.
Yes, Alias Lola was right about what I meant to write. Sorry about that.
Edc, Dr. H knows the numbers much better than I do. All I know is that it generally takes about 3 weeks for people to build antibodies to HIV and therefore decrease the initial viral load. Immediately after infection the viral load is high, and it is the high viral load that makes a person infectious. THerefore, generally speaking, after 3 weeks, a person's immune system has some ways to check the virus, and the viral load stays low; therefore the person is less infectious after that point.
I'd be able to put this much more clearly, but I'm running off to an event in Virginia. BEst wishes to everyone!
J
so if that is the case that would make the female to male transmission high risk if its the female is infected recently?
what if the guy is circumsize and no std, no open sore but the female is recently infected(prior to seroconversion) what is the risk?
what if the guy is circumsize and no std, no open sore but the female is recently infected(prior to seroconversion) what is the risk?
Actually, we had sex once...I got a small rash and a sore throat....A month later I sucked down antibiotics like you wouldn't believe.
I haven't noticed any other symptoms unless there is something I should look for now that it has been 6 months since "that one episode"...
I have learned a valuable lesson on this one.
I haven't noticed any other symptoms unless there is something I should look for now that it has been 6 months since "that one episode"...
I have learned a valuable lesson on this one.
"About the HIV test, you should know that one episode of vaginal sex is unlikely to result in an infection unless the woman was herself infected about 3 weeks of sleeping with you."
hi what do u mean by unless the woman was herself infected about 3 weeks of sleeping with you?
-do u mean 3weeks of sex?
hi what do u mean by unless the woman was herself infected about 3 weeks of sleeping with you?
-do u mean 3weeks of sex?
Thanks for the quick response. At least I will sleep easy tonite.
This is a good site and I am glad I found it while searching online today.
Thanks again...I will take your advice.
This is a good site and I am glad I found it while searching online today.
Thanks again...I will take your advice.
Are herpes detected in a PAP exam?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
As I have said many times on this forum, when a person suspects his/her own symptoms are due to stress or anxiety, the probably usually are right.
HHH, MD
HHH, MD
No, I think he means that she, herself, would have been infected in the three weeks prior to you having sex with her.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your symptoms don't sound like any STD, certainly not syphilis. The onset of symptoms 2 weeks after the sexual encounter you describe probably is just a coincidence. Your initial symptoms sound like a garden-variety cold, and your current ones sound more like anxiety than anything else. But of course I cannot make any specific diagnosis on line. I am certain the military uses standard, reliable HIV test methods. And yes, if your partner had an annual exam with pap, you can be pretty certain that any STD she had would have been detected--but that truly is irrelevant, since you clearly didn't catch an STD from her, even if she was infected.
You may be better reassured by seeing a health care provider who is knowledgeable about STDs. It's a good bet your army (or air force or navy, you don't say what service you are in) are up to speed (they have a lot of experience with STDs!). But I know that many military folks prefer not to seek STD care in the military medical system. If that applies to you, and if you're currently stationed in the US, visit your local health department STD clinic. You will get expert and very confidential care.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
You may be better reassured by seeing a health care provider who is knowledgeable about STDs. It's a good bet your army (or air force or navy, you don't say what service you are in) are up to speed (they have a lot of experience with STDs!). But I know that many military folks prefer not to seek STD care in the military medical system. If that applies to you, and if you're currently stationed in the US, visit your local health department STD clinic. You will get expert and very confidential care.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Okay, long day, and my brain took early vacation...
Unless she, herself, was infected within three weeks prior to you having sex with her.
Phew...that's it!
Unless she, herself, was infected within three weeks prior to you having sex with her.
Phew...that's it!
sorry.... UNLESS she, herself, was infected three weeks PRIOR to you having sex with her.
Hi,
The doc should have some insights about your night sweats and rashes. About the HIV test, you should know that one episode of vaginal sex is unlikely to result in an infection unless the woman was herself infected about 3 weeks of sleeping with you.
Why don't you call and ask about the result of your HIV test? It certainly makes sense that they would contact you if it came up positive, but it's easier for you to call and confirm the results. I know in New Jersey many test results in one year, over 20,000 in one year including over 300 positive results, were never disclosed to the people tested, because they were supposed to contact the testing center to get the results. There's a small chance that the lab that tested you can't release results to you unless you request them.
But anyways, about HIV anyway, you can be almost certain you're not infected, assumign that the March 18 event was your only instance of risk.
J
The doc should have some insights about your night sweats and rashes. About the HIV test, you should know that one episode of vaginal sex is unlikely to result in an infection unless the woman was herself infected about 3 weeks of sleeping with you.
Why don't you call and ask about the result of your HIV test? It certainly makes sense that they would contact you if it came up positive, but it's easier for you to call and confirm the results. I know in New Jersey many test results in one year, over 20,000 in one year including over 300 positive results, were never disclosed to the people tested, because they were supposed to contact the testing center to get the results. There's a small chance that the lab that tested you can't release results to you unless you request them.
But anyways, about HIV anyway, you can be almost certain you're not infected, assumign that the March 18 event was your only instance of risk.
J
Thanks,
Since my symptoms were so sudden I knew there was a problem but I had hoped the MEDS took care of that.
In the military though, I would believe that notification would be almost instant once results proved positive.
I am hoping for the best.
I think alot has to do with stress as well.
Since my symptoms were so sudden I knew there was a problem but I had hoped the MEDS took care of that.
In the military though, I would believe that notification would be almost instant once results proved positive.
I am hoping for the best.
I think alot has to do with stress as well.
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
