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Possible HIV ARS symptoms
Thanks so much in advance for your help.
History, 6 weeks ago, unprotected vaginal and oral sex with a woman. She is/was in a relationship with another male and another female. 2 weeks afterwards, I visited my doctor with congested throat and lungs, and was diagnosed with walking pnuemonia, and was put on antibiotics, and symptoms resided after about 1.5 weeks. Also, I tested myself and the woman at 3 weeks with the homeaccess HIV test kits. Both returned negative.
However, over the past week, I've started getting generalized itching sporatically over my body. Yesterday (now at 6 weeks after the incident), I noticed a patch of rash on my hand. By the end of the day, I had the following symptoms: light rash on/around my neck, hot flashes, tender/sore lymph glands on the right side of my neck, and a sweating episode after I fell asleep. FYI, I took 2 overthecounter sleeping pills to help get to sleep due to anxiety. No sore throat, no fever (98.6-98.9), just a touch of malaise a few times, no sore joints, no diarrea. This morning, the lymph glands feel less sore, but are still sore. The rash is slightly better, but still itchy and apparent, with small and infrequent itchy areas on my back, belly, feet, and hands (but no rash). I feel slighty fatiqued, kind of 'out of it'. And have had one or two episodes where I felt the most early stages of throwing-up.
After reading all the other posts, I know it's unlikely I have HIV. But....anxiety is really kicking in. My concern is that the woman or one of her partners contracted HIV within a week or so prior to our sexual contact, and her HIV count was high and thus much higher risk. That, along with my current symptoms have me VERY worried/panicked. The tender lymph nodes and the rash have me most worried, I've never had an unexplained rash before, and even with colds, which I get maybe once every 3 years, I hardly ever get sore/tender lymph nodes. I'm otherwise very healthy, with lots of excercise and great diet. One specific question, are the homeaccess in-home testing kits accurate at 6 weeks post exposure?
Thanks!!
History, 6 weeks ago, unprotected vaginal and oral sex with a woman. She is/was in a relationship with another male and another female. 2 weeks afterwards, I visited my doctor with congested throat and lungs, and was diagnosed with walking pnuemonia, and was put on antibiotics, and symptoms resided after about 1.5 weeks. Also, I tested myself and the woman at 3 weeks with the homeaccess HIV test kits. Both returned negative.
However, over the past week, I've started getting generalized itching sporatically over my body. Yesterday (now at 6 weeks after the incident), I noticed a patch of rash on my hand. By the end of the day, I had the following symptoms: light rash on/around my neck, hot flashes, tender/sore lymph glands on the right side of my neck, and a sweating episode after I fell asleep. FYI, I took 2 overthecounter sleeping pills to help get to sleep due to anxiety. No sore throat, no fever (98.6-98.9), just a touch of malaise a few times, no sore joints, no diarrea. This morning, the lymph glands feel less sore, but are still sore. The rash is slightly better, but still itchy and apparent, with small and infrequent itchy areas on my back, belly, feet, and hands (but no rash). I feel slighty fatiqued, kind of 'out of it'. And have had one or two episodes where I felt the most early stages of throwing-up.
After reading all the other posts, I know it's unlikely I have HIV. But....anxiety is really kicking in. My concern is that the woman or one of her partners contracted HIV within a week or so prior to our sexual contact, and her HIV count was high and thus much higher risk. That, along with my current symptoms have me VERY worried/panicked. The tender lymph nodes and the rash have me most worried, I've never had an unexplained rash before, and even with colds, which I get maybe once every 3 years, I hardly ever get sore/tender lymph nodes. I'm otherwise very healthy, with lots of excercise and great diet. One specific question, are the homeaccess in-home testing kits accurate at 6 weeks post exposure?
Thanks!!
Just for the record to show how right Dr. HHH is about the fact that ARS symptoms are almost useless in predicting HIV, I had many of the typical symptoms, including rash on neck/chest, a period of a low grade fever, tender lymph nodes in my neck, one case of diarhea, one case of night sweats, and the general feeling I was in the first stages of catching a cold. Of course I was worried. 7 weeks after the unprotected sex, I tested NEGATIVE for HIV.
Well...I was doing better until last evening. Rash seemed to get worse, and spread from neck to chest. Tonight, getting a sore throat, and rash seems to have spread to chest and belly. Rash has a bit of a burning sensation when touched. But, clears up overnight. Had one day of a low grade fever (99.4) but no fever right now. Getting very worried again. I'll visit dr or clinic tomorrow morning. Hope I can sleep.
Thanks for your quick response. I know you keep telling everyone the same answer to similar questions...but it's very reassuring just the same. I hadn't thought about the fact that the rash could be a reaction to the zithromax weeks after ending the treatment. Makes sense. Thanks again!
Sorry for posting in the wrong area, I realized that as soon as I hit the button.
Sorry for posting in the wrong area, I realized that as soon as I hit the button.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This question should have been posed in the HIV/safe sex forum.
You had a zero risk exposure, and you proved with testing that your partner was not HIV infected when you had sex with her. Home Access testing is just as accurate as any other testing method. Thus, your symptoms cannot be due to HIV. ARS doesn't typically cause pneumonia; and your symptoms are entirely compatible with what someone recovering from pneumonia would feel. The rash could be allergic due to the pneumonia meds, or a hundred other things. You should be discussing them with your doctor, not looking for answers on line.
You put your finger on it: your problem is anxiety, not HIV.
HHH, MD
You had a zero risk exposure, and you proved with testing that your partner was not HIV infected when you had sex with her. Home Access testing is just as accurate as any other testing method. Thus, your symptoms cannot be due to HIV. ARS doesn't typically cause pneumonia; and your symptoms are entirely compatible with what someone recovering from pneumonia would feel. The rash could be allergic due to the pneumonia meds, or a hundred other things. You should be discussing them with your doctor, not looking for answers on line.
You put your finger on it: your problem is anxiety, not HIV.
HHH, MD
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.
