Symptoms

[worriedman]

Thanks in advance for responding to this post.

I had protected sex with a stripper one month ago.  The condom did break during vaginal intercourse with her.  3 weeks after the incident, I deeloped a cold (fever for 1-2 days), , night sweat, sinus pressure, face was hot, sinus draingae that lead to cough.  No lymph node swelling or rash that I can tell.

I have continued to improve since.  As soon as I got the symptoms, I did an at-home HIV test which has since come back negative.

I went to Doctor yesterday and she thinks I have sinusitis and gave me antibiotic and expectorant/decongestant.

Like many other posters, I think I read these posts and my mind gets the best of me.

1) Do my symptoms sound like ARS or HIV?  I know, I know ... symptoms vs. testing.  Just looking for some reassurance.

2) What are my relative chances for HIV from this encounter?

3) Should I get tested again?  If so, when?  Can I go to Dr office and get a test that is more conclusive earlier?

Thanks!

[worriedman]

Thanks for the reply.  Cough is clearing up and no sinus pressure.  No lymph node swelling, fever or headaches.

But I do have a "rash" now on my chest.  Not sure how to describe it - like little acne/pimples (some had white heads) with no blotches.  Since I had this encounter I have worried pretty steadily which has cause me to sweat profusely (underarm, hands, feet chest) and since I am a little overweight, I typically sweat a lot right under my breasts ... which is where these things are (folds under breast).  Nothing on hands or feet.

Does this sound like heat rash or something else?

My mind is getting the best of me again ... so I had a PCR test done today with results back next week.  I also had a second home access HIV test at 4 weeks since exposure and it came back negative today.

Waiting (but not very patiently) for PCR test results.  I am still overreacting?

Thanks in advance for your reply, Dr. H.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

1) ARS causes lots of symptoms, butbgenerally not cough, sinus draining, etc.  Your symptoms sound more like those of a common cold or sinusitis.

2) See many other threads on this.  Unprotected vaginal sex with an infected woman carries an average risk of HIV transmission somewhere in the order of 1 in 1000.  And the odds are your partner wasn't infected.

3) I wouldn't have advised testing the first time.  However, the test you did was too early to be sure--so if my reassurance isn't sufficient, have another test ~6 weeks after the exposure just to set your mind at ease.  But don't lose sleep over this in the meantime.

Good luck--  HHH, MD