Aa
From no worries to extreme concern!
Dear Doctor H.
I haven't done this for years but while in Seattle on a trip I stopped at an Asian Massage Parlor for a quick massage. The lady gave me a light touch massage on my back for about 10 minutes and then I flipped over and she did a 5 to 10 minute HJ. She was fully dressed the whole time. Reading many of the posts on here it sounds like a "no risk" event and I didn't give it another thought. But...
Two weeks later I began feeling itchy, I put some Aloe Gel on and that seemed to help. That lasted about a week and then my hands and arms started to feel numb, with a weird burning sensation which was painful. I decided to make an appointment with my doctor 30 days after the massage. He thought we should do some blood testing for various vitamin deficiencies, along with Diabetes & MS. and then he suggested HIV or HEP C could cause this type of symptom. I told him to go ahead and include those test just to be safe. I wasn't worried about those since this was my only exposure. Two weeks later the tests came back normal for the vitamins, etc. and non-reactive for the HIV AB, HIV 1/2, EIA, and non-reactive for the HEP C antibody. In the mean time the sensations from my shoulders to my finger tips had greatly intensified and now almost 4 months after I have sever joint pain in my wrists & elbows, & burning to the point of feeling like my hands are in boiling water much of the time. Also bad fatigue and back pain. NOW I'm worried about HIV/HEP C. Truth is I never paid any attention to what the masseuse used for lubricant during the HJ or whether she had a cut on her hand etc. At 14 weeks post massage I went to LabCorp and took another HIV test (HIV 1/0/2 Abs,) and another HEP C Antibody, both still were non-reactive.
According to LabCorp my last HIV test was only for HIV 1. And according to them it can take 6 months to test positive for HIV 2 and HEP C. With these kind of sever symptoms should I test again at the 6 month mark and include a HIV 2 AB?
I haven't done this for years but while in Seattle on a trip I stopped at an Asian Massage Parlor for a quick massage. The lady gave me a light touch massage on my back for about 10 minutes and then I flipped over and she did a 5 to 10 minute HJ. She was fully dressed the whole time. Reading many of the posts on here it sounds like a "no risk" event and I didn't give it another thought. But...
Two weeks later I began feeling itchy, I put some Aloe Gel on and that seemed to help. That lasted about a week and then my hands and arms started to feel numb, with a weird burning sensation which was painful. I decided to make an appointment with my doctor 30 days after the massage. He thought we should do some blood testing for various vitamin deficiencies, along with Diabetes & MS. and then he suggested HIV or HEP C could cause this type of symptom. I told him to go ahead and include those test just to be safe. I wasn't worried about those since this was my only exposure. Two weeks later the tests came back normal for the vitamins, etc. and non-reactive for the HIV AB, HIV 1/2, EIA, and non-reactive for the HEP C antibody. In the mean time the sensations from my shoulders to my finger tips had greatly intensified and now almost 4 months after I have sever joint pain in my wrists & elbows, & burning to the point of feeling like my hands are in boiling water much of the time. Also bad fatigue and back pain. NOW I'm worried about HIV/HEP C. Truth is I never paid any attention to what the masseuse used for lubricant during the HJ or whether she had a cut on her hand etc. At 14 weeks post massage I went to LabCorp and took another HIV test (HIV 1/0/2 Abs,) and another HEP C Antibody, both still were non-reactive.
According to LabCorp my last HIV test was only for HIV 1. And according to them it can take 6 months to test positive for HIV 2 and HEP C. With these kind of sever symptoms should I test again at the 6 month mark and include a HIV 2 AB?
Sorry if I seemed to over analyze your comments. I'm just trying to be responsible as I move forward. I have read on here that a three month antibody test is typically conclusive but with the unusual and severe symptoms I have been having I didn't know if I should be more cautious and maybe needed more testing or different testing. That is why I was clarifying your response and also restated my questions more clearly. Ultimately I have to make my own decisions but was hoping to get a little more information from you Doctors first.
Thanks again.
Thanks again.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Please do not over read my comments. In science one can never say never so, just as I can assure you that your current symptoms are not due to your body being inhabited by aliens, I suppose someday, somewhere perhaps such a thing could happen (although I would not bet on it). you need to put your fears aside and stop worrying. If you cannot, then I suggest you discuss your concerns, and possible guilt over the events you describe with a trained therapist. I am not suggesting that you are crazy, just that you would benefit from working through this with someone to talk to. EWH
I appreciate the time you took to read through my original post and offer your thoughts on my situation.
Your comment "The test is conclusive at the time it was performed and need not be repeated." made me feel that regardless of my symptoms I should feel confident that I don't have HIV and I don't need anymore testing for this exposure. Then as I read further on I wasn't sure with phrasing like; "I SUSPECT" and "AT THIS TIME there is no GOOD reason to worry". Even with the "negative" test at 14 weeks, the ongoing painful symptoms in my arms and hands mentioned above, constantly scream at me..."YOU HAVE HIV!!!" I went to a Neurologist last week and he did some tests and said I have no nerve damage. Also, like I said all the tests my Doctor did for vitamin deficiencies, Diabetes, M.S. etc. came back normal. I'm really not sure where to go from here. I was a very healthy 52 year old that has never drank, smoked or have taken drugs of any kind. I also worked out at the gym everyday. I should have a good immune system. The other symptom I didn't mention is my ongoing head aches that started around the 2 month mark. If I did contract HIV or HEP C, she would have had to have had a cut on her hand with fresh blood but that is a remote possibility. I have no other exposures that I'm worried about. Can you address the following concerns?
1. Do you feel confident enough with the 14 week negative test mentioned above, that it's safe for me to resume unprotected sex with my wife as far as the HIV risk goes?
2. If I contracted HIV 2 can that take more like 6 months to result in a positive HIV antibody test or would the antibodies have shown up in the 14 week test?
3. I'm miserable and very worried, any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Again, I do really appreciate your time!
Your comment "The test is conclusive at the time it was performed and need not be repeated." made me feel that regardless of my symptoms I should feel confident that I don't have HIV and I don't need anymore testing for this exposure. Then as I read further on I wasn't sure with phrasing like; "I SUSPECT" and "AT THIS TIME there is no GOOD reason to worry". Even with the "negative" test at 14 weeks, the ongoing painful symptoms in my arms and hands mentioned above, constantly scream at me..."YOU HAVE HIV!!!" I went to a Neurologist last week and he did some tests and said I have no nerve damage. Also, like I said all the tests my Doctor did for vitamin deficiencies, Diabetes, M.S. etc. came back normal. I'm really not sure where to go from here. I was a very healthy 52 year old that has never drank, smoked or have taken drugs of any kind. I also worked out at the gym everyday. I should have a good immune system. The other symptom I didn't mention is my ongoing head aches that started around the 2 month mark. If I did contract HIV or HEP C, she would have had to have had a cut on her hand with fresh blood but that is a remote possibility. I have no other exposures that I'm worried about. Can you address the following concerns?
1. Do you feel confident enough with the 14 week negative test mentioned above, that it's safe for me to resume unprotected sex with my wife as far as the HIV risk goes?
2. If I contracted HIV 2 can that take more like 6 months to result in a positive HIV antibody test or would the antibodies have shown up in the 14 week test?
3. I'm miserable and very worried, any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Again, I do really appreciate your time!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the Forum. the information you received from Lab Corp was phrased in a way that protects them from being wrong but does not help you or your situation. In fact, in my opinion, it could even be deleterious to your health by leading you to worry unnecessarily about HIV and hepatitis C when you should be pursuing other possible causes of your symptoms.
As you originally presumed, there is no risk at all for HIV or hepatitis C from the exposure you describe. You have verified this with your testing performed at 14 weeks. The test you took at 14 weeks from Lab Corp did not test for HIV 2 p24 antigen BUT it did test for antibodies to HIV-2, as well as to HIV-1. The test is conclusive at the time it was performed and need not be repeated.
It sounds to me like your doctor has started on a good path of evaluation, testing for non-STI problems such as multiple sclerosis, and neural damage due to vitamin deficiencies, etc. This is the path I suspect you should follow and would not recommend waiting until future tests for hepatitis C or HIV are negative before seeking for alternate diagnoses. If your symptoms are unchanged or perhaps even progressing, it is not in your best interest to delay evaluation.
I suspect your receipt of masturbation from the masseuse you mention is nothing more than a coincidence. At this time there is no good reason to worry about HIV (1 0r-2), hepatitis, or any other STI.
I hope this comment is helpful to you. EWH
As you originally presumed, there is no risk at all for HIV or hepatitis C from the exposure you describe. You have verified this with your testing performed at 14 weeks. The test you took at 14 weeks from Lab Corp did not test for HIV 2 p24 antigen BUT it did test for antibodies to HIV-2, as well as to HIV-1. The test is conclusive at the time it was performed and need not be repeated.
It sounds to me like your doctor has started on a good path of evaluation, testing for non-STI problems such as multiple sclerosis, and neural damage due to vitamin deficiencies, etc. This is the path I suspect you should follow and would not recommend waiting until future tests for hepatitis C or HIV are negative before seeking for alternate diagnoses. If your symptoms are unchanged or perhaps even progressing, it is not in your best interest to delay evaluation.
I suspect your receipt of masturbation from the masseuse you mention is nothing more than a coincidence. At this time there is no good reason to worry about HIV (1 0r-2), hepatitis, or any other STI.
I hope this comment is helpful to you. EWH
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