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Do I need to retest? ARS Symptoms? Risk Assesment
6th of February, 2014 I had sex with an escort. She told me that she is based out of Miami, but from Brazil originally. I met her in Washington, D.C. while she was in town. She was early 20's. I paid her $400 for the hour. We met at a nice hotel in downtown D.C.
She gave me unprotected oral sex. I performed unprotected cunnilingus on her. We then had sex 3 different times. Each time I used a different condom. She had the condoms there with her. To my recollection, the condoms didn't break. At one point I wasn't as hard as I was when we first started having sex, i.e. my erection was half soft and the condom was a bit loose while she was on top.
About 2 weeks later I started feeling very weak. My neck was stiff and the lymph nodes in my groin were swollen. about 3 days later I developed a rash that was all over the trunk of my body. It was on my chest, belly, and arms. Also I had the dry mouth and white tongue. This really scared me so I went to the ER that night. By the time I had gotten to the ER I had a very high fever. They tested me for HIV that night and the test came back negative. They did tell me that my platelet count was a little low and would need to schedule a follow up visit to figure out why this was the case.
After my ER visit, I continued to have a weak feeling in my arms and legs and a VERY dry mouth, with a white tongue..Not extremely white, but noticeable.
I had a follow up visit with my primary care physician on the 14th of March, exactly 36 days since exposure. He decided to run the full gamut of tests. A week later, Friday the 21st, I went back in for the results. I had tested negative for everything, including HIV. My platelet count was even back to normal.
Was this test reliable? It was an "HIV Antibody: HIV 1/2 EIA w/ Reflexes". Do you think I need to retest at 3 months? My Doctor didn't think so. In fact the last thing he told me to do was "go celebrate". What could have caused that rash on my body?
She gave me unprotected oral sex. I performed unprotected cunnilingus on her. We then had sex 3 different times. Each time I used a different condom. She had the condoms there with her. To my recollection, the condoms didn't break. At one point I wasn't as hard as I was when we first started having sex, i.e. my erection was half soft and the condom was a bit loose while she was on top.
About 2 weeks later I started feeling very weak. My neck was stiff and the lymph nodes in my groin were swollen. about 3 days later I developed a rash that was all over the trunk of my body. It was on my chest, belly, and arms. Also I had the dry mouth and white tongue. This really scared me so I went to the ER that night. By the time I had gotten to the ER I had a very high fever. They tested me for HIV that night and the test came back negative. They did tell me that my platelet count was a little low and would need to schedule a follow up visit to figure out why this was the case.
After my ER visit, I continued to have a weak feeling in my arms and legs and a VERY dry mouth, with a white tongue..Not extremely white, but noticeable.
I had a follow up visit with my primary care physician on the 14th of March, exactly 36 days since exposure. He decided to run the full gamut of tests. A week later, Friday the 21st, I went back in for the results. I had tested negative for everything, including HIV. My platelet count was even back to normal.
Was this test reliable? It was an "HIV Antibody: HIV 1/2 EIA w/ Reflexes". Do you think I need to retest at 3 months? My Doctor didn't think so. In fact the last thing he told me to do was "go celebrate". What could have caused that rash on my body?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This will be my final response. My opinion has not changed. If I were you I would not feel the need for further testing. You however need to decide about your own testing.
This thread is over. EWH
This thread is over. EWH
so would you agree that I don't need any further testing? I was thinking about going back into planned parenthood to get a 12 week test done. I wouldn't be worried anymore, except for the symptoms I had. I don't know how they couldn't have been HIV. I mean the rash, the thrush, the body weakness.
I am sorry for all the questions, i'm just very scared.
I am sorry for all the questions, i'm just very scared.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Yes, this is strong evidence that you were not infected. Believe your tests. EWH
dr. hook,
is my 8 week rapid finger prick test conclusive?
is my 8 week rapid finger prick test conclusive?
Test came back negative! Finger prick test at 8 weeks. Doc, can I finally drop this?
I have another test scheduled for this Thursday the 3rd and I'm an absolute wreck. I just don't see how what I have isn't HIV. All the symptoms and timing fit the bill to the tee. This has wrecked me emotionally for the last month. Can't eat right, haven't been taking care of my hygiene, work performance has gone way down. I'm a mess.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Dr. Handsfield will not provide his opinion. FYI, on working together on this Forum we have NEVER agreed in thousands of replies.
Deal with your anxiety. Get the repeat test I suggested- the test will be negative- then believe the result. EWH
Deal with your anxiety. Get the repeat test I suggested- the test will be negative- then believe the result. EWH
Can I get dr. Hansfields opinion on this too? Sorry, I know I have an anxiety disorder.
I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound rude or dismissive of the other information that you provided to me, it's just that I'm very scared. I mean I'm only 24 years old. If I did turn out to have hiv, my life would be over. I made one stupid mistake and hope I don't have to pay such a heavy price for it. Let me ask you this: from a medical standpoint, should I test again to confirm that I'm negative? Or should it just be for peace of mind. If you were my doctor what would you recommend?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your reading is selective. I also told you that your exposure was safe sex and at 99% of the persons with the symptoms you experienced turn out NOT to have HIV. I agree with your doctor's assessment but would not fault you for retesting at this time. EWH
Now I'm extremely worried. You said that I had a lot of the symptoms of someone experiencing ARS. You also mentioned that the timing was spot on. I'm in a lot of trouble aren't i? It sounds as if this antibody test I took at 36 days post exposure was too soon. Why would my Doctor sound so confident about the results? Is it possible that he wasn't familiar with the appropriate testing timeframes?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum. I will try to help. The exposure that you describe was low risk for HIV. You do not know that this woman had HIV and despite her profession and that she comes from Brazil where HIV rates are relatively high, the likelihood that she has HIV is low. Even if she did have HIV, condom protected sex is safe sex, there is no known risk for HIV from receipt of oral sex, and the risk of you performing oral sex on her is miniscule- less than 1 infection per 10,000 exposures.
That said, your flu-like illness does have many characteristics of the ARS which is seen in some persons with recently acquired HIV both in terms of symptoms and timing. Thus your concerns about HIV are appropriate. (Parenthetically, when at risk persons with illnesses such as yours have been tested, less than 1% of turn out to have HIV). These symptoms are the result of interactions of newly formed antibodies to HIV and the virus. Thus within a few days after the onset of symptoms tests for HIV are typically positive. As a result, your recent negative test, more than a week or so after, is strong evidence that you did not get HIV from the exposure you have described. Thus, while results are not definitive, I do agree with you doctor.
If you wanted to be completely sure, if you get a DUO (combined HIV p24 antigen/HIV antibody) test, would be definitive for you at this time.
Finally as to the cause of your symptoms, this sort of illness could be caused by any number of different, community acquired, non-HIV viral illnesses. EWH
That said, your flu-like illness does have many characteristics of the ARS which is seen in some persons with recently acquired HIV both in terms of symptoms and timing. Thus your concerns about HIV are appropriate. (Parenthetically, when at risk persons with illnesses such as yours have been tested, less than 1% of turn out to have HIV). These symptoms are the result of interactions of newly formed antibodies to HIV and the virus. Thus within a few days after the onset of symptoms tests for HIV are typically positive. As a result, your recent negative test, more than a week or so after, is strong evidence that you did not get HIV from the exposure you have described. Thus, while results are not definitive, I do agree with you doctor.
If you wanted to be completely sure, if you get a DUO (combined HIV p24 antigen/HIV antibody) test, would be definitive for you at this time.
Finally as to the cause of your symptoms, this sort of illness could be caused by any number of different, community acquired, non-HIV viral illnesses. EWH
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