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Possible exposure - please assist
Dear Dr. March 16th my penis head entered a massage lady's vagina (head only). I pulled out immediately and wipe my penis with a wetwipe - so two seconds max. The skin under my penis head was red for the next two weeks, but Canestan HC took that away. I had no sores and I am circumcised. Went to hospital within 48 hours they gave me PEP. Went to Clinic they told me very low exposure and took me off PEP. On PEP for 2 days. First week I had urine issues-all gone. Got tested 8 & 15 days post exposure for STD - all good. My doctor gave me Valaciclovir day 26 post exposure, but she recons I overdid the Corsodyl in my mount and that I irritated my mouth inside. To date no cold sores. Day 15 post exposure I started getting abdominal pains and the next two weeks was not good. Tired, loss of appetite, splitting headache and the feeling of a virus in me. No rash, no swollen lymp nodes, no fever. Slight diahree (twice only) on 27/28 day post exposure, but doctor said I had gastritis due to stress and anxiety and gave me Ranitidine tablets which I am still on. Lost 7 pounds in week 2 & 3 post exposure and a further 4 pounds in the last two weeks. My skin started burning, tingling and itching all over at day 33 post exposure, but my doctor gave me Loratadine - all gone within a day. I have been googling since day 1. My 29 & 37 day test (3rd generation HIV 1/2) came back negative. Energy wise I started feeling excellent from day 29 onwards. Mentally weak, drained, guilt is killing me, but physically not tired. Questions: 1) Could any of the medicines the doctor gave me have an influence on my results 2) How much can I read in my 37 day test. 3) I am having my 6 week test on day 44 - what indication would that give to my status. Will be testing on 8/10/13 weeks. 4) They say ARS symptoms appear 4 - 6 weeks. I have been feeling excellent for the past two weeks, so could ARS start up again at 40 days post exposure. Thanks for the good work. Regards K
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
You clearly did not acquire HIV during the exposure described. The most important information in your detailed question is the negative test reslt at 37 days, which is around 99% reliable. Test results always overrule both symptoms and exposure history.
And in any case, both those factors also argue against HIV: this was a low risk exposure (because HIV is rare in women in the US, even among sex workers, and because of the brevity of penetration) and your symptoms are not at all suggestive of ARS or other manifestations of a new HIV infection. But even if you'd had an especially high risk exposure or typical symptoms, the test result is the evidence that counts.
To your specific questions:
1) No medicine have any effect on HIV antibody testing. Theoretically potent chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs might do it, but I stress theoretically: to my knowledge there are no reported cases in which it actually happened.
2) Around 99% conclusive; see above.
3) You really don't need further testing, but presuming you go ahead, the 6 week test will be sufficient. For sure it will be negative. It is no longer necessary to wait 3 months for conclusive antibody testing. See the thread linked below.
4) "They say ARS symptoms appear 4 - 6 weeks." Who they?? Nobody says that -- ARS symptoms typically start at 10-20 days. Generally ARS lasts 4-6 weeks. "I have been feeling excellent for the past two weeks, so could ARS start up again at 40 days post exposure." No way. I'm glad you're feeling well, but in any case your earlier symptoms were not at all suggestive of ARS anyway.
So all is well -- no worries. Thanks for your kind comment about our services. Here's that link:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1704700
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You clearly did not acquire HIV during the exposure described. The most important information in your detailed question is the negative test reslt at 37 days, which is around 99% reliable. Test results always overrule both symptoms and exposure history.
And in any case, both those factors also argue against HIV: this was a low risk exposure (because HIV is rare in women in the US, even among sex workers, and because of the brevity of penetration) and your symptoms are not at all suggestive of ARS or other manifestations of a new HIV infection. But even if you'd had an especially high risk exposure or typical symptoms, the test result is the evidence that counts.
To your specific questions:
1) No medicine have any effect on HIV antibody testing. Theoretically potent chemotherapy or immunosuppressive drugs might do it, but I stress theoretically: to my knowledge there are no reported cases in which it actually happened.
2) Around 99% conclusive; see above.
3) You really don't need further testing, but presuming you go ahead, the 6 week test will be sufficient. For sure it will be negative. It is no longer necessary to wait 3 months for conclusive antibody testing. See the thread linked below.
4) "They say ARS symptoms appear 4 - 6 weeks." Who they?? Nobody says that -- ARS symptoms typically start at 10-20 days. Generally ARS lasts 4-6 weeks. "I have been feeling excellent for the past two weeks, so could ARS start up again at 40 days post exposure." No way. I'm glad you're feeling well, but in any case your earlier symptoms were not at all suggestive of ARS anyway.
So all is well -- no worries. Thanks for your kind comment about our services. Here's that link:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1704700
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
First of all i must thanks Dr HH and Dr Hook for their woderful service. I agree with you K its not worth it . I had the same experience 1 year ago and the symptoms similar to that of yours (No fever whatsoever). Tested negative with 4 different test kits including 4th generation into 8 months.
To all those freaked out souls : Please accept the science based evidence and hang on to your loved ones and your own life.
To all those freaked out souls : Please accept the science based evidence and hang on to your loved ones and your own life.
Thanks Doctor. Please close this thread. I have not googled for 2 weeks and will not be coming back. Enjoying my wife and family again as I should have been doing from the beginning. Thanks for the good work you all do. To everyone out there. If you have bumped your head once, stop doing it over and over again and stop googling - it has helped me by staying of the search engine and has cleared my anxiety. To all the married people out there messing around. Stop and take care of your family and remember your loved ones. Do not let a 5 second orgasm get the better of your future. Control is of the upmost importance. Regards K
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
1) No way. That's an urban myth, which most people came to realize more than 20 years ago.
2) There are no medical conditions that affect HIV test results, with the possible exception of certain near-fatal conditions like terminal cancer.
That's definitely all for this thread. You can safely ignore any more such questions that may come to mind.
2) There are no medical conditions that affect HIV test results, with the possible exception of certain near-fatal conditions like terminal cancer.
That's definitely all for this thread. You can safely ignore any more such questions that may come to mind.
Dr - last question to clear my mind for good. I have not googled for 2 weeks, which helps allot, but something is on my mind:
1) in the 1st 6 weeks of googling I came accross sections that stated the HIV virus could be hidden for up to 10 years even if you are tested negative. Is this correct?
2) This gastritis I have, could this effect any of the test results
Regards
K Smith
1) in the 1st 6 weeks of googling I came accross sections that stated the HIV virus could be hidden for up to 10 years even if you are tested negative. Is this correct?
2) This gastritis I have, could this effect any of the test results
Regards
K Smith
No questions and I know you said no more testing, but all part of my mental healing. This is just for the forum. My 8 weeks or 57 day HIV 1/2 3rd generation test came back negative. Now to get over this gastritis that I brought upon myself due to stress. Regards k
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Glad to hear of the additional negative result and I hope it helps you get beyond your anxiety. Just remember that guilt and shame over a regretted sexual choice are not the same as HIV risk from that choice. Deal with the former as you need to, but don't worry about HIV.
Dr. Thanks for the reply. The 6 week (44 days) test came back negative. Now to start believing in my results and getting rid of this anxiety, which has been my worse enemy up to now. Regards K
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