Please assess my HIV Risk!

[karma_123]

I had unprotected oral sex and protected vaginal sex (used Condom) with a Sex Worker in South East Asia almost 5 weeks back. I only received oral sex from the lady (around 30 seconds). Also, the condom seemed intact after the act. Based on this, do you recommend me an HIV test?

Additional info: After 12 days of this encounter, I had minor cold symptoms (sore throat, running nose and cough) which remained for 2.5 days. Also, in the last 2 weeks I have been having diarrhea. (no other symptoms). I learnt about ARS and its symptoms 3 weeks back and have been very stressed all this time. I understand that looking at symptoms are not the right way to diagnose HIV infection. Hence, so just by looking at my risk, would you guys recommend me an HIV test or not?

[Kirstie_MHModerator]

You were advised of your no-risk status several times, so there isn't anything more this forum can add.  Continue working with your doctor to find the non-HIV related cause of your skin issues.

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[karma_123]

Hey guys, based on the risk assessment(see previous message), I moved on with my life without thinking much. But for the last 2 months, I am getting recurrent  pimples on my head/scalp. It seems they are folliculitis and wherever I read, HIV pops up. I never had any skin problems in my life before. I don't know, if this is just weird timing or something else. Can HIV infection cause folliculitis or other skin infection with 4-6 months of infection?

When you say, oral sex is no risk for HIV infection? Do you mean zero risk or low risk? Thanks again.

[Sara_MHModerator]

Hi, as stated by our members, you did not have a risk for HIV from the things you've written about.  If you are having gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea, please speak to your doctor about this.  However, it is not HIV related.  We wish you the best of health.

[karma_123]

Hey guys, my diarrhea has improved a lot. But I still get loose stool twice a day. It has been almost 3 weeks with this diarrhea. Do you think this can be a symptom of ARS. Should HIV testing be a priority now. I am really confused now. I just had 2.5 days of classic cold and nothing else. I am really scared of this diarrhea and HIV connection. Can someone advise?

[Chima7]

Protected sex is not a risk. Oral sex is not a risk. You had no risk. Obviously there's no reason to get tested since you had no risk. Your symptoms are irrelevant because doctors don't use symptoms to diagnose HIV. They first look at risk - which yours is Zero because you had no risk. Then they look at test results - which you don't need because you had no risk and therefore that doesn't apply to you.

[karma_123]

Thanks a lot for the quick response. So, there is no need to bother about oral sex under any circumstances (the lady having high viral load, cuts inside mouth or both - extreme case).

[Chima7]

There's nothing you can add at this point that will change your assessment. No Risk. Period.

[karma_123]

Thanks again. So based on you risk assessment, I am overlooking the cold symptoms that happened around 2 weeks after the incident. I will not put an HIV test as priority for now. The diarrhea seems to me a result of the stress in the last 3 weeks. Thanks for the support.

[AnxiousNoMore]

Everyone gets 3 colds per year so someone coughed on your food or a doorknob or your face, and you got infected. Nothing special about a cold just because you had sex the week before.