Everyone seems to be right. Test results came back Negative. Doctor said they test blood for everything else since I'm still having unusual symptoms. Thank you for the responses and help!
It will be negative buddy, when you get you result, believe it and move on. When they say 12 / 13 week test, it's not a switch that happens at 11 wks 6 days / 12 wks 6 days, the reason people discuss 3 months is many people cannot remember when the "encounter" took place, many new tests are way more accurate, I have heard of them picking HIV up at 11 days. Your test will be negative, no doubt.. When you get it, move on, you will be fine :)
3 month test is in the lab. Waiting for the results now.
Doctor prescribed Diflucan and Nystatin. Don't think they did much to help alleviate the symptoms I've been having. And if they did the symptoms came back.
You are right. I have an appointment at a walk in clinic tomorrow. I'm constantly moving around and have never really had a doctor.
The appointment is to check out the fungal/yeast infection I initially had that is mildly sticking around (even after applying the recommend creams) and for white tongue.
White tongue and bad taste are horrible. How can they relate to HIV during early infection. Can opportunistic infections attack this early?
Try getting off the computer and see your doctor if you are unwell.
17 days after the initial post (56 days after "exposure"), I still have the headaches, swollen lymph nodes, body pains, white tongue, sleeping troubles, and upset stomach.
I am still waiting for the 3 month mark to get tested.
Just seems weird that I could have these pains for about 6 weeks. Shouldn't a body's immune system fight off the sickness? Whatever it is. If this is not ARS, is there a different medical test I could take to determine what I have?
Just the the test to be aware of your status. If the result is negative you have to confirm it 3 months after the initial exposure. That is crystal clear.
Okay. Now, a positive test would just leave me frozen and with few answers.
a duo test at 45 days is not needed. all you need is an antibody test, which is a lot cheaper.
Just to keep you calm because a negative duo test will difficult change
I will not be in the same location for more than a few days. So I'd like to wait until I'm settled for at least a week.
What would be the benefit of finding out before the 3 month mark?
You can take a duo test now and confirm the result at 3 months after your exposure
Why dont you test now. It will be a good indicator and if negative you can confirm the result 3 months after the initial exposure.
Five days after the initial post (45 days after "exposure"), I still have the headaches, swollen lymph nodes, body pains, white tongue, sleeping problem, and morning diarrhea (upset stomach).
Also, fatigued when trying to exercise. Kayaking or running.
Are systemic yeast infections directly related to HIV?
nursegirl your response with examples has helped me understand ARS.
Thank you guys for your time and responses!
ARS doesn't mean anything. Not everyone that gets infected has ARS.
What's the best way to describe ARS?
No realistic chance you caught HIV. Expect negatives.
That makes sense.
Okay. Time to relax and hope this is some sort of virus or bacterial infection. Obviously, still get tested at the 90 day mark.
Risk is a risk, we only use those terms when it comes to unprotected anal sex as that is the highest risk.
Correct, but again your symptoms are not ARS.
So basically ARS cannot be diagnosed until after test results are provided?
I'm assuming my situation is mid/high risk?
There was a study done of people seeking help in an ER for what they thought were classic ARS symptoms. OVER 99% of those people tested negative for HIV, with their symptoms being attributed to some other, common malady. These were people who actually had risks.
ARS symptoms are very generalized, meaning they would be present for a million other reasons (flus, other viral infections, colds, allergic reactions, even anxiety). They are not specific to HIV. It's not like a specific symptom that would point to an illness/condition, like the bullseye marking in Lyme's disease. ARS symptoms just are not reliable, and they could be present in a person for SO many other reasons.
WHEN a person has TRUE ARS, it's not something that is really hard NOT to notice. The people who DO experience ARS are extremely ill..almost ALWAYS a fever over 101-102 is present, and persists. Also, true ARS almost always involves a rash, and generalized swollen lymph nodes (meaning in many locations). The symptoms you describe, and most importantly, their timing are NOT consistent with TRUE ARS at all. Actually, most of them sound anxiety related.
Your risk was low. You don't even really KNOW for sure what your exposure was (if any). For all you know, you (or her) could have removed the condom after sex, then fell asleep.
The most important lesson here is that alcohol and sex are a bad mix. If you hadn't been drunk, you would have used the condom properly beginning to end.
My opinion is that IF you had a risk, it was minimal. Test at the appropriate times and in the meantime, keep yourself busy and try not to think about it too much.