HIV risk assessment - Extremely scared!

[jdtoronto]

Dear Doctor(s),
I'm a 28 yr old heterosexual male and recently had unprotected  sex with a female for the first time in 6 or 7 years. It only lasted at most 30-40 seconds as I came to my senses and stopped. I had just met her and really know nothing about her except that she has since said that she had several partners before me, but only once unprotected (how ever I cannot be sure).

2 days after sex I noticed three very small pimple type marks on the tip of my penis.

3 days after sex I started getting flu like symptoms (upset stomach, head ache and sore throat)

I also started to get a slight burning sensation in my left inner thigh, left hip and on my thigh down to my knee as well around my rectum.

10 days after sex and my GP gave me cream for what he thinks is a small yeast infection or something of that nature that I picked up from my partner (she since confirmed that she had recently had a small yeast infection).

Also, I'm on medication to prevent shingles as I had shingles in my groin, hip and back area years ago, and the burning sensation felt the same (though my shingles were on the right last time).

My throat is still sore (soreness moved from the right side to the left side) and I still have a constant headache.

Through all of this I have been extremely scared and not sleeping. I had been through a lot of stress the week of the sexual contact and since, and my doctor feels that the anxiety and lack of sleep has brought on the flu like symptoms.  I got blood taken last week for std's/HIV.

I have a girl friend and am scared about having sex with her now.

What are you thoughts and  are there HIV symptoms that show up this shortly after sex?  

Regards
J
p.s - I'll never do THAT again!!!!!!

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Even though you do not know much about your partner, your exposure is low risk for a number of reasons.

1.  Most people do not have HIV.
2.  If she had HIV, an unprotected exposure, on average, has a 1 in1000 chance of transmitting infection (0.01%) per exposure.
3.  The brevity of your exposure makes your exposure even less likely than average.

Thus, just by numbers alone, your risk of infection is somewhat less than 1 in 100.000.

As for your symptoms, you have been examined by a health care provider who was not concerned.  In addition, the symptoms you describe do not sound like the ARS either.  

The one STD your description did sound like was herpes but, if you are taking antiviral medication to prevent shingles, I can promise you, this is not herpes either.

Sorry you are not feeling well.  Please feel comfortable however that this is not HIV.   I predict that hte tests you had taken will all be negative as well.   EWH

[jdtoronto]

Thank you for your help. I've taken comfort in your assessment. I do want to say that I've now come down with a cold, though my throat is starting to clear up.

The only 'strange' thing that I've noticed the past few days is a cluster of very small raised blister type marks on my cheekbone under my left eye. They actual resemble what I remember shingles to look like, or herpes however they're not itchy or burning at all and at this point they are very thin (not raised too much and no head on them).

Again, I feel more comfortable since your assessment, but am still  uneasy about the whole situation.

Regards,
J

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I cannot explain what the lesions under your eye are however, they are in the wrong place and, as you point out,lack several of the characteristics of any STD, including HIV, or shingles.  I would not worry about them.  If they pesist and do worry you, please see your regular doctor for evaluation.  They are most unlikely to be HIV, STD or shingles.  EWH

[jdtoronto]

Thank you for your recent assessment. I have one other thing to mention, which I am unsure whether it is new, or always been:

I have tiny white dots and clusters of dots under the skin of my lips which are noticeable if I stretch my lip out, as well as in the corner of my upper and lower lip. I understand this is most likely nothing to be worried about but of course with my throat and glans being sore recently, and the scare of unprotected sex, I think everything is an  ARS symptom (even though I don't even know what the symptoms of ARS are).

Thank-you again for your support.

Also, to ease my mind, I may take a rapid hiv test. Do you know when a good time to take this is? it's been 12 days  since unsafe sex.

Regards,
J

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You do not need testing.  I will provide you with some figures however, before you do, I will once again urge you to minimize the waste of resources (yours or others) which will occur by you tesitng yourself, particularly if you do so repeatedly.

At 4 weeks 85-90% of infected persons will have positve tests,  by 8 weeks the figure rises to 98-99% and at 12 weeks virtually all tests are positve.  EWH

[jdtoronto]

HI Doctor Hook,

I just have one more question regarding  my symptoms.  

After my throat soreness, and bacteria infection  cleared up, my glands have swollen up under my jaw line though it seems to only be on the left side of my neck (including some 'rawness' in my left armpit ). I've also had a reoccuring headache since day 3.

I was given a  tetanus shot in my left shoulder on day 10.  

Day 12 is when my glands swelled up and it is now day 15 with still swollen glands (not sore to touch).

I'm going to get checked out again tomorrow for my swollen glands and was wondering what your thoughts were on this. I'm having anxiety attacks as a result of all this so I'm sure that is not helping the situation!

Thanks again for your patience,
J

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I'm sorry, I do not have answes for you.  You and your doctor need to address this.  The problems that you describe are not HIV (or STD) as we've ben through before.  This thread has to end now.  There will be no further answers and additional unfounded quuestions will be deleted.  Good luck.  EWH