Hiv South Africa

[Passatt]

Dear Doctor ,i was involved with a random girl in a Eastern cape pub (SA) the condom burst and i was later treated for chlamidia.I have been tested for HIV 5 times up to 4 months but my resuilt is negative.What worries me is my oral thrush, night sweats and enlarged lymphnodes under my chin and groin 2 weeks after the fateful day.I have consulted hiv experts here who have told me that to be absolutely sure i must test at 12 months since they suspect that there is a mutated virus that is escaping detection over large periods of time.I read on dr hhh 's communication that the US enquirers dont need to worry about such mutations because they would only happen in Africa and not in the industrialised world.Please can you shed light on this-im devastated.

[reallyregret]

Hi Passatt,

For lymph nodes, no I don't think anxiety can cause that... and that is why i myself am worrying very much now. But night sweats, thrush.... why not? just imagine you had a bad nightmare while sleeping, you'd probably wake up in sweat.

And yes, i think chlamydia can cause enlarged nodes in the groin.


Hmmm... just wondering if any experts around like Lizzie or Teak can offer Passatt come advice too to calm his nerves??


May God bless


reallyregret

[Passatt]

Yes they were diagnised by a dr and my tests were standard lab tests.Could anxiety cause that?

[reallyregret]

Hi Passatt,

Hmmm, What was the tests that you have already took? are they the standard lab tests? If they were, they would have been conclusive at 3 months, regardless of the strain.

Hmmm, your symptoms... were your lymph nodes diagnosed by your doctor? have you thought before that it could be your anxiety that may be causing the thrush and night sweats?


reallyregret

[Passatt]

Hi i got tested for all other stds exept hep c and mono -chlamidia would only account for my burning pee.My doctor said its not the cause of all the other symptoms.I am devastated because there is so much denial about hiv in my country people catch it because it looks like it doesnt exsist.People on antiretrovirals are no ematiated so everyhting looks normal.Now didderent sources cannot sing from one hym sheet when it comes to HIV.I mean in the states you can have intercourse with a sex worker and not be overtly concerned about hiv. Now medical practitioners state that i need to wait 12 months..with such anxiety it just suicidal.

Guipsud do you mind giving me your drs contacts im based in the Western cape ,Oberholzer.I cannot wait that long to find out about my status.I read about the pcr but they say it doesnt cover all strains and costs a heafty R800.I have NEVER in my life suffered from thrush-im not on anti-biotics ,im just troubled

[Guipsuid]

Hi Passatt that i is what i was told at a testing center in Rosebank.The clinician who tested me was not the typical ignorant metriculant-it was a professional who has been in the system for a long time.She asked me to test uup to 12 months.She could not however tell me why.My dr who studied at Tuks was given recognition by Nelson Mandela also told me to test after a year.I have read that subtype c the dominant hiv subtype down here is rather tricky.Most hiv testing equipment is manufactured in the united states and there is concern that it might not be adiquate to keep in step with hiv this side.Please keep us in touch with your testing.

[reallyregret]

Hi Passatt,

I can understand your anxiety, which stems from your symptoms and also from the risk event, because i am experiencing lymphnode enlargements also right now, after one single possible exposure.

Would like to ask you if you have tested yourself for other possible diseases such as herpes, hep b, hep c, and mono? they could well be the cause of your symptoms too. Also, the chlamydia that you have contracted could be the cause of your symptoms too, right?

4 months is a long time beyond the window period. It is quite impossible for you to be infected and still test negative at this time.

I understand your anxiety from not knowing what is causing the symptoms, and that nothing much can solve it until you know exactly what is causing them, right? Why not work with your doctor, and try to test across a broad range of possible diseases that could cause your symptoms, and see what comes up?

I wish you the best of luck.


May God bless you.


reallyregret