Terrible symptoms please help

[gerdisthewerd]

Exposure is unprotected oral and protected vaginal intercourse with a woman of unknown status.
I am worried perhaps the condom might have slipped.
105 day EIA and OraQuick, negative. (likewise 9wk neg). I was previously healthy. Also tested for Syphilis, C & G all negative.

Symptoms are progressing. I have worsening thrombocytopenia. I'm beginning to bruise all over my body. Sore throat as well. I'm currently waiting on an HIV Aptima RNA which I think is taking suspiciously long to finish.

I am absolutely terrified for my wife and child.
Given these symptoms do you think that it's likely I'm a late seroconverter?
Do you often see ARS manifest with thrombocytopenia?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad we could help.  Take care. EWH

[gerdisthewerd]

What a surprise. You were totally correct. "Non-reactive".

I cannot thank you enough for being there to offer advice. I hope you and Dr. HHH never think this forum is a silly enterprise when people lash out at you guys out of panic and uncertainty. In a world with so much misinformation of HIV, your voices are very important.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Thank you for the compliment.  It's a pleasure to be able to help.  Feel free to post your results.  I am confident they we be negative.  EWH

[gerdisthewerd]

Advice from a lifelong expert who has seen many many more diagnoses than the average Dr. goes far in calming my (admittedly paranoid) mind. I've actually read several of your papers about other STD topics, and I think it's fantastic that such an respected expert still cares enough to answer questions.

If I understand you correctly the possibility of this RNA coming back positive is so close to zero, you don't even mention it as a possibility. That is very comforting.

If it's okay with you I'll post the results when they come in, just so other people in my situation can have the benefit of knowing. Take care.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll be pleased to comment and to assure you that were not infected by the exposures that you describe.  First, it is unlikely that your partner had HIV.  Few heterosexual women do.  Even if she was, your exposures did not put you at risk for infection.  There are no instances in which receipt of oral sex have led to infection with HIV.  Similarly, condom protected sex is safe sex and as long as the condom covered the tip of your penis, your sex was safe, even if the condom slipped part way down your penis.  Finally, negative HIV tests at 9 weeks and 105 days provide conclusive proof that you were not infected.  You can be confident of this.

This means that your symptoms are due to something other than HIV.  I suggest that you work with your doctor to sort out what, other than HIV, is causing your symptoms.

I hope that this comment is helpful.  EWH