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PEP Failure
Hi guys,
I had a high risk exposure with a CSW a few weeks back. The condom went off and I remained exposed for at least 15 minutes. We tested in the morning and she was HIV positive. I think she is not on medication. I started PEP at seven hours after explosure. (Lamivudine, Tenofovir and Dolutegravir).
After a week, I got a rash of tiny acne-like spots on the forehead and behind the ears as well as headache and peeling of the skin on the fingers and feet. At 13 days, I developed diarrhea and pain in the lymphnodes in the neck, abdomen and groin. Today is day 18; since yesterday the pain in the lymphnodes and headache significantly reduced.
Does this mean that the PEP failed and the HIV entered the lymphnodes where it is currently replicating?
I had a high risk exposure with a CSW a few weeks back. The condom went off and I remained exposed for at least 15 minutes. We tested in the morning and she was HIV positive. I think she is not on medication. I started PEP at seven hours after explosure. (Lamivudine, Tenofovir and Dolutegravir).
After a week, I got a rash of tiny acne-like spots on the forehead and behind the ears as well as headache and peeling of the skin on the fingers and feet. At 13 days, I developed diarrhea and pain in the lymphnodes in the neck, abdomen and groin. Today is day 18; since yesterday the pain in the lymphnodes and headache significantly reduced.
Does this mean that the PEP failed and the HIV entered the lymphnodes where it is currently replicating?
COMMUNITY LEADER
These do not sound like HIV symptoms. An HIV-related rash would occur on your torso, and would not itch. Have you discussed your symptoms with your doctor? They could be side effects related to PEP. If you were having symptoms related to HIV, your HIV test would be positive.
Unfortunately, the only way to diagnose HIV is by taking an HIV test. The presence or absence of symptoms is not predictive of whether someone has HIV.
Unfortunately, the only way to diagnose HIV is by taking an HIV test. The presence or absence of symptoms is not predictive of whether someone has HIV.
8 Comments
Besides, you don't know how lymph is supposed to feel so you shouldn't poke it then try to make a self-diagnosis.
Thank you so much for your help to me in navigating this terrible situation.
No, I have not yet gone to see a doctor over the symptoms since I picked the PEP medz. I plan to go back after PEP for testing.
Regarding the lymph nodes, I felt pain at the base of the neck, right below the jaw line and right behind the ears, then in the abdomen and then in the groin, especially at the top of the thighs. The pain was quite noticeable between Friday and Sunday but is very mild now. In fact, I almost felt no pain all day until 45 minutes ago. I have been unable to overcome the worry that HIV managed to sneak into the lymphnodes and is causing the pain there as it replicates.
I am so worried that I was exposed for such a long time that I got too many copies of the virus into my body even if I am circumcised that PEP (even if started at 7 hours) will prove too weak to fight them all.
My sincere thanks to you people for all you do.
No, I have not yet gone to see a doctor over the symptoms since I picked the PEP medz. I plan to go back after PEP for testing.
Regarding the lymph nodes, I felt pain at the base of the neck, right below the jaw line and right behind the ears, then in the abdomen and then in the groin, especially at the top of the thighs. The pain was quite noticeable between Friday and Sunday but is very mild now. In fact, I almost felt no pain all day until 45 minutes ago. I have been unable to overcome the worry that HIV managed to sneak into the lymphnodes and is causing the pain there as it replicates.
I am so worried that I was exposed for such a long time that I got too many copies of the virus into my body even if I am circumcised that PEP (even if started at 7 hours) will prove too weak to fight them all.
My sincere thanks to you people for all you do.
The virus does not start replicating that rapidly - not even close. That is why a person has up to 72 hours past an event to start PEP, before rapid replication takes place. Having a long exposure doesn't give you more "copies" of the virus. You either get it or you don't, and a one-time vaginal event carries about an 0.04% risk of infection for the man, even without PEP. That means a 99.96% chance of NOT being infected.
You can not diagnose hiv from symptoms.
Take 4th generation ag/ab test .. if negative so your symptoms has no relation to hiv and continue your fuĺl course pep then repeat the test 6 weeks post pep.
Take 4th generation ag/ab test .. if negative so your symptoms has no relation to hiv and continue your fuĺl course pep then repeat the test 6 weeks post pep.
You don't have any medical training so should stop trying to be a doc. You SHOULD have zero faith in your made up ideas however the only thing you believe is your own ideas and so you are telling everyone here that you know better than us - which makes zero sense. This is just a made up idea of hiv disease.> "I have been unable to overcome the worry that HIV managed to sneak into the lymphnodes and is causing the pain "
Hey guys,
Please pardon me but i had one more question. Does PEP failure cause drug resistance?
I am worried that if the PEP drugs failed to stop the infection, they would also fail to control the disease.
I have now taken 29 of the 30 tablets. I have taken all of them religiously. The discomfort in the neck, abdomen and groin returned five days ago after being away for at least a week. I had mild night sweats for most of last week and yesterday i developed pain in the shoulder joint.
Thx
Please pardon me but i had one more question. Does PEP failure cause drug resistance?
I am worried that if the PEP drugs failed to stop the infection, they would also fail to control the disease.
I have now taken 29 of the 30 tablets. I have taken all of them religiously. The discomfort in the neck, abdomen and groin returned five days ago after being away for at least a week. I had mild night sweats for most of last week and yesterday i developed pain in the shoulder joint.
Thx
So, you were already told you had a low actual risk (.04% to be exact . . . LESS THAN 1 percent chance of transmission!) and you were told to take pep for the full course and test 28 days later with a 4th generation test. There really isn't anything else anyone here can or will tell you. And your symptoms are irrelevant as stated earlier as well. HIV is NOT diagnosed ever by symptoms. Focus on your very low chance of transmission.
How did things go? I am in a similar predicament. I'm on PEP and on day 15, I got some pain in my inner, upper right thigh. It subsided within a day. I am terrified this was seroconversion. What was your test result?
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