Swollen glands

[Concernedpartner145]

Any hiv +ve people out there, or anyone have any advice on the following symptom:
- Swollen armpit glands (not individual nodes, but a general swollen feeling) for 4 weeks, starting 23 days post exposure. Is this the normal timeline for acture HIV symptoms, and is this a common one?
- Could this be related to another STD anyones aware of?
- Does the Oraquick (gum swab) test provide the 80-85% accuracy at 4 weeks some people seem to be claiming, or does this figure only apply to blood tests?

[Concernedpartner145]

Has anyone had any experience with this symptom?

I don't mean to go on about it, but swollen glands in that timeframe and for that duration seem convincing. Teak has mentioned that seroconversion related swelling isn't painful, but I have read and been advised that this feeling could be due to lymph production. It isn't crippling pain, just constant, specific, and has been sufficient enought to be noticable, and not just in his head.

We're trying to arrange a 9 week test to ease the anxiety, but does anyone have any thoughts, experience or advice in this area?

[Concernedpartner145]

My partners glands are still swollen (or so he says) - although I cannot feel any individual nodes. He is experiencing some pain along his groin line as well, indicating a more general infection/immune system reaction.

He is going to the doctor today to have his glands diagnosed as indeed swollen.

Would seroconversion illness symptoms (like these swollen glands) still be evident after over 6 weeks of experiencing them, over 9 weeks post exposure?

Would an Oraquick test at 9 weeks be a good idea?

[Concernedpartner145]

So... at the end of the day what you are saying is swollen glands aren't a great sign....

[Frank303]

The docket I have from the GUM clinic says in one column 'you have ben tested today for' and in the next column ' this means you have been clear of the infection for'
HepC (HCV) says 6m though the clinic said 3m, so did my Doc.is OK, HIV says  3m.  
They didn't test for HepB (HBV) as they don't routinely test that so had to get that from my Doctor.

[Concernedpartner145]

I was informed HepC was 3 months also - I was planning on a 6 monthly as well to be sure - the only feeling I could imagine worse than this would be to infect someone else!

HBV and HCV?

I did have a -ve HIV test result at 33 days post exposure (Oraquick gum swab), about a week after I started experiencing the swollen glands. If indeed these glands were as a result of a HIV infection (and acknowledging the sound advice above), wouldn't HIV antibodies have been detected in this test?

[Frank303]

When I had occupational needlestick injuries I had to get HBV and HCV tested as well. The window period for HepC is longer at 6 months which I'm still sitting out for this (sexual) exposure..