Worried about HIV

[LifeOfPi2018]

Hello everyone. I am writing this because I need your help and advice. I had unprotected vaginal intercourse with someone of unknown HIV status. It's more than 8 weeks since the event and 3 days ago, I started coming down with what I think is the flu. My symptoms started with headaches, cough, runny nose. I also have low grade fever although I cant be sure because I don't have a thermometer but I my skin felt hot when I touched it, some muscle aches, chills and a general feeling of being unwell. My voice has also turned hoarse because of the colds. These have been going on for about 3-4 days. My question is, do my symptoms look like ARS?? Can ARS start 8 weeks after a possible exposure? I understand that ARS typically start at 2-6 weeks but there have been instances where it can start later. Please help, I'm very worried.

[diver58]

Normally HIV related symptoms do not surface after 8 weeks, they commonly appear between 2-4 weeks or until 6 weeks at the max.

However having said that, symptoms do not mean much because many other common infections also have the symptoms similar to those due to HIV. Moreover, many actually infected persons remain totally asymptomatic. Therefore, symptoms are generally confusing and misleading.

Your flu and other symptoms may be due to any reason.

Since you had unprotected sex with someone of unknown health status, we suggest you to get yourself tested for HIV Duo test any time now, collect your conclusive test report and move on with your life normally. HIV infection is never judged by the symptoms. The only way to determine our health status conclusively is the test.

[LifeOfPi2018]

Thank you, diver58 for answering. I reread my post and I apologize but I forgot to mention that I took a Combo test 52 days after the incident. Is this the same as a Duo? I understand that a test is the only way to be certain of your HIV status. However, my symptoms have really got me very worried. This pesky cough has been going on for more than 3 weeks and my GP can't seem to figure out what's causing it. I'm worried that it may have been the initial ARS symptom to show up at around 5 weeks. And then the flu symptoms just followed at 8 weeks.

[diver58]

Yes Combo is Duo are the same because both of them detect Antibodies and Antigen simultaneously, increasing the sensitivity and reliability of the test significantly with remarkable reduction in window period as compared to its predecessor generation of the test.

Your 52 days Negative test is conclusive and excludes you from the infection fully. Trust your test report, You do not have HIV. Discuss this with your GP and I am sure, he will have the same opinion. Suggest you to treat these symptoms without going into HIV perspective, because in the presence of a 52 days Combo test, these symptoms do not mean anything as far as HIV is concerned.