dr dr please help

[keepgoing809]

Just over 6 weeks ago I received a massage in a massage parlor.  The girl gave me a hand job to completion.  She also took off her top and allowed me to lick / suck her breast for ten or so seconds.  I did NOT taste milk.  

Two and a half weeks latter I started getting pain in my testicle.  An ultrasound was ordered and it found a hydrocele.  I was given 10 days of doxy.  The pain is gone.

Around the same time my testicle hurt i started having abdominal cramps, pain, small stools, and extra gas.
This problem has lasted for 4 weeks straight and counting!   I Have even gone to a GI Dr who is trying to figure this out.  I never have had such a problem.  I did a rapid hiv test, the result was negative.

My questions are

1. How risky was my behavior? (I didnt taste milk)

2.  Regardless of how risky my behavior was does my hydrocele and abdominal discomfort and stool issues sound like ARS?

3.  My hiv test was six weeks after exposure.  Do I need more hiv tests?

4. If my symptoms were ARS would my hiv antibody test been positive?  ( it was done 22 days after symptoms)

Thanks

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Correct.  You don't have HIV.  Believe it, accept it, and move on.  Do not post anything more about it on this forum.

[keepgoing809]

Lastly I assume if my stomach issues were ARS (for 5 weeks and counting) my test today would have been positive?

[keepgoing809]

Dr. Handsfield

Just giving you an update.   I took my 8 week test today.  Thankfully it was negative.  My stomach still is a problem hence I continue to see GI specialist.  

Can I now be sure I did not become infected?

Have a happy new year!!!

[keepgoing809]

Thank you Dr.  The pain has increased and is rotating from left abdomen to right abdomen to left kidney to right in no particular order.  I had UGI with what I believe is called small intestine follow thru yesterday.  It's quite scarey.

Thanks for your help.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

"Wish me luck"??  That's like wishing good luck to someone about cross a street with no traffic closer than a mile away.  The risk of a bad outcome probably is about the same as the chance your 8 week test will be positive.  I'll bet nobody with a new HIV infection has ever tested negative at 6 weeks and positive at 8.

That will be all for this thread.  No more comments from me.

[keepgoing809]

I tested negative at 6 weeks.  Ill repeat test at 8 weeks.

[keepgoing809]

I will take your advise and work with my dr to figure out what's wrong. I also will test after 8 weeks and then move on.

Wish me luck.

Good night and thank you

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I was assuming you had discussed your HIV/ARS concerns with the doc, independent of which of you raised the issue. If you ask, I imagine he would agree with me about the value of a final test for reassurance purposes.  But it's entirely up to you.  Had I been in your circumstance, I wouldn't have had any tests in the first place.

[keepgoing809]

I only come

I only commented regarding my Dr because you mentioned he might want to test me again. (That was my idea)


Bottom line I am scared

Thanks

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

ARS typically lasts 2-3 weeks.

I'm not surprised your doctor didn't mention HIV or ARS.  There is nothing in your symptoms that should have led him to even think about it.

Below is a link to a thread that discusses time to reliable HIV testing, including why official advice continues to say 3 months even though earlier result are definitive:  

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1704700

[keepgoing809]

Thanks for your reply.  My quick followup is as follows;

-My GI doctor didnt even mention hiv testing, I did that on my own.  If I test in two more weeks (8 weeks after massage) will I be in the clear?

-Lastly how long does ARS last?

Thanks and happy holidays.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Noted before I replied above.  Continue to work with your doctor on your symptoms.  But no HIV worries.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your question.  The replies to the same question on the community forum were brief but they were accurate.  Directly to your question:

1) This was a no risk situation.  Even if your partner had HIV (probably she does not) and if you had swallowed breast milk, there would be no risk.  HIV has never been known to be sexually transmitted through oral contact with infected women's breasts.  Even nursing babies are at pretty low risk:  when a mom has HIV, the infant she nurses has a 15% risk of catching HIV -- and even that takes 6 months on average, all the time swallowing a few ounces of milk every day.

2) ARS doesn't cause these problems or any other symptoms you have mentioned.

3,4) At 22 days, with symptoms of ARS, an antibody test almost always would be positive. Your negative test result at that time proves your symptoms weren't ARS.  From the standpoint of your risk and your symptoms, you don't need any further HIV testing -- but I imagine your doctor will want to re-test you to be extra safe, and for the reassurance you will gain from a negative result.  Stay mellow in the meantime:  there is simply no way you caught HIV from the exposure described.

I hope this has helped.  Best wishes--  HHH, MD

[keepgoing809]

To be clear;

- My hiv test was done 22 days after my symptoms STARTED.

- GI dr is doing routine blood work.  He also ordered a UGI/STS.