exposure and possible symptoms

[tmlp67]

Hi Doc.

I'm a 28yr old male living in St. Louis. Just over 3 weeks ago I had unprotected sex with a 23yr old female partner who's status is unknown. Thursday night I started feeling some pain in my neck and yesterday it persisted along with some pain in my legs and I also started feeling a little worn down, possibly lightheaded at times and a little loss of appetite at times, maybe feeling a little cold at times. I haven't had a fever yet and notice no Lymph nodes swollen at least not more than usual. No diarrhea but I have had some discolored stool.

I'm a little paranoid right now because of the time frame of the occurrence. I guess my question is that I know I put myself at risk but what is the likely cause that my recent symptoms and my sexual encounter are related? Also would it be likely that I could develop more symptoms if they were hiv related or would I have developed them all already? Just trying to put it all together I guess.

Also my last test was negative in Nov. 2008 and I have only been with one person since.

Thanks.

[tmlp67]

Thank you both. This certainly eases my mind until I can get tested.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome back to our Forums.  Your risk for HIV from the events you describe is very, very low.  Before we even begin to consider the risk of transmission of infection, you need to consider the likelihood that she had HIV.  For a woman in U.S. who is not an IV drug user, the chance that she has HIV is less than 1 in 1000 an probably closer to 1 in 10,000.  

If she had HIV, most exposures do not lead to transmission of infection.  For vaginal sex, the statistical risk of infection is 1 transmission for every 1,000 acts of intercourse.  Thus,  your risk, putting these two numbers together is conservatively 1 in a million.  

Your symptoms are not suggestive of early HIV infection.  Furthermore, such symptoms are non-specific and are likely to be due to something other than HIV.

If you want to get tested to confirm that you did not get HIV, an HIV antibody test at 6-8 weeks will almost certainly be negative, providing proof that you did not get HIV.

Hope these comments are helpful to you. There really is very, very little to be concerned about.  EWH

[acars]

The chance your partner had HIV is unlikely(1 in 600), you catching HIV from her is an even less chance. (1 in 2000) some say there isnt enough of the virus in the vaginal secreations to infect you.

symptoms would come at the same time. 97% you would get a fever.


Get tested at 3 months

[tmlp67]

Also my throat seems pretty normal. How often do you see people with symptoms similar to mine that end up being positive?

Thanks again.