My world is caving in at 28..Do I have hiv?

[PuzzledMe]

Possible hiv exposure. Last week I went out and was drunk for my birthdayon the 21st. I had a casual partner who I had anal sex with. I asked him to wear a condom he ripped a packet and I assumed he had. When changed positions I felt and there was no condom, he told he had just taken it off. I also bled a little. Since then I have had tingling and burning in my arm legs and calfs and arm joints, and a few days ago I saw a red dotty flat hive style rash on my arm and the colour has faded, i have sent of a hiv blood test. Do I have hiv I am frightened as my life is just got better career wise. I won't be able to live with it and would end my life. Are these symptoms after one and a half. There is still tingling in my legs and feet. I can't sleep at night with the worry.
Any advice would be so helpful.

[Midnight_Sun]

Obviously this is pretty stressful. You should know that most of us have been through similar experiences and have made it through. One way or another. If you are seriously having thoughts about harming yourself because you don't think you could handle a positive result (unlikely as that is), please contact a qualified mental health professional. An HIV diagnosis is NOT worth dying over. It is a manageable condition. People are living long, full lives with modern medical care. Please get help soon if you are truly having these feelings.

[PuzzledMe]

Aw thank you guys for the support.

I was quite drunk I can remember as soon as I realised there might have been no condom, this was a sauna so quite dark I went there to wait for a train.

There was no ejaculation. The bleeding only happened after I went to the bathroom. I am just scared of the tingling sensation, i've sent off a hiv blood test get results in a few days, a body called terrence higgins advised me similar that the symptoms are not consistent with Hiv, I am hopeful it is not, as I do not have the mental strength to fight it or physical.
I did go in to the clinic but it was so crowded I had to arrange an appointment with a Dr for Monday. Alcohol is the root cause, I wish I had made sure and felt the condom as I normally do, I don't know why I did not make sure.

However I have had no high fever or sore throat.

I feel like there is constant movement in my nerves feels like blood shooting up and down. I am scared it is peripheral neuropathy.a symptom of hiv.

I have since quit alcohol and never ever am I ever having a casual partner again. But I hope god gives me this one chance. I have suffered the worst childhood and having this would end my world, I am the only hope for my mom and turned my life around after 8 years of partying.

I wake up every night thinking of the horrors to come.

[shaunw84]

The guideline according to the CDC is that PEP has to start within in 72 hours.   Most states follow this.  

But some have set their own rules.
You would have to check with your doctor and see what he/she says.

I'm sorry you're having to go through this.  

Be well

[shaunw84]

Tingling, burning and rash in 1 week isn't consistent with HIV.
It usually takes at least 2 weeks if you are going to get ARS for those to show up.  

But a lot of things can cause ARS-like symptoms.  If you'll look through this site and others, you'll see lots of people complaining about ARS-symptoms and they turn out not to have HIV.

But I wasn't there and you believe he didn't use a condom.   No way of determining this.  If you were bleeding, did he have blood on his penis on him? Just trying to help you remember things?


But  if you don't know if he had a condom then best to get tested.   Get a lab (w/doctor) and do a 4th generation HIV test at 4 weeks.   That would be about 3 weeks from now.

If it's negative then you are considered conclusive and don't need to keep testing.   If you do a 3rd gen or 2nd gen test then you would have to wait and take another one at 3 months to be conclusive.

Then you wouldn't have to continue to wait an extra 2 months.

Be well,

[PuzzledMe]

Is it too late to start PEP, the only reason I didnt start it was due the the tingling only starting a few days ago.