Worried with Syphilis

[logan1723]

Hello,

To make a long story short, i am in a relationship since 10 years, 6 years ago i made a huge mistake while on vacation in thailand and had protected insertive sex with a sw and the condom broke, i immediately pulled out. Anyway, i got super scared and anxious with HIV and performed an HIV test at 3 weeks post exposure, came back negative. Then i eventually got a rash on my torso, soles and feet + fever and **** like 2-3 weeks after that. I thought **** I have to have HIV and freaked out even more. I went to test at over 6-8 weeks again and it came back negative. I also tested for Syphilis, chlamyida and ghonorrea and all came back negative. I remember an immense relief . I then continued with my life and did not put myself at risk again. Now 6 years later i stumbled on an article about syphilis being latent for years and how it goes unnoticed + the typical rash (which seems to be exactly the same i had back then). I'm now worried i had a false negative test result or maybe it was too soon (i m pretty sure it was 3 months after and also it was definitely after the rash event) and i read false negative at that point are extremly rare, i still can't figure out how come i had that rash that was spread on my body. Now i fear i might have been living thinking i was in the clear while i am actually not? anybody to share some insight ? thank you so much for the help

[logan1723]

I also wanna add, that like one year ago i had a blood test for something else and the doctor told me it's fine, but only had i a high atypical lymphocyte count. it didn't do much with this information. Now when i check online i see that people with hiv or syphilis have a higher count of atypical lymphocytes. i m freaking out

[CurfewX]

There is zero reason to freak out when the solution to your problems is entirely in your hands - get tested, collect your negative result, and move on with your life.

[auntiejessi]

This is part of the immune response, and can be elevated if you've had covid, mononucleosis, cytomegalovirus infections and hepatitis B. Toxoplasmosis, some bacterial infections. Stress and some medications can increase it, etc., etc., etc.

https://www.biron.com/en/glossary/atypical-lymphocytes/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7284261/

I couldn't find anything associating them with syphilis.

You are spiraling. This level of anxiety can't be new. Are you in counseling? Give them a call.

[logan1723]

Now I also just remembered having at some point in my life , 5-10
Years ago some
Kind of weird Round pimples on my arms , was looking like craters and wouldn’t go away. Probably 3-4 max of these on each arms and I would be scratching them but they wouldn’t go away and finally left these white marks. I took a look at secondary syphilis chance on arms and it actually looked like that. I just can’t recall exactly when that was and if this had anything to do with my risky encounter cause I ve only had one and that was it. Anyway that would be super super frustrating to know I ve got tested negative for something , while I actually had it … that’s not quiet normal I believe … anyway I ll get tested this week and cross my fingers this **** is not in my body cause I m freaking
Out . Then it means my hiv test that came back negative could
Also be compromised especially when I see that there seem to be a correlation between the 2…

[Kirstie_MHModerator]

Your questions have been fully answered, and the solution to test has been suggested more than once.  There is nothing additional for our members to say until you have tested and have your results.

*********** THREAD CLOSED ***********

[auntiejessi]

A test at 3 months is conclusive. The rash didn't last long enough  - 2 weeks is the absolute minimum for the rash.

I can't tell you what caused the rash - an allergic reaction, dermatitis, anxiety-induced hives - I have no idea. You'll likely never know, but you can test for syphilis again now to put your mind at ease. Clearly you haven't been able to let this go if 6 years later, you are still looking up STDs online.

Also, it's been 6 years. If you aren't able to let it go, maybe it's time to talk to someone about it.

[logan1723]

Hi First of all Thank you so much for taking the time to answer me. Yeah I guess it’s just i always think that I am cursed and that I have to pay for this one unfaithful event. It’s the guilt I suppose. I really love my wife more than anything in the world and knowing I did some stupid **** like this while drunk just embarrasses me so much. Anyway, the rash was reddish and flat, no crust or blisters, it went away in under 2 weeks that I am pretty sure of. It s just that back then I only thought of hiv and didn’t have any concern for syphilis though I still remember getting negative results for syphilis. I just thought oh well perfect and carried on with my life. But now I m concerned because it seems so specific and non coincidental to have a rash couple weeks after taking a risk…  I read syphilis can go unnoticed for so many years , that’s what revived my concern. there is no chance of a false negative ?

[auntiejessi]

It is definitely the guilt. Look up catastrophic thinking.

It's not that syphilis goes unnoticed, it's that symptoms are brushed off or misdiagnosed. The initial sore is painless, so that can be missed, and the rash can be misdiagnosed as other things if the doctor isn't educated in STs, or the patient isn't honest about sexual activities, or the doctor doesn't think to ask.

I don't know where you live, but syphilis is uncommon in developed countries- probably less common 6 years ago than today. False negatives are very rare at 3 months, but testing is simple. Test again if you need to to let it go. If you can't, get counseling.

You made a mistake and feel awful about it. You aren't cursed.

[logan1723]

I will just add that since then i had no other symptoms showing up, no rashes, nothing. And also that the rash itself lasted under 2 weeks from what i can recall, it probably lasted like a week or so. I remember puking out of anxiety at the time it happened