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What happens in Vegas?
In early May I was in Vegas and won big. Was hammered out of my mind when my friend and I went up to bed. I called my wife and was real excited about the big win and decided to go back down to see if I could win more and that's when the lights went out. I have a history of functional blackouts, not like a hundred times but I have the unique ability to stay conscious for hours without me having any memory of it when I drink that much. I have foggy memories of talking to a woman at a blackjack table. Don't have a single memory of her in my room but I have a gut feeling that she made her way up there. Woke up at 2 PM alone in my boxer shorts in a not very messy bed with no evidence of anybody else having been in the room.
mid to late July I had a rash that ws more like bug bites. Like maybe 15 total with a few on my neckline, shoulder, chest one on each arm a few on my waistline/pelvis. They were small like half the size of a dime, light pink to flesh colored and they itched like crazy. Went away in 4-5 days.
Late July my wife started a low grade fever that persisted for a week. Initially she had muscle soreness and difficulty breathing deeply. Nothing to extreme (99.5 - 100.5) and it went away altogether a few times during the week and she ended up drinking with friends through it. The last night she had a bad headache as well. Went to the doctor finally who found nothing concerning and fever went away that night.
The Vegas trip is my only possible exposure.
What are the odds that I would have caught something from this if I in fact did it?
I know symptoms don't tell alot but don't my wife's symptoms sound pretty spot on? Keep in mind she's never sick in fact I can't recall her having a fever in ten years of marriage much less one that lasted a week. Plus, I sleep in the same bed with her and we have two small children that she canoodled with the whole time and none of us caught a thing.
Worried sick that I did something terrible.
mid to late July I had a rash that ws more like bug bites. Like maybe 15 total with a few on my neckline, shoulder, chest one on each arm a few on my waistline/pelvis. They were small like half the size of a dime, light pink to flesh colored and they itched like crazy. Went away in 4-5 days.
Late July my wife started a low grade fever that persisted for a week. Initially she had muscle soreness and difficulty breathing deeply. Nothing to extreme (99.5 - 100.5) and it went away altogether a few times during the week and she ended up drinking with friends through it. The last night she had a bad headache as well. Went to the doctor finally who found nothing concerning and fever went away that night.
The Vegas trip is my only possible exposure.
What are the odds that I would have caught something from this if I in fact did it?
I know symptoms don't tell alot but don't my wife's symptoms sound pretty spot on? Keep in mind she's never sick in fact I can't recall her having a fever in ten years of marriage much less one that lasted a week. Plus, I sleep in the same bed with her and we have two small children that she canoodled with the whole time and none of us caught a thing.
Worried sick that I did something terrible.
A related discussion, Still having issues was started.
A related discussion, Sinus Issues was started.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
All HIV tests are completely reliable, whether really done in your doctor's office or sent to a central laboratory. Your test results prove you don't have HIV and that something else is causing your symptoms. And they don't sound like HIV anyway; HIV doesn't cause twitching.
That will be all for this thread. No more comments, please. Accept the good news and stop worrying about HIV. All is well.
That will be all for this thread. No more comments, please. Accept the good news and stop worrying about HIV. All is well.
Finally got up the nerve to get tested last Tuesday and the results came back negative on Thursday. Dr. didn't comment on anything specific just that I was negative for every STD including HIV. The problem is, although I immediately felt alot better, the muscle twitching in my eye and leg has continued. I also seem to have mild folliculitis on my thighs and now my left hand and left foot have a tingling pain that isn't all that bad but definitely noticeable.
My questions are these:
1. I had my test done at my doctors LAB. I'm not even sure what kind it was I just know that they took blood and it took two days to get the results. Is this a reliable location given that they don't do alot of these tests or should I have gone to a specific HIV testing site?
2. Should I be concerned about continuing symptoms? If indeed I am negative and the symptoms are anxiety related wouldn't they go away now that I know I'm not infected?
Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer my ramblings.
My questions are these:
1. I had my test done at my doctors LAB. I'm not even sure what kind it was I just know that they took blood and it took two days to get the results. Is this a reliable location given that they don't do alot of these tests or should I have gone to a specific HIV testing site?
2. Should I be concerned about continuing symptoms? If indeed I am negative and the symptoms are anxiety related wouldn't they go away now that I know I'm not infected?
Thanks in advance for taking the time to answer my ramblings.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
And exactly what was not clear about "I'll be happy to make a closing comment if and when you return with a follow-up comment to report an HIV test result. But not until then."?
Both my wife and I are getting tested to be sure. Friday's the big day.
You mentioned that the low grade fever my wife had could be anything but didn't mention anything about the muscle soreness, trouble breathing deeply and headache. None of it was anything massive by any means but doesn't it seem that the first time I have even a remote possibility of infection is when she gets sick for like the first time in ten years and all the symptoms are ARS? She never had any kind of rash only a mild pimple breakout on her face which happens often to her.
Sorry to ask again but I have to hear thoughts on it. I won't bother you again until I know more on my end.
Thanks you so much for everything you do.
You mentioned that the low grade fever my wife had could be anything but didn't mention anything about the muscle soreness, trouble breathing deeply and headache. None of it was anything massive by any means but doesn't it seem that the first time I have even a remote possibility of infection is when she gets sick for like the first time in ten years and all the symptoms are ARS? She never had any kind of rash only a mild pimple breakout on her face which happens often to her.
Sorry to ask again but I have to hear thoughts on it. I won't bother you again until I know more on my end.
Thanks you so much for everything you do.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the HIV forum. Congratulations on your big win.
If I understand, you're asking me 3 things. First, did you have sex that might have put you at risk for HIV? I haven't a clue and won't try to guess. All I will say is that from a personal perspective -- not from my professional knowledge or training -- I cannot imagine someone having sex and not knowing it. But then I've never been drunk enough to have any memory loss. I'll have nothing more to say on this aspect.
Second, if you had sex, what is the chance you caught HIV? Almost zero. It is the rare commercial sex worker in Las Vegas who has HIV, probably under 1 in 1,000; and when a woman has HIV, the transmission risk for a single episode of unprotected vaginal sex is believe to average somewhere around 1 in 2,000. Combining those two facts makes the chance you caught HIV somewhere around 1 in 2 million. For practical purposes, too low to worry about and too low for testing.
Third, in contrast to your statement on the community forum, your and your wife's symptoms do not suggest HIV. Really not even close. Low grade fever could be due to HIV, as well as a hundred other things; but HIV rash doesn't cause the sort of itchy spots you describe. But you should see a health care provider about them. Scabies sounds like a possibility, but is not something for self-diagnosis.
In asking the same question on the community forum, you said your doctor had reassured you much as I just did, and found you sufficiently upset to recommend Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug. This part of the story reinforces my believe you don't have HIV, were not at risk, and have neither HIV nor any other STD.
It's rather amazing that your question says nothing about HIV testing. If not done, what in the world are you doing trying to get indirect information from this forum (or any other online source) when the answer to your fears is to just have a test? If it was done, undoubtedly it was negative, in which case you didn't need this advice. Or you have remained fearful of HIV despite a negative test result -- which might go along with your doctor's recommendation for Xanax treatment.
I'll be happy to make a closing comment if and when you return with a follow-up comment to report an HIV test result. But not until then.
Regards-- HHH, MD
If I understand, you're asking me 3 things. First, did you have sex that might have put you at risk for HIV? I haven't a clue and won't try to guess. All I will say is that from a personal perspective -- not from my professional knowledge or training -- I cannot imagine someone having sex and not knowing it. But then I've never been drunk enough to have any memory loss. I'll have nothing more to say on this aspect.
Second, if you had sex, what is the chance you caught HIV? Almost zero. It is the rare commercial sex worker in Las Vegas who has HIV, probably under 1 in 1,000; and when a woman has HIV, the transmission risk for a single episode of unprotected vaginal sex is believe to average somewhere around 1 in 2,000. Combining those two facts makes the chance you caught HIV somewhere around 1 in 2 million. For practical purposes, too low to worry about and too low for testing.
Third, in contrast to your statement on the community forum, your and your wife's symptoms do not suggest HIV. Really not even close. Low grade fever could be due to HIV, as well as a hundred other things; but HIV rash doesn't cause the sort of itchy spots you describe. But you should see a health care provider about them. Scabies sounds like a possibility, but is not something for self-diagnosis.
In asking the same question on the community forum, you said your doctor had reassured you much as I just did, and found you sufficiently upset to recommend Xanax, an anti-anxiety drug. This part of the story reinforces my believe you don't have HIV, were not at risk, and have neither HIV nor any other STD.
It's rather amazing that your question says nothing about HIV testing. If not done, what in the world are you doing trying to get indirect information from this forum (or any other online source) when the answer to your fears is to just have a test? If it was done, undoubtedly it was negative, in which case you didn't need this advice. Or you have remained fearful of HIV despite a negative test result -- which might go along with your doctor's recommendation for Xanax treatment.
I'll be happy to make a closing comment if and when you return with a follow-up comment to report an HIV test result. But not until then.
Regards-- HHH, MD
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