Hi, I am wondering if anyone could offer some advice on hiv symptoms/ testing?
Around 11 weeks ago I made the drunken mistake of having sex with a csw whilst in Spain who I believe may have emigrated from Africa. The next day on the flight home I was extremely ill vomiting for for around 10 hours. This may have been from excessive drinking but I have never had a hangover as bad as this. The following weeks I had no symptoms until around 19 days post exposure when I developed a chesty cough and saw throat which lasted around 10 days. This sent me into paranoia overdrive which I just can't shake off. At around 6 weeks post exposure I then developed a penile yeast infection. This made my anxiety even worse as I have read this could be a symptom of acute infection? One lymph node in my neck also swelled for around 4/5 weeks over this time. On top of this I seem to find myself having itchy skin that reddens for a matter of seconds before returning to normal, tho I'm not sure if this is just due to fear.
Since the incident I have had the following testing:
11 day full sti screen -all neg
25 day hiv 4th gen test - neg
46 day full sti screen - all neg
65 day hiv1/2 insti test - neg
70 day hiv 1/2 insti test - neg
My questions are 1) do these symptoms appear to be hiv specific in any way?
2) with my current testing how likely is it they would change at 12 weeks?
Any advice would be MUCH appreciated as the fear and anxiety is becoming unbearable!
Thanks.
csw? .. Sex Worker?
Was a condom used? If so - although sub-saharan Africa is a high risk area - i'd guess you are OK. I really doubt if the symptoms the day after had anything to do with it! Dodgy seafood? Drink? Possibly
If it was a sex worker then you would imagine that they would [as they do in UK I'm told] go to clinics for testing at regular intervals.
It's not good for them to infect their clients?
Hi simon thanks for the quick response!! Yes much to my shame a sex worker. The first and last time that mistake will be made I assure you. The exposure was protected vaginal sex but the condom broke very briefly(a matter of seconds) which is why I'm so concerned! Do you know if it's typical for the hiv rash to come and go within minutes? Also is the window period 12 weeks regardless of exposure? I.e for different subtypes ect. I apologise for all the questions it's just I'm feeling very lost at the moment!
Hi again
I - fortunately - know nothing firsthand about HIV. In UK at least it is quite rare despite the hype. Guardian say 130000 cases in UK. Half men who have sex with men and the main hetrosexual source is women [and men] from sub-saharan Africa which is I think your worry. Injecting drug users who share needles too.
It is also i read more difficult to transfer women to men.
You are having tests; have faith in them and your doctors.
In general in UK I doubt there is much risk from sex workers other than those on the streets ...
They do I believe go for frequent testing as it's bad form to infect your clients
Hi, it is extremely unlikely for HIV symptoms to show in the 1st day. Sometimes symptoms may show after a few weeks and sometimes no symptoms at all for years..
I had a scare once from unprotected sex (and didn't know my partners HIV status) - I showed EVERY symptom that I read about on the net - I was certain I had contracted it. I tested at the 90 day mark after exposure - and the results were negative. So what I am saying is. The only way to know for sure is to be tested at the suggested time after exposure. Rely on the facts. Speak with your Doctor or Local GUM clinic and Do Not try to diagnose yourself via the internet it will only cause you more unnecessary worry. Good Luck..
You can stop worrying. You could have stopped worrying after your 25 4th gen test. It would have picked up HIV.
But certainly you have no worries now that you've had a 70 day INSTI, which is pretty conclusive as soon as 45 days.