It's been 19 days since my last high risk exposure sexual intercourse contact. It was unprotected intercourse. She was actually the one and only girl I have been with. She was my first experience. Last week, she said that she had HIV test results negative from 3 weeks ago. Her mom said that she didn't have any HIV or AIDs. I can't trust them for sure. She was very promiscous in the past. About 5-7 lovers and "one-night" stands in the past 3 years. She smoked marijuana too, although I don't see any signs of IV drug use on her arms. She denied ever using IV injections. Some of her past lovers did weed and marijuana too as she claimed. I don't know for sure.

Is it too early now to get tested?

I don't have any real symptoms other than burning sensations in my palm of the right foot, left buttocks and left hand vein.

Thank you for this great site.

Let me clarify for more. The day after the sexual encounter, I feel kind of guilty and afraid of the experience. I showered in hot water. I guess I washed my penis too much. The next day, I noticed my penis's foreskin itching the whole day. Then the next day, I applied some Vaseline. Slowly after 2 days, the itching subsided. It's gone now. But, I noticed on the 8th or 9th day after the sexual encounter, my right foot's palm had a mild burning sensation. Two days later, the left wrist area and left buttock had some mild burning sensation too. I don't know what or how it came from? It could have been due to my emotional and psychological stress these past couple weeks? Or, I may have got some bacteria or infection by the girl or my showering and burning the penis foreskin area? I really don't know... A week after the sexual encounter, I asked the girl if she felt itching near her genital area and she said she did too. She said it may have been some infection.

Could these symptoms be "peripheral neuropathy?" I read on some online article that there is some correlation between HIV infection and neuropathy. I am really scared.

The "burning sensation" weren't that bad after the first couple days. But, it still is there. Actually, the burning feeling under my right foot is not so bad now. But, today, I noticed that when I wear leather or atheletic shoes with socks on, that right foot "burns" a bit more esp. if the weather is warm. At home, with no shoes or socks on, there's no burning.

And, when I am sitting on a leather chair, that left part of my buttocks feels more heat.

For these past 3 weeks, I couldn't sleep very well just thinking about this possibility. I keep thinking about it day and night. Should I get tested now? I really love my parents and siblings so much and I know I should have known better. Plus, I don't want to put them in harm's way.

After coming to this board, my perception on HIV and AIDS patients have been more profound and sympathizing. No matter the outcome, I want to and will get tested.

I like this quote by the late martial arts master, Bruce Lee:

"Like everyone else, you want to learn the way to win, but never to accept the way to lose. To accept defeat--to learn to die--is to be liberated from it. Once you accept, you are free to flow and harmonize. Fluidity is the way to an empty mind. So when tomorrow comes, you must free your ambitious mind and learn the art of dying."

Hey - I'm kind of in the same boat as you, I'm FREAKING OUT about having HIV from (my first) sexual encounter about a week and a half ago. Anyway, it sounds like you don't really have anything to worry about (especially if you used a condom - and even if you didn't, if her parents said she didn't have HIV, she probably doesn't). I also don't think the burning sensations you've been feeling are related to HIV. Since my encounter, I've been having a lot of stomach aches, but my therapist says they're almost cerainly caused by my anxiety about the situation over any underlying problem. The mind's pretty powerful - I create syptoms for myself all the time (with other diseases I think I have). Anyway, 19 days is probably too early for much to show up on a standard HIV test - you need to wait three months to get really accurate results from those. However, I'm looking into getting a PCR test because I just CAN'T wait that long. These tests are over 95% accurate after 28 days - I've heard they're really accurate sooner (up to a few days after exposure) as well. The only thing is they cost $200-$400 - it's worth it for me those because this anxiety is driving me nuts! Talk to your doc about getting it if you're interested.

hopscotch,

Unfortunately I can't afford that kind of test yet. This anxiety thing has changed me totally 100%. I am beginning to see the beauty of life and humanity. We are all one family with the same dreams, hopes, tears, laughters, etc. Most of all, I have come to love my own parents and siblings more so than ever. They are my everything now. Good luck.

OK, this is what I got from an online article about neuropathy and its association with HIV:

quote/[Symptoms

The major symptom of neuropathy is pain, which can range from tingling discomfort through to burning sensations and a super-sensitivity to touch. This extreme sensitivity can be so severe that just wearing shoes or socks or lying under bedclothes can be unbearable. These symptoms are usually symmetrical i.e. they affect both sides of the body equally.

Symptoms often start at the soles of the feet and gradually get higher; many people only complain when the symptoms reach the ankles. Rarely, people experience similar symptoms in their fingers and hands.

The symptoms of autonomic neuropathy can include dizziness, diarrhoea and sexual impotence.]/quote

Actually, some of my symptoms sound similar. But, they are not symmetrical. Only the under part of my right foot and left hand (usually wrist area) are affected. And, the burning sensation under my right foot only stayed on that spot. Yeah, yesterday when it was warm, my right foot burned a little when I wore shoes and socks on. But, during bedtime, it actually feels more relaxed under the bed sheet. To be honest, this burning under my right foot is not as bad as it was a couple days ago when it first occured. And, I didn't yet experience dizziness, diarrhoea, sexual impotence, etc. How about my burning left buttocks?

This morning, I think they are subsiding.

Could it be due to my intense anxiety and stress? For this past 3-4 days I couldn't sleep well. I wake up after 5-6 hours of sleep, undoubtedly thinking about this too much.

I don't want to scare myself too much. I want to get tested. But, I know it's still too early.

OK, I just found out from her and her mother that she had an abortion (apparently not mines) a couple weeks ago. That was like 6 days after our unprotected sexual intercourse.

Does that lessen my chances of getting HIV (if she has it)?