Well maybe I'm just paranoid but...

I've been sick for a week now (some of the symptoms of acute HIV infection, I think). The person I had sex with (unprotected) said she tested negative for HIV, and I trust her, but my questions are as follows:

1.) Can these symptoms of acute infection (fever, sore throat, etc.) occur in a short time, say 5 days?

2.) Can sinus infection be part of these symptoms?

3.) If I do in fact have an acute infection of HIV can I pass these back to the person that I got them from?

I had better explain myself here: I have a long distance relationship with a girl (shes in Colorado, Im in NY), and I went to see her. When I got there is the first time I've had sex with her. About 5 days after I initially had sex with her I got a bad sinus infection that turned into flu like symptoms w/ a sore throat. The one thing that I did do that may be the cause of these problems is go up high in elevation (12,000 ft.), because my sinus infection started the next day. The symptoms went away except for a sore throat and cough, but it has lasted a week. She started to get sick shortly after I got sick and she is running a 102 degree temperature. Is this a possiblity if I am infected. She had to have got it from me. Again maybe I am just paranoid.
Thanks

Jamie

Hi Jamie...

Welcome to the board from a fellow NYer!...although I know its a place you probably don't wanna be. To answer your first question, yes...ARS symptoms can occur within 5 days. However, the norm is usually 2-4 weeks after exposure but this can vary.

That being said, a fever and sore throat can be from anything! You probably caught a cold along your way from all those nasties in the airport, cabs, etc... The altitude like you said might have also been a factor.

To answer your second question, If you did infact contract HIV from the said person, there is nothing to give back because she already has the virus...You caught it from her. And no, you can't give someone ARS symptoms again that already has HIV...doesn't work like that. You probably have a normal everyday cold.

I would however suggest that you get tested in 3 months to be absolutely sure there wasn't a transmission. There is nothing wrong with getting the piece of mind to know for sure.

Can you give us any details on what occured? Was it protected sex? vaginal, oral? Perhaps we can rule some things out right off the bat.

Jon

Hi Jamie79
Further to Zimzimma's comments, the likelihood of BOTH of you getting ARS symptoms at the SAME TIME such a short time after a potential exposure (5 days is very unusual), is highely unlikely. What is MUCH, MUCH more likely is that you have both caught something totally unrelated to HIV. Remember, there a millions of things out there which are much easier to catch! Zinzimma is right, you have probably caught a cold or flu and the fact that she has it as well reinforces that scenario.
Also remember, symptoms DO NOT EQUAL HIV. The problem with all of us is that we do the following:
SEX = SYMPTOMS = HIV.
That is what you (and everyone) are doing and it is just not logical nor is it rational.

Longwaysouth

Can you give us any details on what occured? Was it protected sex? vaginal, oral? Perhaps we can rule some things out right off the bat.



The sex we had was unprotected vaginal and oral.

When you say sinus problems, do you mean a running nose? If so, then this is not an ARS symptom in any case.

When you say sinus problems, do you mean a running nose? If so, then this is not an ARS symptom in any case.

wow, i did not know that...i had a wicked bad runny nose when i had my "flu-like symptoms"...a runny nose usually comes with a flu so i assumed ARS would include runny nose as a symptom

hey...

never good to assume and self diagnose yourself because of symptoms as they can occur from anything! Try to get on with your life and get your test in a few months. You'll be fine and you'll realize all your worrying was for nothing! :)