In early December I was walking along a beach at nightime and stepped on something that punctured my foot. Nearby there was an esky with empty beer bottles in it. My fear is that I may have stepped on a needle that had been discarded only a couple of hours earlier.

I am now at the beginning of Week 6 in the window period and have just developed a sore throat and pulsating pains occasionally in my feet and arms - no fever, fatigue etc.

I have a few questions:

(1) I know that any infectious blood on the tip of the needle would no longer be viable, but is there any possible way I could have innoculated myself with infectious blood from within the needle?

(2) Is it extremely unusual to experience ARS symptoms 6 weeks after infection and would mode of transmission affect the timeframe of the onset of symptoms?

(3) Are the symptoms I described in any way consistant with ARS?

Thanks in advance for any feedback - it is muchly appreciated and will help set my mind at ease until my test at 13 weeks.

Well, first of all I am really sorry that you are going through this. NO matter what the circumstances, thinking you may have been infected with HIV ranks right up at the very top of all-time stressors.

Secondly, what's an "esky"? This may be a term that is indicative of your area (geographically) but it is not one I am familiar with. And, knowing what that term is, may shed some light on your fears.

Since you are not even sure you stepped on a needle, let's assume the worst, and think that you may have stepped on one. Given that, I would have to suggest that it would appear highly irregular for you to have infected yourself with HIV. Most of the needle stick contacts for persons who are the medical field occur almost immediately after drawing blood or using a syringe on an infected person. THe other condition for persons to have become infected is through the sharing of syringes in IV drug users. Since the natural method for injecting heroin is to draw back on the syringe to make sure that the line is clear and that you are directly into a vein, it is also true that that syringe would then have to be handed off immediately for another person to use. Given the time frames, I would suggest that, on the outside change that you did step on a needle, it is also probably true that it could have been something else entirely. OF course, not knowing what an esky is, leaves me a little bit skeptical.

AS far as ARS symtoms go, it does seem a little early. As I have always counseled: "sometimes a cold is just a cold." Read on...

Finally, regarding symptoms, one of the things that most posters here will attempt to tell you is that you can't diagnose HIV through symptoms. THe only way for sure is through the standardized blood tests or the Orasure method. The reason you can't diagnose based on symptoms is that those symptoms can mimic just about any illness you can think of from a common cold to a sinus infection to tumors, etc. etc. etc.

What may make it a little easier for you to bear is that you do (since you haven't said anything) is that you don't have an infection at the sight of the injury. I certainly would be equally concerned about other infections occurring and, either you treated the wound early and correctly, or you are really fortunate.

I hope this helps. I really think you'll be OK. chris

Thanks a lot for the reply Chirs - really helped ease my mind a little.

You'd be right in esky being indicative of my area (Australia), should have clairifed - its a big box that you put ice in and it helps keep your drinks cool. The relevance of me mentioning it is that it was possible there was a party at the site an hour or two earlier.

Also wouldn't 6 weeks be a little late for the onset of ARS symptoms rather than a little early? The only reason I have jumped to the conclusion of ARS is because I have never experienced these unusual, brief pains throughout my limbs before. Having said that, I would also assume that it is unlikely that only 1 or 2 symptoms would appear without any others.

Thanks again.

check out the symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks, you will find they are remarkably similar to some of the things you are feeling. Will likely take a big weight off your shoulders

Thanks a lot dazed - it's great to know that something as simple as anxiety may be responsible for the symptoms.

Today the random limb pains seem to have stopped (after 3 days) and instead I've just got aching legs. I'm thinking that that's gotta be a good sign as I would assume ARS related symptoms would be much more consistant. Trying hard to see if the pain fades when I'm not stressing about the whole thing but it's really hard to stop thinking about it.

I know the feeling, Im with you. Im into filmmaking some day when I have the chance, I wanna make a short film about this, bring to light the dangers and the fears that come with risky sex, I figure if I can help just one person out then my troubles would have some meaning.