I had a potentially very risky sexual encounter in the first week of February of this year. I have had symptoms of a viral illness since then off and on including feeling of fever (but never an actual fever), swollen glands, etc. I have taken the following tests for HIV:

6 weeks - Elisa - negative
11 weeks - Elisa - negative
12 weeks - PCR proviral DNA - negative
18 weeks - OraQuick antibody test (HIV 1 & 2 sensitive) - negative
19 weeks - Elisa HIV 1 - negative
19 weeks - Elisa HIV 2 - negative

I was diagnosed via lab tests with a new and active EBV infection 6 weeks after the encounter and I have had no sexual contact of any kind with anyone since the incident.

I still have swollen glands and other symptoms off and on. Are the test above definitive in your opinion or should I keep on testing?

seems as definitive as you can get. What's your doctor say about the swollen glands, etc.? chris

Chris, thanks for the response. I have not been super happy with my medical care so far. My family doctor has been great, but he is not an expert on infectious diseases. He was convinced from the start that I had a primary EBV infection and that caused my swollen glands. I went to an infectious disease specialist on my own and while he was seemingly very thorough, he did not have a lot to offer me in terms of diagnosis. He said to take a 6 month Elisa and come back if the results were positive. Essentially I believe he thought that I was obsessed with the possibility that I had contracted HIV and he was certain that I had not. He perscribed Zannac for me for my anxiety.

To be honest, I know I caught something. Whether it was just Epstein Barr or something more, I don't know but it really got me bad....

Do you think this was a result of your 'risky' encounter? chris

Unfortunately, yes. I am certain I have doomed myself. The really ironic thing is that I have always been so inactive sexually and careful. I think I just ran into someone who railroaded me. Not that it was not my doing, but this person has really done me in in my estimation. I had a good life too.

but you've tested negative for all the tests and within the appropriate time frames. Do you think your guilt is doing you in?

Look we've all engaged in risky encounters at one time or another and, unfortunately, we spend an inordinate amount of time feeling guilty about it. This is not to suggest that we should be less than careful but only that considering your outcomes (you've tested negative!) I think you're being unduly hard on yourself. (I once took care of a guy who actually thought he deserved AIDS because he was gay. How sad! ) chris

Chris,

Thanks for taking time to respond. I definitely have a lot of guilt but I also have symptoms that are troubling. I just can't reconcile the negative tests and these continued symptoms. Maybe my immune system was supressed already for some other reason which they say delays antibody creation. Then again I had a total of 4 sick days in 16.5 years at my company so I'm not sure that is very probable. I wish I could see a doctor soon. The specialist I went to has a 3 to 4 week waiting period for appointments. It is so ironic that I run into something like this with a single stupid incident. My luck....

Do you understand that, given the fact that you've tested negative for HIV, that whatever symptoms you have may be related to something else?

You mentioned Epstein Barr...have you consulted a neurologist? What's your primary care physician saying? chris

cflas is right here.
I think the fact that this was out of character for your that the guilt is doing you in.
With all the tests you have had you are not HIV +ve.
Remember that stress in itself can cause loads of problems and can make you ill.
Please try and relax a bit and you feel better.
Go get a massage and chill - you'll be amazed how much better you feel when you stop worrying about HIV.
Sounds hard but its sooooo true.

I admit that my emotions have been pivitol in all of this. This whole episode has already ruined parts of my life. I have thrown away things that were very important to me because I was convinced that I was doomed to a horrific death. This has been extremely tough on me and has me nearly broken.....

So you don't think I'm crazy though note that I have been sick ever since the event. I was sickest earlier on and now it is just residual feverishness and glandular stuff. It is hard to explain to someone who has never experienced being sick for over 4 months what it is like.

Dear Ronnie: as you have seen here many people come to this site filled with fear and loathing. There is a significant mind-body connection and you would be surprised how many people talk themselves into varying symptoms that mimic HIV because of that fear.

I hate it that you've thrown away things that are important to you because of your fear.

Here's what you need to understand: 1) knowing is better than not knowing, 2) even if you had tested positive (which you did not) knowing that would help you to treat the disease better and in a straightfoward manner, 3) we have managed to come so far in the last twenty-five years that is some cases, this is manageable and not the death-sentence is was once considered.

No, I don't think you're crazy and concerned about being sick for the last four months. You need to find out what's going on. And, you need to be OK with the possibility that it is not a medical issue but may be emotional. It's OK to be scared and even more OK to do something about it. chris

I've gotten two odd sores on my arm the last few days and one on my back. I hope they are just some common infection, but the saga continues..... I can't escape it.... Somebody shoot me please....

Ahhh ronnie

I think you need to take the advice you have gotten and go get that massage and relax

This happened to me also. you could actually watch the hives show up on my arms because i was so stressed and worried. what glands are swollen? you arent poking at them are you? if you are they will never go down and poking causes them to swell. you say you have a fever. what is it? i was told if you have swollen glands they can take forever to go down. especially if you mess with them.

Which glands
Whats your temp? and at what time of day are you checking it?

I know, I know, but it is troubling. No temp on the thermometer, but skin is hot feeling. Glands under the arm get swollen somewhat.

I got the results back today from my second HIV pcr DNA test and this one was negative too. So far this means my testing has shown:

7 Weeks - Elisa - neg
11 weeks - Elisa - neg
11 weeks - western blot - neg
12 weeks - pcr proviral DNA - negative (well more specifically no HIV found)
18 weeks - Oraquick test - neg
19 weeks - Elisa for HIV-1 - neg
19 weeks - Elisa for HIV-2 - neg
20 weeks - pcr proviral DNA - neg

I still feel like cr@p but I guess I'll just have to wait and do another Elisa at 6 months....

Ronnie: this is becoming tedious. When do you think you'll be satisfied that you're HIV negative? You have tested negative according to every HIV test known to man. This may surprise you, but you just may be HIV negative.

I think you are suffering from an enormous amount of shame and guilt. And, while I still don't know the 'risky behavior' you've undertaken, it seems to me that you are, truly, doing a number on yourself.

Certainly, you can be tested again, but I seriously wonder, just when, you'll be satisfied that this particular indescretion is not going to doom you. chris

The behavior I engaged in was the riskiest sexually as I understand it. I had never done that before. I have also not felt well since two weeks afterwards. Maybe I caught some other virus or condition, I'm not sure. I have only gotten all of these tests because I have been ill. The latest thing is that I have a lot of skin sores that are very stange and unfamiliar to me, mostly on my forearms but a few on my back. These tests are reassuring but my body tells me that I'm in serious trouble and I don't think it is all mental, although it might be partially. I realize I am a pain, but I need someplace to get this stuff out....

honestly, roonie, i know you're feeling worse than you've ever felt in your life but it's a trap that your mind and your body are in. you'd be surprised how much the mind can have an affect on your body.. i mean, think about all the "symptoms" people on this very board have- some of which are valid, actual weird things happening to them, but how much of these "symptoms" would still happen to them, and you, if you were getting the right sleep, right relaxation, and your life back on track. i know it can seem so far fetched to believe your mind is that powerful, but you've already got the proof - you're negative.