I had unprotected sex about 3 and a 1/2 months ago and about a lil over a month ago I got a systoms of enlarged painful lymph nodes...it was only one though and it was where my arm pit is...it was all swallon and red...and I saw the doctor a few days after I discovered it and all he did was give me a medicine for it to go away Idprofin...and it did go away...does this mean I could have HIV? I'm stressin out and freaking out! Please someone tell me somehtin...thank you so much!!!

also I have serious dry mouth and throat recently too...but I also take a medication for acid reflux called Nexium which has a side effect that causes dry mouth....

so i'm worried cuz this dry mouth/throat and the swallon lymph node on my arm pit happened about 1 month and a 1/2 after my last unprotected sex....can anyone tell me anything aobut these 2 posts and help me calm down!!! i'm so worried and stressin myself out...

Ain't there a way to get the results from your test the day you get tested or do I need to wait 2 weeks?

As it has been said many times on this board, you CANNOT diagnose yourself based on symptoms and neither can anyone else. The symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome (when you are first infected with HIV) are similar to so many other things that it'd be nearly impossible to diagnose you based on symptoms alone. The only way to know for sure is to take a test, and since you did take a risk here, you need to get tested, for your sake and everyone elses.

There are many different kinds of HIV tests. If I were you, I'd look to get a test that looks for the HIV RNA itself and not the antibodies. Tests vary in length of time when it comes to how long the results take. Some may only take an hour while others may take as long as 3 weeks.

Remember, even if you do test positive, it is not a death sentence. Many medicines are available today and those with HIV live very normal lives. I believe smiteler actually has HIV, so if you have any questions, you may want to talk to him.

good luck and get tested.
(hopefully everything will be alright)

ok but is dry mouth a symtom of HIV?

also what is it called where you get the results of the test the day you get tested for HIV and why do you recommend a certain type of testing done? What's the difference? Thanks

Also what is the % of getting HIV with unprotected sex? i'm so worried right now I can't take it...

Also I used to be on Risperdal and Abilify can those two medications cause swallon lymph nodes?

Also the swallon lymph node that appeared on my arm pit hurt a lot! It was real swallon and red and painful but it went away after taking what I mentioned in a different post the ideprofin...if I don't have HIV what else could cuz the swallon lymph node? Help would be greatly appreciated i'm really freaking out and would like it if someone could answer my questions in all my posts...

thank you so much and god bless you....i really cannot help but worry right now...tomorrow I will go to the clinic that tests for HIV and what test should I get the one that takes 2 weeks or the 1 where you get the results the day you take the test? Also are both accurate % the exact same...like their both very acurrate tests? Is one more accurte than the other? Thanks again

I'm not too up to date on what the tests that look for the RNA are called but the most common one (it looks for antibodies i think) is the ELISA. Should this one come up positive they typically tell you to come back and do a Western Blot test which will confirm the results of the ELISA test. Dry mouth can be a symptom, but again, it's impossible to diagnose you based only on symptoms. Dry mouth could be anything, it's a very broad symptom.

Your chance of receiving HIV from unprotected sex is 1/200. It's not an easy virus to contract, however, since you did take a risk and had unprotected sex, I urge you to get tested.

I typically recommend people look for some where that will test for RNA. The reason for this is that tests that look for antibodies cannot be accurate until you have given your body a few months to build up antibodies. Typically, we are told to wait 3-6 months, but since tests have become more accurate, I'd say you could look to get tested around 3 months if you plan on taking the ELISA.

I do not currently know if those two medications cause swollen lymph nodes but I will gladly look up the side effects, however, I will not be able to post them until later as I have some work to do tonight. I will be back on later tonight with your answer to that.

For now, I want you to calm down. You probably don't have it. Do you know if the person you had sex with was HIV positive? If she was negative, then calm down, you're fine, however if that person was positive, or you are unsure, then get tested as soon as you can. If you don't know that person very well, get tested no matter what, they could've lied to you.

I'll be back on later, in the mean time, please try to calm down, worrying will not help your situation.

also, both tests are equally accurate.

alright thank you so if I get the test where the results come back in the same day it will be accurate....it's been about a 3 and 1/2 months since my last unproteced sex...so will I need to get checked again? thanks

I haven't been able to determine if those medications cause swollen lymph nodes, sorry.

About the testing. Not all places do the same day results, I've only read about it. You can probably expect to wait at least a week.

I would say one test would be sufficient. 3 1/2 months should be plenty of time to determine whether or not you're infected.

ain't this the worst disease ever like in the world? There is no other disease worse than this right? Cuz this disease causes every type of health problem right? i'm so worried! Should I be so worried!? Am I stressin out too much? I'm seeing my primary doctor tomorrow and will get tested but then I gotta wait for like a week or 2 which is gonna kill me!

Well yeah, it's probably the most agonizing since it can leave you fearing it for so long. That's why I keep stressing that you get tested.

Now, I don't know for sure that you'll have to wait 2 weeks. It may only be 3 days, and you'll probably be fine.

Do you know for sure that the person you had sex with had the virus? If not, then you probably have nothing to worry about. If your partner was positive though, remember, you'll have a 1/200 chance of getting the virus. That's pretty slim.

Here's what I would do if I were you:

1. Go in a room with someone else
2. Turn out the lights
3. Make some popcorn
4. Find your favorite movie
5. Watch it until you fall asleep

just try to forget whats going on (it's hard, believe me, I once almost didn't sleep for a week straight)

I'm not going to tell you that you're ok, because I don't know that for sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say you're going to be fine.

But let it be a lesson this time.
You dodged the bullet should the test come out neg (and it probably will)
Always use protection. 15 minutes of pleasure simply is not worth catching HIV.

thank you so much...you made me feel much better by saying that....
I can't wait 2 get this behind me and find out nothing is wrong...

yeah I know exactly how you feel.

if you have any more questions, I check the every so often and am usually on the internet until 3am

ok they took blood work for 3 different things...one was the HIV I will get the results in a week I am lookin so much foward to the day and dreadin it cause i'm worried too...I hope everything turns out fine....

has anybody on here had a swallon lymph node around the time they last had unprotected sex and got tested and everything was fine and it came back normal? Cause I keep on thinkin I could have it just because I got a really painful red swallon lymph node under my armpit about 1 month and 1/2 after my last unprotected sex...

can anyone help me out and answer this plz?

Sorry, during the week I have school at night.

Again, symptoms simply cannot diagnose anything. Swollen lymph nodes could really happen for any thing. Yes, they can swell up when you have the initial HIV infection, and typically they occur within 2-4 weeks of infection. A month and a half is pushing it but I suppose it could happen.

The most you can do right now is relax, soon you'll know the results of your test and hopefully they will be negative. However, if you are positive, do not look at it as a death sentence. Although devastating, it's treatable (but sadly not curable). Many people infected with HIV live totally normal lives. Many have been living for 20+ years and are still healthy.

Try to calm down however hard that maybe. Worrying will only make things worse. The time to worry is if you test positive. Even then, HIV is manageable.

ok but I just read this....
a woman talks about her husband using deodorant and switched to his wife's antiperspirant deodorant which caused his swallon lymph node under his armpit....I was using that type of deodorant around that time too so could that mean my swallon lymph node that I had then was from the deordant? Thanks again if you can reply soon...

Again, swollen lymph nodes can be caused by ANYTHING. Please remember this. I know you're worried, but you're letting things take a hold of you. Lymph nodes are WAY too broad of a symptom to diagnose HIV. As you have found for yourself, anything from the common cold to the antiperspirants we use can cause a lymph node to swell. For all you know, you simply may have contracted a cold and that's your body's natural reaction to fight it off.

I know you're worried, but you just need to be patient (I know it's hard). Your test results will be in soon and then you will know for sure.

ok I found a clinic in downtown around my area that does a certain testing on Wednesday's which is tomorrow where they test for HIV and you get the results back in 15 minutes....you don't gotta wait a week...! I'm glad but also scared to death!! Tomorrow is the day I will find out....I am so worried and sorry to the people that say to calm down but it's impossible!!! Getting HIV/AIDS is the worst disease around right? Cause it causes all other infections and diseases and you worry as each day goes on that you will be getting weaker and weaker especially when you get older and older too...I am so concerned and worried...I pray and hope it all comes back negative...i'm getting tested for all STDS anyway but I will get the results to the HIV the day I do the test...so thanks to everyone for trying to help ease my mind....I will be back on tomorrow posting my results....thanks again

I forgot to mention can my swallon lymph node under my armpit that I used to have be from any other STD too? Like could it be from Secondary syphilis, Gonireia, etc.?

also does early HIV make it hard for you to talk and shortness of breath?

kis, give it up!
nobody can diagnose you thru symptoms over the internet! if you think its possible,please stop because its not.
you have been givin good answers here, if you cannot accept them,you might need counciling. if you have concerns about having hiv,get tested its the only way to know for sure if you have it or not. if you think you might have something else,go see a doctor.
good luck

As Smiteler said below, You CANNOT diagnose HIV with symptoms, seriously, you gotta stop asking this. I don't mean to sound irritated, I'm really not, but you ask this in every post. I'm trying to help you, but if you refuse to accept this answer, then why bother coming on here?

You can get swollen lymph nodes from syphilis but from what I've researched, not gonorrhea. And I don't think the having a hard time talking or shortness of breath is a symptom of ARS. However, just an overall feeling of tiredness is.

But one last time, symptoms are not a good indicator of HIV. You need to calm down, I know it's hard, but worrying is only making things worse.

Tomorrow you will have your results and you will know for sure. And remember, just to avoid future problems, the tests are accurate and you will not have to retest unless the doctor says so. I bring this up because it seems many users refuse to accept the outcome of a test even if it's negative.

Please keep us posted and let us know how the test comes out. Remember, a positive result is not the end of the world, and we are here to help you.

Best of luck, and hope the test results are neg =)

sorry everyone for getting so concerned but I went to Downtown today and got tested and did the rapid testing I think that's what it's called and it came back negative! I'm so happy man thank god....

the rapid testing is when you get the results back the same day after you get tested right? Cause that's what they did to me....they pricked my finger with a needle or somethin and it took 10 minutes for the results and it came back negative...so does this mean I need to get retested in about 2 more months just to make sure? Cause my last unprotected sex was about a lil bit over 3 months ago...so is the test accurate enough? Also is rapid testing as accurate as all the other tests? thanks again and i'm so glad thank you everyone for the support, etc. thanks

Congrats on being neg, that's gotta feel good. All the tests out there are very accurate and no, you do not need to get retested unless they told you to (and that only happens under circumstances in which someone is being treated for HIV even though they don't have it. Prostitutes often do this. They recommend that people taking HIV meds when they don't even have the disease get tested multiple times because the medicine can mask the virus).

Three months is more than enough time now. Typically, you're good to get tested just weeks after exposure.

congrats on your test =D

thanks but your saying prostitues take HIV medicine even when they don't have HIV? Why ain't there side effects that can make you live a shorter life too?

Also I used to take Risperdal and Abilify...can this change how accurate my HIV test results are? I hope that doesn't matter...also you said that you can get tested even a few weeks after you last unprotected sex and that should be enough to know it to be accurate too? Also i'm on Nexium right now can that mask the HIV results? Any of those drugs? I'm gettin a lil paranoid again...if someone could answer this like Smar again thanks

if anyone can answer my most recent most under this I would really appreciate it...I won't be askin no more questions after this I think this will be all so plz help and thank you again

Negative means negative and no medicine will cover those up. The only reason prostitutes take HIV medication is because the medication will destroy HIV upon it's infection, or so it is thought, and I don't know of any side effects. Now, don't go thinking, I can prevent myself from getting HIV by taking all those meds, it's really a shot in the dark. Maybe it will work, maybe it won't, but if you're not taking high risks daily, you don't need to be proactive like that.

Do not get yourself worked up again, otherwise I would suggest what smiteler said and that would be to get counseling. I understand HIV can put a huge strain on your mind, it does that to people, but when you test negative, you are negative, and there's no fooling these HIV tests. Doctors know what can and can't screw these tests up and if other medications were of concern, they would definately let you know.

But yeah, you are negative, so no more worries =)
Don't get paranoid. A test is hard core proof that you do not have HIV.

If you really can't stop worrying though (and some people just can't, it's a real mental issue that only a trained professional can treat), you need to see a therapist. Do not go through life constantly asking, "What if"? These tests are highly accurate, and you are negative.

Hope this helps =)

there are plenty of side effects from the meds(too many to list),and they will effect your health in different ways.the better way would be to use a condom.

aight thanks Smar and Smitler for all the help you guys been giving me....thanks to everyone on this board...i'm so happy finding out it's negative like a new life for me except now I gotta worry about my acid reflux disease I was just recently diganosed with about 1 month ago...I take Nexium for it and it's so bad it changes my voice constantly and it feels liek I got post nasel drip in my throat when it ain't even that...it's unbearable...I have been on that forum sorta to the Acid Reflux one and ENT one...well again thanks for all the help every1

no problem, any time.