Dear new friends,

Here is my story. In March/April of 2001, I did some stupid things. I had sex with three different women during that span. In March I had protected sex and performed unprotected oral sex on girl one. A few weeks later I had unprotected sex and performed unprotected oral sex on her. The third and last girl in April I had protected sex and unprotected oral sex. I had a achy feeling and sweated a little one night. The next day I felt tired. ONly two days after that I was fine. Then I met a great girl and really care for her. I know that she is not HIV positive. She has been tested and does not sleep around. I finally got the nerve to test. My test came back negative. I tested at the end of August. It was about 18-20 weeks after my last exposure. Can we get married and have babies? Am I ok? I am freaking out everyday. I worry that my sister may have used my razor and got hiv. She is pregnant. I have been tested but worry the test was wrong, or I didn;t wait long enough. Please help!!!!!! I am thinking of this everyday. I am in counsling but I am still worried. Am I ok?

Your are fine, those symptoms do not at all coincide with ARS. You do not have Hiv, your test at 18-20 weeks was totally conclusive, 3 months is actually satisfactory enough. As for the razor blade thing, HIV is not that easy to catch, it doesnt survive out in the air that well, even if you have unprotected vaginal sex with someone who is positive the odds are in your favor that you will still be negative, as the virus is not quite strong in terms of transmission. I dont think there have been many documented cases of transmission from a razor blade. GO on live your life and have babys http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/redface.gif)

Thank you for your reply. I have been so scared. I keep thinking that in April I felt achy and bad. I do not think I had a fever but when I went to bed I felt cold so I covered up with a lot of blankets. When I awoke I had sweated, did not soak the bed but my chest and arms had sweated. I did not have a rash or lymph node swelling at the time. I did get test about 18 weeks after I felt bad. I think about 20 weeks after my exposure. I just do not know how to let go of the symptoms. I know what I had was kinda like ARS but it only lasted like 2 or 3 days. I know that I only could have ran a fever for one day. Help!

hey, sweating (night sweats) occurs in late HIV stages so dont fret about it to much :0)

Hello you all. I have a few worries to tell you all about and I hope someone with more experience and knowledge than me could give me some guidance.

My experience was like this (Hope not to be annoying). I am 24 years old. A little over a month, I went on a trip to Mexico. While there, I engaged in sexual activity with a sex-worker. I believe after the act I touched myself while removing the presv. and some of her secretions may have got in contact with my penis.

I returned to the US, and as I was driving back, I started feeling my neck nodes swelling, and pain in my groin and armpits, my neck started to feel stiff, and I satrted to worry.

Over the next 2 weeks after that my node pain got worse and my nodes on the sides of my neck could be seen although not very swollen, I started having mild fever, night sweats (not very profuse), and also loose bowel movements which at times seemed of a dark-greenish, slimish color.

I could not standit any longer and I went to the doc. I was given 10 days of antibiotic, which only seemed to make my loose bm worse. My neck nodes went down 2 weeks after that, although I can still barely feel them if I touch them. Loose bms have gotten better, although my stool still soft, once a day.

I have noticed I have a bit of dificulty eating, but I do eat well and have not lost any weight. One more thing. My eyes...I wear contacts, but recently (maybe its just my imagination) I have noted an increase in "floaters", and some blurriness at times. I feel tired although I can get up to go to work and function normally, but I seem to have a lot of dificulty sleeping, some days I sleep just a few hours...

I am waiting for the window period to pass so I can be tested (as instructed by my MD), and my doc believes I am at very low risk of being +, says that I might have a virus of some kind that will go away soon (yeah right...), I tested - for mono. I have not had significant headache, just my neck hurts when I stare at the PC screen or TV. Have not noticed any abnormal "rash" in my upper body.

For you people out there, help me out (I need and will be tested, but anxiety is killing me!) how likely you see that my symptoms may be due to ARS???

Take care and for those who have not gone through this, be safe, be smart and be happy.

[This message has been edited by jag2k (edited 01-23-2003).]

first of all your chances of having HIV are very slim because HIV, is not very easily transmittable exspecially when a conndom is used. most ppl agree that when a condom is used there really is no need for a test. also your symptoms sound like symptoms of the flu, not ARS. third, dont go by symptoms just get the test over with and youll feel much better. My HIV knowledge is good, check my other posts and you will find that I have a past background of being close with ppl infected. Probaby some of the best without being infected myself. And just one other thing dont sleep with sex workers, there are plenty women out there that are probably far better sexually and may even actually have a meaningful relationship with you. male to female transmisison of HIV is like 1 in 5,000 acts of intercourse so dont fret to much.

one other thing!!!
THERE IS NO RISK!!!! OF TRANSMISSION THROUGH THE ACT OF KISSING OR RECEIVEING ORAL SEX!!!

I have been experiencing symptoms over a year now. This was just after I last had unprotected sex with a sex worker. Within 2 days I felt very weak, with numb flushed feeling in my face (fuzziness), and could barely climb the stairs. A couple of days later I stayed in bed with flu symptoms but they cleared by next day. My neck glands have been swollen. My stools are very soft and loose and paler than they used to be. I wouldnt say I had diarrhea since I only visit 1 to 2 times each day. My urine was strong smelling for a while but this seems to have gone away lately. My throat tends to dry very quickly. My appetite has been normal.

Occassionally the symptoms relieve but underlying I still do not feel right. Concentration has been difficult particularly when I experience a flare up (like right now).

Can anyone offer me any advice ? I did a home test HIV by Discreet (not FDA approved) and it came out negative. Now I am worried it may not have been reliable.

If not HIV then maybe I have Hep B or something else ???

Jag....You are fine...My daughter went to Cuba a year ago and came home very ill the runs and slight fever and all your symptoms ( no she did not have sex when she was there she wasnt near anyone) It was the FOOD and WATER from Cuba the culture change and how everything is different there and I believe it is what you have being in Mexico. My brother went to Mexico when he was younger and came home ill too because he drank the water. So I believe if you are sick it is from something you ate or drank in Mexico not HIV. Your risk is very low so think about it and ask your doc if it could be from your trip and what you ate and drank there. My daughter was ill for about a week or more after she returned from Cuba. Hope this helps you a bit.

------------------
Cheers...Autumn
Female...42
TMJD...12 years
Anxiety/Panic Attacks (cured I hope)
Total Abdominal Hysterectomy due to endometrial bleeding after miscarriage (2002)
Hernia Repair(1998)
Apendectomy (infected) 1988
21 year old daughter born with Mullerian Aplasia
18 year old daughter bulimia survivor.
If I can help ANYONE with anything from a papercut to a life threatening illness, I will do my best just to be a friend. " A friend is someone who knows all your faults and loves you anyway".

Thanks Autumn Angel. I have found a lot of support here and I thank you all for everything. The truth is, I have been feeling ill for over a month now (as opposed to 1-2 weeks), and its really hard not to think about an HIV infection when my circumstances were (even if minimally) related to risk. I just pray to God for strenght to wait, and courage to accept any result for bad that it may be. Once again thank you!

Babyshan
Just to follow up with your comments that night sweats occur only in the late stages of HIV. But I read from many websites that it can occur during ARS in 50% of those infected. Please comment.

Thanks
TT

Hi JohnBlue/Tinker/Anyone Please advice,
Please reply, I got tested after 4 weeks and after 8 weeks after possible exposure and the test came back -ve. I have 2 swollen glands under my chin, I am not sure it is because of rubbing or why it showed up at first place coz I never had one. Then one day I felt burning/pain under my right ear(2 days before my 8 weeks Home Access test) and it got elevated a bit which in not suppressed yet So I decided to get tested again (The 8th week test) and it came back -ve.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THESE RESULTS IN THIS SCENARIO? God forbid had it been something it would have showed up. I have been having this swollen node since week 4th, (The same day I went for my 4th week test). Please please reply it has been very depressing and grilling period of my life and I will never ever forget this. I am also feeling kind of hurting and itching in my lymph node today again.