Hello, I hope some of you people can help me out in this one. I had a low risk exposure (protected vaginal) with a prostitute who seemed to have a cold (runny nose, coughing etc).

3 weeks after the incident I started having swollen nodes and eventually I ended up with night sweats, fever, and loose bowel movements. It has been a month since my symptoms started and I dont feel any better. I will probably be taking a test pretty soon although I know it is early I need to wait till April to do the conclusive one.

My question is (hopefully for anyone + who has experienced ARS symptoms of their own)...is it normal for ARS symptoms to last for a month without getting better???

I hope that you please answer my post with some opinions and experiences.

You all take care.



[This message has been edited by jag2k (edited 01-30-2003).]

Somebody, if yoou have any answers from personal experience, I'd appreciate it! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

here is my story, I had a low risk exposure and all this happened:

Was in good Health before July 2002

1. A viral Syndrome
2. Symptoms of Depressed Immune System
3. IGM Deficiency @ 6 when normal is 48-271

I am presently blowing my nose 50 times a day with yellow mucus. I have had this cold that will not clear up for 3 months. Need advice quickly before it goes into the lungs. Also a cough is starting. Other Symptoms listed below under February Symptoms.

By the way stop by this website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aunknownstdviralillness

July 15, 2002

I made an error in judgment on this day and had a low risk exposure with a woman.


July 28, 2002 (Symptoms started and went on for 2 months)

From this day on is when my health changed: None of the symptoms below had I ever had if my life before.

1. The outside of my lips changed: sores and at the corners of my lips cracks and inside my mouth a sore appeared.

2. When I took a shower the water burned my eyes. Water I would drink from my kitchen faucet would taste different (sometimes it would taste over chlorinated some times sweet.)

3. Joint pains started in feet and eventually severe in elbow and knee


4. My body for the next 8 weeks went through a violent reaction.

5. Sweating, I never had a fever but my head would just start sweating during the day to the point that my hair was drenched.

6. Watery diarrhea, This was everyday usually once or twice a day

7. Dry mouth, sore throat, burning tongue, Everyday and at times would wake up in the night without any saliva in my mouth.

8. Glands or lymph nodes in the body felt swollen.

9. Mucus membranes more sensitive and feel different


February 2003
symptoms :
1. A cold that never goes away, phlegm and nasal,sneeze
2. Eyes burn and are blurry sometimes
3. Bowel movements are loose and never returned to normal
4. Some mild joint pain
5. Athlete's foot worse than ever had it
6. When I get a cut , seems to heal slower.
7. Still have dry mouth some mild burning tongue, mouth sores
8. chest feels funny like an infection is going to settle there

My take: Is that I contracted a virus, it made me very ill for 2 months, my body has not cleared the virus just gotten used to having it around... It is a virus that has depressed my immune system (Immunoglobulin M Deficiency) But the only answer I get is that I have some virus and will get better. It has been 6 months and I have not gotten better, when this all started I did not have a cold everyday or eye problems everyday. My concern is that I am not being treated or monitored for an immune disorder by any medical professional based on the fact I am HIV negitive and that my health will continue to detoirate.


The doctor visits and the blood tests.

When my body had such a violent reaction , my first thought of was that I was in the acute infection phase of HIV. So during the past 6 months I have had probably 50 office visits and 25 blood draws from internists, rheumotoligists, and infectious disease specialists. I have kept copies of all of the individual test results. {you can probably be sure if there was a blood test available(std's, autoimmune, infectious diseases) I had it done}


Selected Blood Tests:

Feb. 1 2003
LATEST BLOOD TEST RESULT:
Immunoglobulin A 198
(81-463)
Immunoglobulin G 864
(694-1618)
Immunoglobulin M 6 LOW
(48-271)
---------------------------------
HIV Results: over the course of 6 months 8 Hiv 1elisa tests, 1 Hiv 2 elisa test ,
1 Hiv 1&2 & strain O home test, 1 pcr dna branch test , 2 RNA viral load tests.
All tests negitive

Sed Rate:

September 50
October 30
November 20
December 10

CD 4:

August 807 54 %
September 658 51 %
October 767 54 %
November 873 51 %
December 637 54 %
January 667 51 %
February 630 50 %

C Reactive Protein
October 2.3
December .50

I am seeing several people on HIV web sites with Symptoms but HIV Negitive. There could be another virus out there that depresses the immune system much faster than HIV.
Also what can I do to help my immune system with a IGM Deficiency. I need help beause nobody seems to know anything about it.

thanks
Don


[This message has been edited by wkudon (edited 01-31-2003).]