Hello, my name is Trista and I'm 17 years old. I'm a hypochondriac and I let every little thing get to me. I've been having muscle pains in my shoulder bad chest pains headaches and sore throats alot lately. Everyone is telling me I'm fine but I'm just really scared I looked up some of these symptoms and its came back to HIV. But I know that this was a bad thing to do because now I'm going to have myself all worried and it may even be for no reason, I'm driving myself crazy!! I also have a whitish coating on the back of my tongue but people say that's totally normal. Please help me, I'm so scared!!!

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Trista

How about starting by stating your risk of exposure? If you have not had unprotected sex with someone of unknown status, shared drug needles or any other risky behavior, you should not be concerned in the least. HIV is not easy to acquire, by this I mean you dont get it by touching, kissing or sharing food utensils with infected people...you have to have blood/body fluids (excluding saliva, sweat and urine, which do not transmit HIV), in order to be at risk of exposure(not that I did not say to be infected).

ok well yes i basically knew all of that already but ive been with the same guy for about 9 months now but before him i have had unsafe sex. how long can you have hiv before you even realize you have it? can the doctors tell if they just do bloodwork if there is something wrong with my blood cells even if there not testing for hiv?? and about how long can you survive if you have the disease? i actually think i don't have anything to worry about but like i said i'm a hypochondriac and every little thing scares me when i'm sick or if I think there is something wrong with me. Please help me someone thank you.

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Trista

Trista,
First of all calm down. You have nothing. The thrush is because of stress. Let me tell you to analyze. The day you are not thinking about HIV you don't have or have very little thrush.
Secondly, Blood work does not say about HIV, unless you do one for HIV.
So go get tested. There is a "Home Acess test kit" available through the web also which is very reliable you can test thrugh it anonymously.

Don't think about HIV survival right now, Because you have not tested yet so get tested first.

PynkPryncezz17:

Some people may get HIV and live literally for years without knowing they are infected, until they come down with infections in the later stages of the disease. Bloodwork alone, may not show any abnormalities until later in the disease. The only way for you to find out if you were infected is by taking an ELISA test, preferably 3 months after your last possible exposure.

About how long it takes, the time is variable but most people with normal immune systems can live up to 8-10 years before they are actually diagnosed with AIDS. If you know your current partner's status and you are practicing safer sex now, you only need to consider testing in regard to your unsafe sex episode.

Like you said, you are probably not infected...but HIV is no guesswork, and keep in mind that when a person is infected and does not know his/her status, becomes a potential risk for others that person gets involved with.

Take care, good luck.