Dr. Bob,

Do cars really fly? Mr. Bob, I just wanted to apologize for the back lash I submitted in reference to gay buddies, tough questions, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang--which I must offer, I know very well(we were all kids at some time or another).

To continue, I have been looking at this forum for nearly a year now!! I have read nearly all questions and responses--so no, you have not hit my paticular case in the past. Granted, you have answered individual questions, which like a piece of a puzzle, I could extrapulate some sort of reason.

There are some really good questions posted on this site, and some NOT!!

I know you can not get to all questions, as I am sure you are flooded---do once again please accept my apologize, for you do offer a great service

But please understand, some--I am sure most of us are freaking out by the time we start asking you questions.

I posted my question three times, and this is the one you responded to----

I know symptoms do not = infection, but glands swollen for over 3 months, rash, lethergy, cold sore, canker, and little raised dots on the underside of penis, while having a sore throat can get one very scared---Oh yea, not to mention this all started exactly a week after sexual (anal and vaginal secrtion) exposure to someone who is 100% HIV positive.

Its been about 3.5 months--and several home test later, and I am neg, but still swollen nodes, not just the two under my neck, but all over my neck.

All I can do is just keep testing---one of your collegues answerd my question, so I do feel better, but once again, I know you can understand the fear, and sometimes fear turns into frustration--so my apologizes.

Warm Regards,

Mr. Cranky Pants

Hello Mr. No-Longer Cranky Pants!

Of course I accept your apology! Thanks for writing back.

I wish I could answer every question that is submitted to the forum, but that's as impossible as Bush correctly pronouncing "supercalifragilisticexpialidocious."

Regarding your question, I'll make a few quick comments:

1. Not all HIV exposures lead to HIV infection. In fact, the vast majority do not.

2. Symptoms do not equal HIV disease, no matter what the symptoms are or how scared you are.

3. If your FDA-approved home HIV antibody test results are negative at 3.5 months, you are HIV negative.

4. Swollen glands (lymph nodes) associated with HIV and/or HIV ARS are not isolated to one area of the body. The virus is everywhere and consequently the swollen nodes would be everywhere as well. If you have swollen nodes only in your neck, this is not suggestive of HIV.

To sum up, the chances of your being HIV positive are about the same as cars flying.

Stay well, my friend.

Dr. Bob