Hi Dr. Bob,

I'm 44 years old and I've been reading your forums here at The Body for a few years now. In 1999 I had a safe sex encounter with a woman of unknown status who I met snowed in at an airport hotel. Afterwards, I realized that I had paper cut on a finger from earlier that day that did come into contact with her vaginal fluids. I had symptoms a couple of years later like feeling warm but body temp around 97.1, floaters, achy muscles, sore tongue, constant ear ringing and blotchy foearms. I was very nervious about having contracted hiv and after reading through The Body, got the courage up to be tested. In March 2004, I tested with Home Access and was negative and so I woo hooed!

A month ago, my girlfriend had symptoms of ARS; rash, headache, swollen nodes and fever. My symptoms pesist today but mildly and they were really always mild. Do you think more testing for me is warrented?

A donation is on the way!

Overly concerned.

Hello Overly Concerned,

Your negative HIV test five years after your snowed-in shag-a-thon is definitive and conclusive. You are HIV negative. No additional HIV testing is warranted. If your girlfriend does have HIV, she didn't get it from you! (I strongly doubt she does, by the way.)

So, do I think you have HIV? Nope. I'm quite sure you are just living up to your moniker, "overly concerned"!

Be well. Stay well. (You are indeed well!)

Dr. Bob