Hello again Dr Bob, I hope you're well?

I'm writing with the follow up to my previous question (16th Sept) as you requested. It's been a while, but I had to wait a week or so for my ultrasound scan, and then HIV testing at my local clinic takes two weeks to return results!

I'm sure you can include my previous post for anyone interested so I won't repeat myself. Basically the ultrasound scan apparently didn't discover anything to worry about, so that was some relief.

I then went for another HIV test (since my 5 week negative) at about 14 weeks. I was also tested for syphilis, and hepatitis B and C (I think - but possibly only C). I hadn't seen this Dr before but he'd read my file and was joking about how he didn't think I had anything to worry about and how 'testicles are such a bad design' etc... He asked how bad the testicle ache was on a scale of 1 - 10 and whether I could live with it? I said I could put up with it if I have to, and if it's definately not a sign of anything serious. He also said I should get another Hepatitis (C?) test at 6 months, because the window period for that can be longer than HIV?

Anyway, I received my test results last week, negative as you predicted. I wasn't actually as nervous as before my original test results, but they must have been occupying my mind more than I realised because I suddenly felt I had a lot more energy, and my libido returned dramatically (I 'spanked the monkey' a couple of times that day!).

So the results were a big relief, and I'm not worried about having HIV any longer (thanks in part to you Dr Bob). The only reason I haven't felt able to really woohoo is that the testicle problem still persists.

To summarise - it originated early August (just at the time when my anxiety was highest about HIV), it's only my right testicle, and apart from the aching, there is mild swelling/heat and a firmer feeling than the left one. I also think the right is generally hanging a little higher than usual. I have no pain urinating or ejaculating, and nothing has been found in urine samples, along with my negative STI tests of course.

I had a look into chronic prostatitis after you mentioned it, and it seems a large proportion of those diagnosed have no obvious infection to cause their symptoms, but that stress/anxiety is thought to possibly be related? That sounds similar to my situation, but if it was anxiety that brought on the pain originally, you'd think it would've faded away again now I'm no longer worried?

Seeing as my encounter didn't appear to give me an STI, it makes me wonder if I'd have had the testicle pain even if I hadn't met up with that guy, or if it wouldn't have occured even though I met him, if I just hadn't worried about it? It all seems quite mysterious.

I'll leave this here as I know this is a website for HIV discussion, I just hope you can advise me the best course of action, assuming there may still be something that can help me? I promise I'm not worried about anything serious now, I feel perfectly ok apart from the right testicle.

Oh and was the GUM Dr correct about Hepatitis (B/C?) requiring another test around 6 months? As I'd like to go back to giving blood safely if I can.

Thanks again for your help Dr Bob, and I've made another donation to The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation. I also plan to set up a regular donation to the Terrence Higgins Trust, which you may have heard of in the UK? As they also helped me when I was worried and they also do great work to fight HIV/AIDS.

I wish you and all those with HIV/AIDS the best possible health and happiness. Ross

Hi Ross,

Welcome back to the forum. Congratulations on your negative HIV status! As for the testicular pain, if it persists, I'd recommend you get an evaluation from a urologist. Repeating your hepatitis screening in six months is fine. (I'm confident it will be negative.) Thank you for your donations to The Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation and the Terrence Higgins Trust.

Be well.

Dr. Bob