I had unprotected sex with a long time friend. I know she tested negative for HIV long before we had sex. About 5 weeks after that i caught a cold from my brother. It was on and off then about 8 weeks later i began to have constant headaches, a lymph node at my groin and chest discomforts, probably an enlarged spleen. I've had these same symptoms for 3 weeks now. Its now 11 weeks after the sex. Do HIV symptoms last this long? So Far i've had No Fever, No rash on trunk, No Fatigue, No night sweats, No white tongue, and No weight lost. I know she has been HIV negative, but i dont know why i'm having these symptoms and why there are still here. I thought HIV symptoms only last a week or two. I've been bitten by a cat weeks before i dont know if that whats wrong, but my brother and his girlfriend have been bitten too but they are not sick. Thank you for helping

Hi there:

Symptoms by themselves are never a reliable way of diagnosing an HIV infection. An anti-body test, outside the 90 day window is the best way to find out what your status is. For those suffering from the flu-like symptoms commonly associated with HIV sero-conversion, they would be long gone by 11 weeks.

You did have a risk because of the unprotected penetrative sex. You can get a test 90 days from the exposure to find out if an infection has occurred.

In health, Richard