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A different angle
#15205 - 01/29/01 01:40 PM
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Hello everyone,
I am a new poster here. Over the past several months, since an unsafe encounter, I have been reading the q/a's from the Dr.'s, as well as looking at the points of view from everyone on this board. You all seem like a great bunch.
I would like to open a topic I haven't seen touched on much by anyone on here - to the +'s:
After your ARS, AVS, or whatever its called, what did you feel like? Did you have any new symptoms? Did you go back feeling "normal", like how you were b4 the ars struck? Meaning, what does it feel like to have hiv after the initial acute syndrome is over? How long did it take for you to actually "feel" (if) any symptoms of the disease itself?
As to why I am asking this - I'll give everyone a little background on myself. I had an unsafe encounter back in early November (only sex in 2.5 years). Within a few days after, I haven't felt the same since.. I've been in perfect health my entire life... Since the encounter, I've been to the ER, to the Dr. numerous times - I'm now being told the typical story of its in my head.. My illness as of yet hasn't fit the profile of the typical "ars" - if there is one. I've had constant fatigue, sore chest, underarms, groin, many sleepless nights, etc. (though no fever or diarrhea lol).. I have had 1 elisa and p24 antigen at 30 days, as well as just an elisa at 59 days..both negative. I spoke to GMHC hotline, and they said I could be 99% sure I don't have HIV at 2 months with my tests. I so much want to feel like my old self again, but I haven't. I guess what my concern really is, if you do contract HIV, and you go through the acute syndrome (whether its 3 days or 3 weeks), do the symptoms end there for a few years? Or do you live with the pains I'm describing above? I ask this, as in my limited knowledge, would it be possible to get sick, and instead of recovering from the ars, just continue to "be sick" like I have?
Since I am now opening up myself on the board, I want to thank anyone who can provide any. It is getting harder by the day.
Thanks to all,
Shane
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Jackie,
Thanks for your reply. You are one of those that I have come to respect as I've read this board.
I understand your response. I guess I know in my head that you don't get sick from ARS for 10+ weeks (unless your that one in a million per se). I guess what I really wanted to know was - if once you get HIV, and you go through the ARS, how do you feel after? Is life back to "normal" for a period of time that no-one knows how long (2, 5, 10, 15 years, etc.) Like, when you get the flu - you feel like crap till the virus is gone ..or herpes - you get painful lesions throughout cuz the virus stays, or chronic fatigue - lot's of fatigue lol...In the media, etc., it has come across that HIV is a debilitating illness, which it is rightfully so. I just was kinda confused..can it become right at the beginning, or only at the tail-end.
Again Jackie, thanks for providing some insight..it sounds like even if I did have HIV, i would be feeling like my old self - for the time being..Hope you understand what I was trying to find out..
Thanks,
Shane
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Shane,
For the most part HIV doesn't slow anyone down for several years.
Mostly it is only after CD4's drop to low levels that the OI's can really take hold and you see a lot of medical problems pop up. That can take years, even without meds.
So yeah, I guess you could say that after ARS, you feel like your old self.
Jackie
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Jackie (or anyone else who cares lol),
Here's the latest update on my mystery illness. During my last visit to the Dr.'s office, I had some blood drawn for the basic CBC's, Metabolic Panel, etc. It turns out my "E" something came back abnormal (supposedly from a nurse I talked to it measures inflammation in the body).
So, the Dr. has now ordered an HIV DNA/PCR so I can at least have a more definitive answer of my HIV status (just as a reminder, I had an elisa/p24 at 30 days, elisa at 59 - both negative).
In a way, I'm kinda torn as to the anomoli of my last bloodwork. In a way, I'm glad to finally know that at least part of this isn't all in my mind - that there is some physical proof. But, on the other, what could this possibly be related to? I've been in perfect health my entire life until an encounter.
Well, thanks for letting me get this off of my chest.
Shane
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