The chance of being infected. - TheBody.com's Bulletin Boards

People always list symptoms as proof they are infected. The problem with that is symptoms don't mean anything. The test results mean everything.

Start with the fact ARS typically occurs 2 -4 weeks after exposure. It usually lasts no more than a week. From my own experience and what some other people have said that experienced ARS (not everyone does), it’s just like the flu. The ‘have to be dead 4 days to feel better’ type. Then you are over it and feel fine. I've never talked to anyone that is positive that ever experienced ongoing symptoms such always seems to be described here by people that ultimately test negative.

Itching Rash on trunk mainly, extended to arms, thigh and even the neck. Peak at week 2.

The rash that is sometimes seen with ARS, is like a sunburn and lasts a short period of time.

Then, night sweating for a few days accompanied by sleep disturbance (ie. wake up at the specific interval at mid-night till even now)

Night sweating from HIV is the type when you have to get up and change the sheets. Waking up in a sweat and sleep pattern disturbance is a sign of stress and panic attacks.

Then, severe sore throat with sense of fever for one day, followed by 4 days dry cough.

Look at the time of year. Who doesn’t have sort throats, dry coughs, etc. Sense of fever? Sounds like you didn’t have a fever, just felt like you did. Guess what. That can be another symptom of stress.

Stiff neck, nausea, and a few painful swollwn lymph node at neck or under armpit follows. All that happened within 13 weeks.

Stiff neck, probably slept wrong with all the tossing and turning you are probably doing. A few swollen lymph nodes is NOT a sign of HIV. When it's just a few, most often the neck, armpit, behind the ear, it's more likely a local infection, such as a sore throat.

Face is getting thin and pale since the exposure, weight slightly loss 3% in 3 month.

Your weight loss wouldn’t have anything to do with stress, would it? Facial wasting is not an effect of HIV, it’s a side effect of some of the medications and while wasting (weight loss) is a problem in some people with Advance HIV disease, it's seen less these days, because the medications are keeping people from progressing to AIDS.

Cholesterol was abnormally high and lymph % was abnormally low at week 7.

You got me with the Cholesterol. I have no idea what that has to do with HIV. Again, many people with HIV need to watch their cholesterol, but it’s because of Protease Inhibitors. As far as getting a lymphocytes count….one test doesn’t really tell anyone anything. Those counts can vary a great deal from day to day, even from hour to hour. What is looked for is a trend. Something that needs several tests.

As far as sex goes….transmission can only occur during anal, vaginal and a very low risk for receptive oral. Handjobs don’t come under any of those categories. Never has, never will. It’s considered safer sex. No one has ever been infected by a handjob.

I know you won't be completely reassured until you get your negative result, but I do hope you will believe it when you receive it.

I'll leave you with Dr. Gallant's opinion about your type of exposure.

What are the chances?
By Joel E. Gallant, M.D., M.P.H. (22-Nov-2000)

Dear Doctor

What are the risks for HIV infection for someone who has not had anal or vaginal intercourse, oral sex or shared needles but has only received a few handjobs in his lifetime. Thanks.

About the same as the risk of being killed by a coconut dropped from the air by an American bald eagle while hiking in the Himalayas.

Post Extras: Remind Me!