Unprotected sex, concerned about possible symptoms
In a half sober state, i had an exposure with a thai sex worker in bangkok, unprotected vaginal intercourse for perhaps about a min or 2
Day 21 - did a HIV DUO test at a private clinic (blood sample sent to a lab call Quest Laboratories), the test is not approve in my country as we still follows American cdc guidelines of 3mths
Day 31 - went to suntan... throat at that time begins to feel abit sore
Day 33 - went to see a Doc and was told my right tonsil is swollen and i have mild fever (37.8degree), was given antibiotics for throat and panadols
Day 34 - Fever subside after taking meds (37.2-37.5degree) but swollen tonsil took about 5-6days before it's alright after taking antibiotics.
Day 40 - Took an Oraquick rapid test (NEG)
Just as im getting some relieve from the 6 week Neg test, i found that not just fever but sore throat is also considered a ARS syptom and tonsil is considered a gland... :/
Also to note i have been smoking alot since that incident, about 20sticks a day.
Im scared that it might be ARS syptoms and the test could not pick up antibodies at that time!
Hi there,
Thank you for using the AIDS Vancouver Helpline as your source for HIV/AIDS related information.
Hopefully we can answer all your questions and help with the some of your fear.
While having sex without a condom is considered high risk, there are several things here that might help:
I noticed you took two different tests at two different times- at day 21, DUO (also known as the 4th generation EIA test which a number of health care professionals consider conclusive at 6 weeks). The test you took looks for the P24 protein which is a protein that is at its highest levels at point of infection. The early testing provides you with extremely accurate results as with the 4th Generation test you do not need to wait for your immune system's antibody response. In addition, most people develop antibodies to fight an HIV infection in 21-25 days. So, your test results at 6 weeks are a good indication of your status.
The day 40 test (which is 5 weeks from time of sexual activity) also known as the rapid test, detects 95% of infections within 4-6 weeks. If you feel that 95% is not good enough to help with some of the anxiety you are feeling, a final test at 3 months (12 weeks) might help. At 3 months, HIV tests are considered definitive and conclusive by international standards. However, based on the fact that you have had two negative results, I would expect a negative result at the 3 month interval.
Regarding the sore throat you experienced:
There is lots of information and misinformation out there. Symptoms are never an indication of infection. There have been cases where people have not shown any signs of infections for years.
The fact that you were stressed and smoking more than usual could mean that it was something other than HIV and it could have been exactly what your doctor told you - a throat infection. Continue to partner with a health care provider you can trust and feel confident with. Self diagnosis will only contribute to more anxiety.
Hopefully we have answered all your questions and the information has alleviated some of the fear you are experiencing. In the future it is always a good idea to protect yourself through the use of condoms, not only from HIV but from other sexually transmitted infections. Condoms are the best way to prevent infection and the anxiety from being concerned about your HIV status.
Let us know if you have further questions
Jaz
Helpline Volunteer
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