[Question #11820] New exposure - please help
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12 months ago
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About a week and a half/ two weeks I have been getting handjobs and mutual masturbation from various men. Now for the last 5 days I have not been feeling well. Mostly really bad headaches, pain in my ears and down the sides of my neck. No fever or any other symptoms. Got tested with a 3rd generation rapid hiv test on 3 days ago, and a rapid 4th generation alere combo test yesterday. Both are negative.
- I know you said in the past that hand genital contact is low risk, but how low of a risk are we talking? Does that include if is semen gets on my penis by accident?
do my symptoms sound like ARS/acute infection
- if these symptoms were ARS would the third generation rapid test pick up HIV during this phase? I believe the name of the test was INSTI.
- if these symptoms were ARS would the 4gen Alere test pick it up?
- if it was HIV would any type of 3rd gen rapid test be positive by the 5th day of ARS symptoms?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
12 months ago
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Welcome back to the Forum. I can't hep but notice that this is your 3rd post in the past month. Has something changes? Why are you so concerned.?
The activities that you describe are not low risk, they are NO RISK encounters. There is widespread agreement on this. Receipt of masturbation is not a risk factor for HIV or the most common STIs such as gonorrhea and chlamydia. If you had asked if you needed testing for the encounters you describe, the answer would be no. With this preamble, let me address your specific questions:
- I know you said in the past that hand genital contact is low risk, but how low of a risk are we talking? Does that include if is semen gets on my penis by accident?
do my symptoms sound like ARS/acute infection
As I said above, not low risk but no risk. No one has ever been proven to have acquired HIV from participating in mutual masturbation. This is the case even when participants get each others' genital secretions on one another.
- if these symptoms were ARS would the third generation rapid test pick up HIV during this phase? I believe the name of the test was INSTI.
The ARS is caused by the interactions of antibodies to HIV interacting with the virus within an infected person. For that reason, tests, even 3rd generation tests are positive in persons with the ARS. The INST test is a respected, reliable 3rd generation test. Further, the symptoms you describe- headache and ear pain are not suggestive of the ARS. The symptoms of the ARS are high fever, severe sore throat and widespread muscle and/or joint aches.
- if these symptoms were ARS would the 4gen Alere test pick it up?
Yes
- if it was HIV would any type of 3rd gen rapid test be positive by the 5th day of ARS symptoms?
Yes. As I've said above, the encounters you describe were NO risk for HIV. Please don't worry. I encourage you to move forward without concern. There is no scientific reason for concern, no reason for testing and no reason for abstinence from your regular partner. EWH
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12 months ago
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Thanks doctor. Sorry to be back but I just got nervous since these symptoms started a week in a half after my last mutual masturbation session with a a few guys I met on an app.
- I forgot to mention that my symptoms started on Monday, went away on Tuesday and then came back again. Is that pattern consistent with ARS.
- I have taken 5 rapid tests since my symptoms started (4 third generation insti and 1 alere combo). Is this excessive testing?
- how does rapid alere 4th gen combo compare with a 4th generation blood draw by vein? I really cannot afford the blood draw test.
- has there been cases where a 3rd generation doesn’t pick up HIV when tested on day 5 of ARS symptoms?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
12 months ago
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Straight to your follow-ups:
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- I forgot to mention that my symptoms started on Monday, went away on Tuesday and then came back again. Is that pattern consistent with ARS.
No- the symptoms of the AR do not come and go
- I have taken 5 rapid tests since my symptoms started (4 third generation insti and 1 alere combo). Is this excessive testing?
Yes, this is more testing than you need. Participating in mutual masturbation is a no risk activity and therefore, from a scientific there is no need at all for testing. While I understand that a negative is reassuring, you really don't need to test so much. You have proved you did not have the ARS, if you want to conclusively prove that you do not have HIV, one more test 6 weeks after your last encounter will confirm that you do not have HIV
- how does rapid alere 4th gen combo compare with a 4th generation blood draw by vein? I really cannot afford the blood draw test.
Approved tests are all expected to perform equivalently in order to be approved by the FDA.
- has there been cases where a 3rd generation doesn’t pick up HIV when tested on day 5 of ARS symptoms?
No
Hope this helps. Please don't worry. EWH
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11 months ago
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Thank you doctor. A few final questions to close the thread. I also let these guys lick my nipples, and starting yesterday I felt nipple tenderness/an odd sensation in my nipple.
1. Is it possible that I could acquire syphilis from getting my nipples licked?
2. If so, is nipple tenderness an initially symptom of primary syphilis before a lesion appears?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
11 months ago
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Final responses. You are worrying needlessly.
1. You are not going to get syphilis from having your nipples licked
2. Nipple tenderness is a sign of irritation but not a sign of primary syphilis.
I urge you not to take a deep breath and relax. Closing the thread now. Please don’t worry. EWH
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