[Question #1217] Follow up - std symptoms?

99 months ago

Doctors,

I believe my anxiety is getting the best of me, but two weeks ago I asked a question about an incident I had with a stripper - question #1154. I got a lap dance, we engaged in intense grinding (I had shorts, she was naked, she made me cum in my pants from the intense grinding). Finally she kissed me a number of times throughout the dance.

Well since then I've honestly not been able to not-think that I've contracted something. You said I did not need testing, but I went ahead and got tested for all stds at 9 days post exposure. For the hiv test, I got an rna pcr viral load test (down to 20 copies per ml). All came back negative including the hiv test. Then 4 days later (13 days after exposure) I had a panic attack and got another rna pcr viral load test (down to 48 copies per ml) which again came back negative.

I'm now 25 days post exposure. I've come down with a very bad cold - stuffy nose, cough, headaches, tired (no fever). Its lasted 4 days so far. My girlfriend also broke out in a rash last night and says she's been tired lately (no other symptoms). Also, would note I went out on Saturday with some friends and bummed a cigarette from a random man's cigarette pack (I never smoke, just was drunk).

My questions are:

Is my viral load test at 9 and 13 days conclusive? Would the virus be detecticable at this point?

Should I get tested again tomorrow (26 days post exposure) and have them do the 4th gen test for hiv?

Should I do any other testing for other stds?

Do my symptoms sound like std symptoms?how about my girlfriends?

Could I have caught some respitory or bacterial infection from the stripper or cigarette incident?

Please let me know. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

99 months ago

Welcome back to the Forum. Today I rather than Dr. Handsfield will be answering your questions. Before I started to answer however, I reviewed his earlier exchange with you and agree 110% with everything he said. you did not need testing in the first place and, having tested, you need to believe your test results. The test you need now is not a test for STI but a test for guilt, anxiety and perhaps shame- it would be positive. I recommend against further testing but, since you did not take Dr. Handsfield's advice last time, if you do test, I can predict that additional tests would, without a doubt, be negative as your first ones were.

Had you acquired HIV from your no risk experience, your earlier HIV viral load tests would have been positive.

Your symptoms, as well as those of your GF are coincide3nce which you are particularly attuned to because of your guilt and anxiety. Your cold symptoms are just that and in no way suggest an STI. Whether you caught your cold from a shared cigarette or not I cannot say- the onset of your symptoms was a bit early after the event to be due to that but it is possible.

I hope my comments are helpful. You need to move on, you need to put your no risk behind you. EWH

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99 months ago

Dr. Hook,

Thank you for your response.

Couple of follow up questions:

I just got back from the doctor for my cold, I apparently have a low grade fever (99.4). Does the addition of this symptom along with my other cold symptoms change your thoughts at all?

How accurate were my pcr rna tests at 9 and 13 days?

When you say onset of my symptoms were a bit early, are you referencing cold symptoms from the cigaret? Or sti symptoms? Or something else?

Thank you for your help. And I think I'm just a bit freaked out due to the timing of me getting sick a few weeks post the stripper incident.

Edward W. Hook M.D.

99 months ago

These are repetitive questions.

The low grade fever in no way changes my advice regarding your no risk event.

Believe your test results.

Yes, my comment related to catching a cold from a shared cigarette. EWH

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