[Question #12218] Oral sex, ARS symtoms, HIV

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9 months ago
Hello,

thank you for providing info on this website.

I am a male and i have performed 3 blowjobs on 3 different men (don't know any of them closely), 32 days ago. One of them did not ejaculate, the other two did, but not in my mouth.

During the first 30 days i didn't have any symptoms that would resemble ARS symptoms (fever, rush, fatigue, joints pain, swollen glands).  But on Day 30 i felt really bad and had sweats and chills, with very low fever (37.2 C). The second day (Yesterday) i felt much better, but still had chills and sweats. Today i feel almost fine, but still sweating very often. Fever is still around 37.1C. Don't have anything else besides the chills and sweats.

My questions:
Does any of that resemble ARS, based on these symptoms?

Is the 30-days-no-symptoms-time-frame somewhat reassuring that i might not be infected.

Can the sweats and chills be a sign of alcohol withdrawal (i have been drinking heavily during last week)

Should i get tested based on the described experience?

Thank you


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Edward W. Hook M.D.
9 months ago
Welcome to our Forum.  Thanks for your questions.  Thanks as well for reviewing other interactions found on the Forum.  We provide them for informational purposes. I'll be glad to comment.  

The exposures you describe were low risk.  Most people, including most men who have sex with other men, do not have untreated HIV.  In addition, performing oral sex on an untreated HIV infected man is a low risk event- the estimated risk of acquiring HIV from performing oral sex on a man with untreated HIV is, on average, less than 1 in 10,000, i.e. as in having sex with an HIV infected partner daily for more than 27 years.  Finally, as you know, the ARS does not occur more than 30 days following an encounter which leads to HIV infection.  Finally, it would be rather unusual for the ARS to only last 2-3 days.  I am confident that you did not acquire HIV from the encounters you describe and do not feel that testing at this time is important for you.  Some of our clients however do appreciate the reassurance that a negative test provides.  If you wish to prove that your recent symptoms were not the ARS, you can test now and a negative test will prove that your symptoms were not due to HIV.  OTOH, if you wish to conclusively prove that you did not acquire HIV from the exposures you describe, then you will need to wait for testing until at least 6 weeks following your last encounter.

I am confident that you did not get HIV from the encounters you describe and as mentioned above, do not feel that testing is needed at all because of them.  I hope that the information I have provided is helpful to you.  EWH
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9 months ago
Thank you, Dr. Hook!

Your answer was very helpful.
All the best.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
9 months ago
Thank you.  I'm glad I could help.  EWH---