[Question #12801] Question #12704 - follow up

5 months ago

Hey good afternoon! I wanted to follow up on my last thread. It seems that my throat has cleared up since then and not many issues other than just slight discomfort. I had went to my Urgent Care and got the throat swab for chlamydia and gonorrhea and those came back negative (I’m a little untrustworthy as the first time the test became inconclusive and they seemed like they didn’t know what they were doing however that was my impression of the establishment). Back on March 12th, I went to my local STD clinic and got two test -hiv1/2 antigen/antibody foruth gen W/RFL, and the syphillis RPR (Monitor) w/REFL TITER- both came back as non-reactive. Since my last post I had noticed some new acne on my chest and arms with suddenly multiple cherry angiomas come out of knowhere.

My main concern lies within a possible blood blister on the side of my cheek that I’m concern could be a chancre, it’s not larger than a pimple and looks somewhat purple and reddish. It came overnight. I believe all my “symptoms” are coming from my OCD/ADD.

When is the appropriate time to retest, and what is the possibility of these tests coming back positive after the initial 4 weeks post exposure?

Is there anything else I should be testing for or is it all mental??

Thanks for everything you guys do :).

5 months ago

As for the gonorrhea and chlamydia testing, I meant to point out that they use the wrong tubes at first so no testing was originally done. But I had a confirmation test that decided that those two were negative at that time

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

5 months ago

Welcome back, but I'm sorry you found it necessary. I read your recent discussion with Dr. Hook and agree with all he said.

You missed perhaps the most important messages embedded in his replies. First, nobody can have HIV symptoms and not test positive. Time since exposure ("window period") doesn't matter: the symptoms of HIV or ARS are not caused by the virus itself, but by the immune response, which means antibody. Your negative test results prove with 100% certainty that HIV is not the cause of these or any other symptoms you have now or might develop in the future.

Second, it also was clear from Dr. Hook that you were low risk for all STIs, that none of your symptoms fit with any STI, and that your non-HIV STI tests also proved you did not have gonorrhea or chlamydia, by far the most likely STIs from the event described.

Neither HIV nor any STI causes a blood blister or anything that looks like that.

"I believe all my 'symptoms' are coming from my OCD/ADD." Duh. Ya think? Of course that's the most likely explanation.

"When is the appropriate time to retest, and what is the possibility of these tests coming back positive after the initial 4 weeks post exposure?" No testing is needed. If you do it anyway, there is little chance of positive result, at least not from the exposure described there or as a consequence of your symptoms. But if you test anyway for reassurance, have final HIV and syphilis blood tests 6 weeks after the event.

"Is there anything else I should be testing for or is it all mental??" No and yes, respectively.

No comment about your negative gonorrhea and chlamydia test results.

I hope this additional reassurance provides closure. Thanks for the thanks.

HHH, MD

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5 months ago

Good morning,

I just received a call from my urgent care with test results from my throat culture that I have 3+ staphylococcus Aureus and that I will be prescribed 10 days of Doxycycline, twice a day.

Will this clear up any possible STD/STI in question???

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

5 months ago

There is no "possible STI in question" but if you had chlamydia or syphilis, the doxycycline would cure it.---

5 months ago

Thank you for your reassurance, Dr. Handsfield. I am so confused on how I would’ve gotten 3+ staphylococcus Aureus based on the exposure, unless it was already in my system, however I had not felt anything until have the exposure. Any tips?

Would it also have an effect on oral gonorrhea and should I retest for that after Doxy?

Just to confirm as well it will fully 100% clear, chlamydia and syphilis IF for the slightest chance I would have those as there?

Thanks for everything, this will be my last post and respectfully will not return as I will start being more careful with my sexual encounters. You guys are truly a life savers.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

5 months ago

Staph is an entirely normal bacteria on everybody's skin and in any body cavity. You've probably had it for a long time ("in my system", as you put it), maybe for life. Most throat cultures don't even look for staph, and usually the result is ignored if positive. It has nothing to do with your sexual exposure. It's usually harmless and causes no symptoms, even though it can sometimes cause serious and even life threatening infections. I doubt it was the cause of your sore throat, but I can't rule out that possibility.

Doxycycline is effective about half the time for gonorrhea. It's 100% effective against chlamydia and syphilis. (It's usually effective against staph, but as suggested above, that really doesn't matter at this point since your sore throat already was gone (or nearly gone) already.

As you suggest, this thread is done. Do your best to put aside your STI fears and don't worry about the staph either. Also please note our restriction on repeated questions about the same exposure. I do hope the two discussions have been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe.

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