Hello Doc...  I hope you are doing hood. I did a big mistake and these last days were like hell for me... I would like if you can help me doc. I had sex with a sex worker on March 19. It was oral sex and vaginal intercourse, but protected. After about 4-5 days I developed symptoms, first I had pharyngitis, diarrhea and a few days later muscle aches and chills. Immediately after sex I was very scared and started searching for HIV symptoms on Google. I had testicular pain for 2-3 days straight after sex, unfortunately I don't know why. I read that testicular pain can also be caused by STIs or viruses that have entered the body. I'm afraid that I've been infected even though I used a condom. I have fingered them during sex. My fear is that I transmitted HIV when I washed my penis because I fingered her beforehand. But my hand was dry. Today I still have some red pimples on my neck. It doesn't hurt when I swallow or anything else. My throat just doesn't want to get better. On day 18,28,35 I did a lab test (combined HIV 1-2 P24 AG test), which was negative. I still have these red spots on the wall of my throat. I fear that I have been infected with HIV.... It is a terrible time for me.

to this day, i still have lymph nodes in my throat and occasional muscle pain in my arms. I think I got infected and that's why I had testicular pain after sex.

Do you think the test will be positive after 45 days or more days after?

You describe a very safe sexual exposure, as you intended:  good move to use a condom (and oral sex is little or no risk for HIV even without a condom). And you definitely were not infected with HIV. The HIV tests are 100% reliable and the results overrule both exposure history and symptoms:  no matter how high the risk of HIV at the time of exposure, and no matter how typical the symptoms are for a new HIV infection, negative test results are proof the tested person was not infected. And your symptoms actually are not typical for HIV; not only are they the wrong symptoms, but they started too soon. Your symptoms also do not suggest any other STI.

My advice is to see a doctor about your continuing symptoms to learn the cause and possible treatment. But it is 100% certain you do not have HIV and something else is the cause.

I hope these comments are helpful. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

That completes the two follow-up comments and replied included with each question and so ends this thread. I hope the discussion has been helpful. Best wishes and stay safe.