[Question #13792] Frightening HIV symptoms after one exposure

16 days ago

march 6 2022 I (24F) had my first and only sexual encounter and I can’t remember it because I was l drunk. The guy I was with said that we didn’t have sex.Around 3-4 days later my tonsil/lymph node on the right side of my neck swelled I had a fever but this was short lived. By a week post exposure I felt 100% better. Late April to early may I got sick with what I thought was a cold I had coughing sneezing, lost voice and pink eye. At the beginning of June the lymph node in my collarbone swelled and was painful. It receded but never fully went away. At the beginning of July my lymph node in my groin swelled up and got painful, that also receded. In the years since I’ve gotten dandruff, petechiae, nosebleeds and overall I feel as if I’ve ruined my life.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

16 days ago

This is the same question you asked 2 ½ years ago and the answers and my advice are the same. First that your symptoms are not as suggestive of HIV as you think and almost certainly you don't have it. And second that the proper answer to your fears is to have an HIV test. Presumably you still haven't done that or you would have said so. As you were advised last time, I'll be happy to comment further if and when you have an HIV blood test and wish to report the result. Until then this forum has no advice for you.

HHH, MD

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1 days ago

Hi dr. Handsfield,

Thank you for your response but I have a hard time trying to find anything else that can explain my symptoms. PGL is exclusively associated with HIV and all of my other symptoms are consistent as well. I’m in a different country for school and I feel so alone I’m scared to get tested and judged when this was an encounter I don’t even remember having. Do you really think it’s that unlikely that HIV is the cause?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

1 days ago

It is absolute nonsense that you cannot "find anything else that can explain [your] symptoms." There are innumerable viruses and allergy conditions that do exactly these things. Even normal body reactions to everyday life can do this. And HIV does NOT.

This is my last comment: have an HIV test. If you do not return to tell me the result of an HIV test within 3 days, the thread will be closed and any further questions along these lines will be deleted without reply and without refund of the posting fee.

HHH, MD

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