Hello Doc

I was last on this forum approximately 21 months ago – maybe you can reference those posts as a precursor.

Since that last conversation I also went ahead and had an HIV Rapid Test along with a HEP B Test – both were negative. This was January 2016

Since then I have been involved in multiple oral sex encounters. You could say that I am a Heterosexual that practices exclusively oral sex

I have been living and working in Mozambique and at times in Zambia – and now my tenure is up. I have to go back home (San Jose). As per policy I have to get a medical check and I am nervous due to my encounters (and symptoms) in the last 20 months or so.

As mentioned it has only been oral sex. I have always made sure of that because of the high prevalence of HIV in this region. I don’t partake in condom protected sex as I am paranoid of a broken condom.

I have frequently read the posts on Medhelp and other forums to educate myself on the risks or non-risks of Oral Sex.

I also use the information not so much after the fact for risk assessment but before I engage in any oral sex activity so as to truly understand the risks involved. I don’t know if this is smart but my thinking process is “the forum states oral sex is no risk” so then I go and get involved in an oral sex activity, and then I start to regret my actions.

That said – after my last round of testing in January 2016 I have had 16 oral sex encounters with about 12 girls.

4 of these girls were lesbian couples and I was the third wheel in both encounters. I would say that 12 of these encounters was me receiving oral and sometimes receiving rimming exclusively.

About 4 of these encounters I performed cunnilingus and one to two bouts of rimming on the girls involved

I have read your advice about always asking status and I do before any genitals go in mouths. Most of these girls I am sure were negative during the encounters. Some even showed me their health books and I really have no reason to distrust them. I am not sure about the status of about 3-4 of the girls I have been with.

Onward to symptoms

The first and most worrying one for me was when I came down with a severe sore throat about 8-10 girls in. This was Oct. last year.  I had severely enlarged tonsils covered in pus/exudate all over – could hardly talk but no fever and no rash. What scared me was that I also had a 1 bump on the side on my neck. I went to my local GP who examined it and said it was swollen lymph node. It only lasted a day or 2 and by the time i was at the doc most of it had subsided. The doc examined the throat and said it was a very severe bacterial infection and gave strong antibiotics. The pain was very severe I couldn’t eat. The antibiotics helped and it subsided after a week or so. I was weak during the whole time with backaches as well. I was also coughing up so much mucus all the time and the doc said it was the bacteria breaking off.

Could these symptoms be a sign of any STD or ARS?

After a few months I went to get a TPHA test – since I have had issues with false positive VDRL as seen in my last post. The TPHA was negative although the lab assistant questioned me on how long have I had a VDRL infection because the test (he performed a VDRL first before the TPHA) is showing a positive antibody response. I said maybe It’s a BFP like was suggested by the doctor on this forum and he left it at that. But it made me paranoid what the antibody response is for.

The last time this happened I was also tested for HIV (to rule it out as an antibody response) and it was negative but could my recent encounters cause a new infection?

I have also most recently had red spots on my penis head after receiving oral – the area directly under the urethra also seem to be redder than normal and blood vessels apparent. I showed it to the doctor and told him my concern of herpes. He said it’s not after examination and gave me some creams – it cleared up and I followed up with the doctor who said it’s resolved.

So there you have it. I am now mandated by my company to get tested before I leave. They test for Syphilis and HIV, Chest Infection, etc.

We are not given the test results directly but reflected in our review and if anything is abnormal it would affect my future prospects.

Should I be worried about this upcoming test? Based on my history and exposures and symptoms do you think I am at risk? I am always a bit hesitant to get tested here because if anything (god forbid) turns out positive privacy is not guaranteed as it’s a small community.

Thanks for your time - I know this is a long post.