Hi Doc -- Little over 3 months ago, I received brief unprotected blowjob from massage lady. I know receiving oral sex is no risk. However, I had flu like symptoms 1 week after and it lasted for another few days. The symptoms were very similar to ARS but the flu season was in full swing and I blamed flu season and the winter weather for it. Ironic enough, my wife also had same flu type symptoms after I got sick. What's interesting is that day after I received brief blowjob from massage lady, I had unprotected sex with my wife. And, both of us were down with flu afterwards.

I won't go over symptoms as it is foolish to judge the risk by symptoms not the exposure.

Me being paranoid, I decided to test myself THREE times for HIV using at home mouth swap OraQuick kit. The 1st testing was at 3 weeks, the 2nd testing was at 11 weeks and 3rd testing was at 91 days (3 months or 13 weeks).  All three times the results were NEGATIVE.

I was in denial. I called OraQuick hotline and told them exactly how I performed the test (no eating/drinking 30 minutes before test, swab the stick against gums and read the results between 20 to 40 minutes after the swab). The customer service lady at OraQuick confirmed that I did it the right way and the test is 99.99% accurate at 3 months mark. She told me to accept the results as conclusive results and move on.

What are your thoughts on it? Is it time to close this chapter and move on? Needless to say, I've spent $150 on OraQuick kit plus countless time on the Dr. Google researching about oral sex risk. It wasn't worth getting this stupid blowjob.

Yesterday, I was watching "Dallas Buyers Club" movie and it just scares me that undetected HIV can kill someone within months. That in mind, I just want final opinion from known honorable doctor like you. No disrespect to OraQuick lady but I would feel confident when the expert tells me that yes it is time to close this chapter dummy and move on instead of overthinking this episode.

You are exactly right that oral sex is no risk: there has never been a scientifically proved case of HIV transmission oral to penis. Second, the odds are strong that your massage partner doesn't have HIV. I can't tell whether you really understand the meaning of "flu like" symptoms. Not all influenza symptoms occur with acute HIV -- for example, cough, runny/stuff nose, and sneezing are all part of influenza symptoms, but not ARS. The phrase "flu like" is intended to only mean fever, headache, and muscle aches.

But most imortant, you also are correct that test results are much more reliable than symptoms in judging possible new HIV infections. I'm glad you were tested at 3 months:  of the 15-20 HIV tests regularly available, the oral fluids test takes the longest, sometimes 3 months, to turn positive. The large majority (90-95%) of newly infected people have positive results by 6 weeks, but in any case your two final tests were reliable. The oral fluids test is pretty much idiot proof; I agree with the OraSure counselor that if you followed the instructions, the results were reliable. However, if you need testing again in the future, I suggest you find a lab online and have a single antigen-antibody (duo) blood test, which is 98-99% reliable after 4 weeks and 100% at 6 weeks or more, and a lot cheaper than the $150 you paid for 3 oral tests.

Anyway, all is well. You can move on with no worries about having HIV.

I hope this information is useful to you. Let me know if anything isn't clear.

HHH, MD

For the need of testing again, no sir....I'm staying committed to the marriage and not roam outside for short quicker pleasures. I know it's easier said than being done but I'm committed this time. This little experience cost me emotional stress, higher than normal BP and sleepless nights. Lesson is learned here.

I wish you the best and thanks for clarifying my doubts.

Thanks for the thanks. I'm glad to have helped.