Drs

I realize I’m using a follow up quickly. I assure you this thread and questioning will be my last. I’ve seen people who post more than twice get deleted and understand your reasoning, frankly. The more you ask questions the more stressed you get.

When I got my last 4^th gen back this past December (a full year after my first exposure and close to 6 months after my second) I genuinely calmed down for about 5 months. However, with my daughters white tongue (likely not thrush) followed by me looking into my flaky skin by nose (when you google that seb. derm comes up) as well as my weird string of a few months of loose stool, the panic rushed back. So, I have a few follow up questions I hope you can answer.

1. My first event, November 2017, was with someone I had a professional relationship with. I know that she’s married to a Jamaican man and was vacationing in Jamaica 2 months prior. If she picked up any virus there from him or otherwise (she admittedly has an open marriage) would there be any strain or HIV 2 that wouldn’t pick up in my regular 4^th gen here in NY? Or my RNA?

2. My wife got a siemens 4^th gen for life insurance test this march. In the first week of February prior she got a really bad 48 hour stomach virus, throwing up all day and night, just 2 days after we had relations. I believe I’ve read that if that stomach virus was ARS her March test 30 days later would be positive?

3. I gave a run down of all of my tests in my last post. I have 2 questions related to them. For Ghon/Chlym urine test – I did 3 of these, but the first 2 I have no idea how long beforehand I peed. Nobody told me when taking the test I should wait an hour. The third time, December 2018 (a year after first exposure and 6 months after receipt of oral) I did another where I definitely held it for over an hour. I may have filled up more than I was supposed to, I wasn’t told that either. Is there a time period too long after exposure where the test wouldn’t register?

4. Same for 4^th gen. Is a year too long after? Is it possible something wouldn’t trigger positive?

5. Lastly – and believe it or not the most ridiculous of the questions…I read that the lunula on fingernails (half moon things at bottom of nail) are not present in many people with HIV. Low and behold I only see them on my thumbs. Is this a cause for concern or totally ridiculous?

Thanks. Go Mariners

Thanks again. I'm sure it is anxiety and guilt but these coincidences make it tough to swallow. I thought I was over this months ago.

1. Last summer I had a slight but present sore throat from roughly memorial day into early august. It was in one spot, back left...felt like it was close to adams apple. Every dr I saw said it's allergies or anxiety as they found nothing. Now that we're into allergy season though I was looking forward to feeling it again to confirm and don't have anything. Would a longstanding sore throat like this roughly 7-9 months after exposure be cause for concern?

2. last fall I had what I thought was a canker sore in my mouth but my dentist told me my parotid duct (stensens duct) had a slight infection. Again - this is something connected with HIV that I NEVER experienced before all of a sudden popping up 10 months post exposure. Still this is not a cause for concern? Dentist told me it could happen if my immunity was low. So this and the seb. derm are 2 things I know I never experienced prior to the past year and a half. And they were not things I was looking for...I only found out their connection to HIV after I experienced them. The lymph nodes I have are things Ive looked for after the fact.

3. My Lab Corp Panel 4th gen test reads as HIV 1/O/2 antigen and antibody. Does this mean it only tests for a strain O? Aren't there a lot more strains? I attached a link to the panel below for your review. This also, by the way, notes the possibility of biotin interference. https://www.labcorp.com/test-menu/28801/human-immunodeficiency-virus-1-o-2-hiv-1-o-2-antigen-antibody-fourth-generation-preliminary-test-with-cascade-reflex-to-supplementary-testing

Thanks Dr. I apologize for the annoyance I've caused. I know you can't get in the mind of someone who has lost it, so this must be frustrating to you.

I am already looking for therapists who can potentially help my level of hypochondria. I've always suffered slightly from that, but never anywhere close to this. I guess the ramifications being life altering/ending in terms of my family and their health is what did it.

Last couple questions, maybe for peace of mind. I appreciate it:

1. I've had this potential mild seb. derm since January. That would be 14 or so months after exposure. Would you think generally this would be too early to begin to see symptoms like that if I was infected? Same goes for loose stool?

2. It's gross to even say this. But my biggest concern is my childrens health. There is NO way outside of something incomprehensible (ie abuse) that I could pass h I v on to them, right? So - getting a bloody nose on them for example and them sucking thumb with that is not a risk?

3. You kind of answered this re: Jamaica but Caribbean in general...are there any strains in that region that tests here do not pick up?

Thanks a lot.

I appreciate it. You should have led by telling me it's too early for those symptoms!!!

I'm kidding. I'll do my best moving forward. You're right about the kids too...before this I really was a good dad...but I'm sure with this in the back or front of my mind I am showing them less affection with my fear. I appreciate your comment there.