[Question #8549] Mistake with Symptoms
 |
42 months ago
|
I’m sorry I am returning, but I am freaking out, worse than I ever have over an incident.
I am a 26 year old heterosexual male. Approximately 13 days ago, I had an incident in which I was unfaithful. I’ve had a partner for the last few months that, in my understanding, have been monogamous. Until approximately 2 weeks ago.
What occurred is that I engaged in unprotected intercourse with another heterosexual female (I am a heterosexual male). It lasted under a minute, I can’t remember but I believe it was even less than that. It was someone I’ve had unprotected sex with in the past. No drug use, has a good job, but I believe drinks a little on the heavy side as a partier which is what concerns me.
Fast forward to know, I was really stressed out about chlamydia or something because of my guilt in what I believe I was imagining tingling sensations etc in or around my urethra, because I’ve had no discharge or pain when urinating as far as I can tell.
My main issue is that now, 13 days later, again after a night of heavy drinking and 3 hours of sleep, I woke up to an incredibly swollen right tonsil like I’ve never had before. When I swallow I feel pain on the one side and like I’m swallowing a ball of mucus/golf ball. Now I’m freaking this is ARS. I know I have to get tested but I need you to help me off the ledge.
I don’t know how to carry on, I’ve had one instance in between that incident and today of unprotected intercourse with my regular partner so my guilt and anxiety are through the roof. I don’t feel any other symptoms but I’m also hungover and functioning on 3 hours of sleep. I went to sleep not feeling like this. I don’t know what to do. Everyone I know never uses condoms which I hate, I’m guilty of my making these mistakes as well but I atleast try and do most of the time. Now I feel like one instance under one minute and probably closer to 30 seconds has changed my life forever.
1.) is heterosexual transmission like this likely
2.) am I worrying needlessly.
|
42 months ago
|
I should add. The pain just feels like a golf ball in my throat. Almost feels like a possible canker sore too on it but it’s just the one side, feels incredibly swollen but my glands in my neck aren’t, or atleast as far as I can tell.
I feel the pain though when I swallow, feels like I’m swallowing a golf ball, and even when I turn my head I feel the pain and swelling. The pain somewhat radiates up into my ear.
 |
Edward W. Hook M.D.
42 months ago
|
Welcome back to our forum. In reviewing your three earlier visits to our site, I seem to note a pattern in which you have an exposure which you subsequently regret followed by the onset of symptoms and concerns that your symptoms might reflect HIV or perhaps some other STI. As you already acknowledge your partner is someone you’ve had sex with before and is low risk in terms her characteristics. This was a very low risk exposure. Your partner was low risk add most single exposures did not lead to transmission of HIV or other STI’s. While the timing of the onset of your sore throat is certainly within the range of when the symptoms of the ARS due to recent acquisition of HIV can occur, it is also the season for sore throats. Your symptoms are far more likely to be due to a conventional, every day viral sore throat than HIV. If your symptoms were due to HIV, a fourth generation combination HIV antigen/antibody test would be positive at this time. If you feel the need for the reassurance that a negative test would provide, I would understand the decision to test now, on a single occasion. If you do choose to test, routine testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia would be totally reliable at this time as well. Thus, in answer to your specific questions:
1. No, your partner is in a very low risk group and even in the unlikely situation that she had untreated HIV infection there is a more than 99.9% probability that transmission with that occur.
2. Almost certainly
I hope my reflections in the information I have provided is helpful to you. If I were you, I would treat my sore throat symptomatically and not bother to test for HIV because of the symptoms you have experienced. If any part of my reply is unclear or you have further questions feel free to use you were up to two follow-ups for clarification. EWH
---