[Question #9626] HIV ASSESSMENT RISK

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30 months ago

Hello doctors, 


I have a timeline of detailed events that occurred between December ‘22 & last weekend, Jan ‘23 that I cannot explain and I’m hoping you can because it’s really killing my anxiety. 



12/15 / 22 - I engaged in oral and vaginal sex via protected condom (Trojan latex thin) with a CSW. She was on an upscale website and she claims she doesn’t do as often.  She also stated she gets tested for everything including HIV often via planned parenthood. She claims her last test was a month before in November. 


We engaged in oral sex first. She did lick my penis unprotected for less than 15 seconds before i got the condom. The oral sex from there was protected but it was a deepthroat type of oral sex. Before engaging in vaginal sex, i purposefully inspected condom out of fear of it being torn because I dealt with a experience before where a condom breakage occurred  where my full penis was exposed so since then I’ve been very serious on inspecting condoms. It’s been something that scares me now. However, the condom looked very much intact and my penis was covered. So she got on top of me for approx 1-2 mins. Before switching positions, i again inspected the condom. My penis and shaft was covered and i didn’t notice any tears but i couldn’t tell. We engaged for approx 1 min or so before i stopped her and proceeded to go back to oral sex. Where the situation gets weird is during oral she stated that the condom tasted not like her spit and she stated something else. She said it’s better to just change condoms. That immediately got me nervous and before i took off the condom i looked to see if the condom was broken. It looked intact and all but again i don’t know if there was tears i couldn’t feel or see. All i know is that i was able to fully remove the condom but the comment she made stuck with me. So switching condoms i did finally ejaculate via oral sex protected. 


12/17 - i began to experience symptoms. What i believe to be a lymph node under my jaw line area. I also went out to a bar that same night engaging with a woman. 


12/18 i started to feel sweaty palms and feet. 

12/19  or 12/20 - the lady i engaged conversation with at the bar told me she tested positive for Covid. She told me cause we were literally around one another talking most of the night. 


My question is due to the condom. Is there a chance something occurred in the condom. Why would the CSW make a statement like that to me ?? and then 2 days later i experience symptoms. I didn’t notice a tear but now anxiety is thru the roof. Also the sweaty palms on hands and feet which is still common. I do have sensitive skin but these symptoms although earlier than what i seen to be symptoms, are common symptoms to have. So hopefully you can assess this issue. 


1/23/23 : I had unprotected oral sex with a female followed by protected vaginal sex. The issue kind of occurred when putting on condom. The condom DID FULLY COVER the base and penis, however I realized the whole condom had a tighter feel like it didn’t stretch fully down. However the head was covered. After engaging in vaginal sex protected, because I became I couldn’t remain erect, we did a lot of friction rubbing. I remember condom still on and kind of rubbing on the female as she was rubbing on top of me and slapping my penis on here. This may of occurred for a few mins or maybe less. My concern is at one point of her being on top of me, and me not being fully erect we tried to do sex again but it just wasn’t working because of that issue. I’m not sure if the friction or the constant trying to put the head in caused my concern, but at one point i got her off of me and realized the condom was off which made me nervous. She was on top of me but i don’t ever remember putting it in again after the first time because i wasn’t fully erect. So was the chances i could be infected? Her rubbing her vagina on me and possibly putting on my penis. Again, i don’t remember putting it in at all because there wasn’t no act of me penetrating her based on all the factors listed. Did the friction of her grinding on me cause this? Because I didn’t feel me penetrating or the condom actually falling off. I found the condom the next morning which seemed still in tact because it wasn’t ripped apart.

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Edward W. Hook M.D.
30 months ago
Welcome to our Forum.  Thanks for your questions.  Your questions (which exceed our word limit for questions) deal largely with condom integrity and effectiveness so I will address these issues here.  If there are further questions, you will have up to two follow-ups for clarification.

Condoms remain a highly effective means for  preventing HIV and other STIs as long as they are used correctly (i.e. throughout sex acts, from beginning to end) and consistently.  As you experienced, when condoms fail, they break wide open leaving no doubt that they failed.  Condoms do not need to be tested after use(some clients fill them with water after use to evaluate their integrity, this is not necessary).  Condoms break abut 1% of the time they are used and are more likely to break when used with new partners of during rectal intercourse.  

Condoms are highly effective for HIV prevention, as well as providing virtually complete protection against STIs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia and trichomonas as long as the head of the penis is covered.  They are not quite as effective for prevention of herpes, syphilis and HPV since these infections can be transmitted by skin to skin contact if the condom slips down and does not cover the entire penis during sex.  

HIV and STIs are not transmitted through "grinding" (the technical term is frottage).

In evaluating the encounters you describe, I would have virtually no concerns about having acquired HIV. 

FYI, for persons who have sex with multiple partners or new partners, we do recommend periodic (every six months or annually) testing for STIs, including HIV just to be on the safe side.

I hope this information covers your questions.  As explained above, you do have two follow-ups. Please keep any follow-up questions brief.  EWH
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30 months ago
Thanks Doc

Can you help me understand why i experienced those symptoms so fast? I feel like I’m experiencing the same symptoms all over again with the second encounter. 

What would the risk assessment be on my second encounter if at one point she sat on me unprotected and i was inside her, yet wasn’t fully penetrating her due to not being fully erect? I still can’t for life of me figure out how the condom fell off of me yet remained intact when i found it the next morning?. There was no tears or anything. 
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
30 months ago
Your symptoms are due to some other process.  The symptoms of recently acquired STIs, including HIV would never occur within a few days of exposure.  On the other hand, your partner told you she had COVID.  Your swollen lymph node could well be due to that or some other common respiratory tract infection.  The lymph node swelling of HIV is widespread, not localized as yours was.  ---
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30 months ago
Last follow up question doc

Is there any theoretical explanation of how the condom fell off of me when she was on top? Was it due to friction? Cause condom was found next morning fully intact. I immediately stop trying to engage in sex when i see i was unprotected. I just don’t recall when it occurred. But i do know i wasn’t fully erect and not PENETRATING so i wonder if i was inside her could she still infect me without penetration. 

Thanks for your responses doc!
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
30 months ago
Yes, the friction of frottage could certainly cause the condom to come off.  In addition, although it may not be relevant to your current situation, when condoms come off as a person withdraws themselves from a partner after sex, as long as the condom is visible from the vagina, it has done its job.  When condoms come off DURING sex, the get pushed deep into the vagina and thus after not obviously hanging out of the vagina.

I hope the information I have provided has been helpful.  This completes this thread.  Take care.  EWH
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