[Question #9928] Am I Overthinking

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27 months ago
Dr.

On April 16 I met a girl age 42.  She is Philipino been here for 9 years. She said she had 5 partners total.  She has one child.  She has been alone for 10 yrs.  I asked about her testing & she said she was always safe so she didn’t think she needed it.  

All we did was kiss.  I played with and licked her breasts.  I rubbed her vagina for a minute or two.

She then rubbed my penis.  I wasn’t expecting it but she put it in her mouth for maybe 20 seconds.  I came in her mouth & she got mad.  

On April 26 I went out & had drinks and bar food.  They gave out some free apps, spinach bread, very oily. 

On April 27 I had diarrhea 11 days post risk.  Today it was minimal but I did take pepto.

1. Did I have a risk?
2. Can I continue to have unprotected sex with my partner.
3.  Does only diarrhea sound like Ars?
4 .  Could Ars only last a day or 2?
5. Could thrush in isolation be ars?
6. Should I just move on?

This was a mistake.

Thx
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27 months ago
Dr.

I am sorry.  My 5th question had a typo.  I meant the following:

Could diarrhea in isolation be Ars?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
27 months ago
Welcome to our Forum.  Thanks for your questions, I'll be glad to comment.  The short answer to the question asked in the beginning of your post is Yes, you are overthinking this.  Let me expand.  First and foremost is that there has never been a proven case of HIV acquired from receipt of oral sex, not one, and you are not going to be the first.  In addition to this most important fact is that even most persons exposed to an infected partner do not acquire the infection they have been exposed to.  With multiple exposures, of course the risk goes up. This generalization about most single exposures to infected partners not resulting in infection is true for all STIs.  As for your specific questions:


1. Did I have a risk?
See above- no.

2. Can I continue to have unprotected sex with my partner.
Yes

3.  Does only diarrhea sound like Ars?
No, the ARS is a combination of symptoms which include a severe sore throat, high fever, and widespread muscle or joint aches.  Some persons also have diarrhea but this occurs in fewer than half of persons with ARS.

4 .  Could Ars only last a day or 2?
No, that's on the short side.

5. Could thrush in isolation be ars?
I know you meant diarrhea and the answer is no.  You should look for another cause for your diarrhea.

6. Should I just move on?
Yes.  I see no reason for concern and no reason for testing

I hope this information is helpful.  EWH

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27 months ago
Dr. Hook,

Thank you for your response.  Updates:

Exactly three weeks after risk I had a sore in my mouth below my bottom teeth.  I got scared thinking it was thrush.  I got tested the next day with the alere rapid fourth gen test.  I also had a rapid orasure hep c test.  Both tests were negative.

1.  How accurate we’re both these tests?

2.  Did being hiv tested a day after mouth sore rule out ARS for both hiv 1 and 2?

3.  When is hiv 1 ruled out?

4.  When is hiv 2 ruled out?

5. I saw the same girl two weeks later.  Sometimes I have little sores from picking.  I fingered her .  All finger sores were healing.  For future reference, As long as they were closed or not bleeding or they had a little scab am I safe?

6. the fingering incident happened a week before the mouth sore.  Then I tested, would this have confirmed it wasn’t Ars for hiv 1 and 2?

7.  This past Saturday I had bad allergies/ runny nose.  Yesterday clogged sinuses and runny nose and body aches.  Everyone in my home has a cold or bad allergies currently.  Today I feel much better.  Aches gone just minor congestion.  I am using a netti pot and Zyrtecs d.  Does this sound like ARS.  I read on here that stuffy nose / cold is not ars.  

7.  Can I continue unprotected with my girlfriend?  We got back together.

8.  I don’t really plan on testing again unless you think it’s needed.  Please advise.

9.  Did I need hep c testing?

20.  How long do I have to use my last follow up?

Thanks!


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27 months ago
Doctor,

I am sorry I posted 2 number seven follow up questions.
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
27 months ago
I'm sorry you continue to worry unnecessarily.  Straight to your questions:

1.  How accurate we’re both these tests?
There was no need for testing.  This was a no risk event.  While test results will not be technically conclusive until 6 weeks following an exposure, you were not at risk to start with. 

2.  Did being hiv tested a day after mouth sore rule out ARS for both hiv 1 and 2?
Yes

3.  When is hiv 1 ruled out?
See above- 6 weeks

4.  When is hiv 2 ruled out?
Same answer

5. I saw the same girl two weeks later.  Sometimes I have little sores from picking.  I fingered her .  All finger sores were healing.  For future reference, As long as they were closed or not bleeding or they had a little scab am I safe?
Masturbation of a partner, with or without sores on your fingers does not put you at risk for HIV

6. the fingering incident happened a week before the mouth sore.  Then I tested, would this have confirmed it wasn’t Ars for hiv 1 and 2?
When persons experience the ARS, tests are always positivie

7.  This past Saturday I had bad allergies/ runny nose.  Yesterday clogged sinuses and runny nose and body aches.  Everyone in my home has a cold or bad allergies currently.  Today I feel much better.  Aches gone just minor congestion.  I am using a netti pot and Zyrtecs d.  Does this sound like ARS.  I read on here that stuffy nose / cold is not ars.  
These are not ARS symptoms

7.  Can I continue unprotected with my girlfriend?  We got back together.
Yes

8.  I don’t really plan on testing again unless you think it’s needed.  Please advise.
There was no need to test with to start with.  That continues to be the case.

9.  Did I need hep c testing?
Hepatitis C is not an STI transmitted through the sorts of exposures you describe.  It is very rarely acquired following receptive rectal intercourse with an infected partner.

I hope these answers will let you move forward.  EWH

20.  How long do I have to use my last follow up?
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26 months ago
Doctor Hook,

1.When a gentlemen has HPV how does it affect his likelihood of acquiring hiv?  (I always use a condom but I do have Hpv.)

2.Is he more at risk for acquiring hiv when having vaginal sex? (If he has Hpv)

3.Is he more at risk when receiving oral sex from a female? (If he has Hpv)

4. How risky (regarding hiv) is going down or performing oral sex on a female?

5.  I read regarding biotin it might affect testing.  Is that true?  If so how long should you not take it before hiv testing?

6.  If you think you have Ars how long must you wait to test to prove the symptoms are not caused by hiv infection for either hiv1 or hiv2?  I know hiv2 is found only via antibodies. I believe you said if you have symptoms you can test at that time to see if the symptoms are related to hiv.

Thanks and have a great summer.

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26 months ago
Dr. Hook,

Can thrush by it self be Ars?  

Lastly what is the timing of Ars?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
26 months ago
We provide up to 3 responses to each question.  This will be my final reply.  I’m sorry that you continue to worry about your no risk encounter.  Brief responses below:
1.  HPV does not increase the risk of HIV acquisition.

2.  No.

3.  No. No one has ever been proven to have acquired HIV from receipt of oral sex.

4.  Very low risk.  The estimated risk is less than 1 infection in 10,000 sex acts.

5.  Biotin has little or no effect on HIV test results.  If you are concerned, 8 hours after taking biotin, levels are negligible 

6.  If symptoms are due to HIV-1 or -2, tests for antibodies would be positive.  The symptoms are due to the antibodies reacting with the virus 

Thrush alone is not the ARS.

The ARS occurs between 1 and 3 weeks after exposure and never after more than 30 days.

This completes this thread.  Please don’t worry.  EWH 
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26 months ago
Thank you doctor.  so receipt of oral sex from a female and fingering with nicks on cuticles does not  require Hcv testing?
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
26 months ago
Correct.  This completes this thread.  EWH ---