Scared about possibility of HIV

[halloweenmoon2]

I had a holiday romance in a Middle Eastern country 8 years ago, and unfortunately this involved unprotected sex.

About a month later I came down with bad tonsillitis and swollen lymph nodes, and freaked out when I read online that HIV can cause a flu like illness 2-6 weeks after infection.

Because it takes 3 months for HIV tests to show if positive, I sent hysterical begging messages to the guy asking if he can go and have a HIV test. He went and got one at a hospital, and sent me a video of him opening the results which were negative. He was really unhappy with me asking him to do this as it's a big taboo in their culture, but he assured me he doesn't have it.

I believed him and I haven't thought about it since as I haven't had any new sexual partners. But lately I have wondered if I am totally clear as I have never had a test myself.

I am not in touch with the guy anymore, but I know he now lives and works in a country where HIV tests are mandatory for a work visa, and people are deported if they are positive.

Even so, I am still very worried because of the illness I had a month after the intercourse. I have phoned my local sexual health service and they say they can't do tests in clinics at the moment due to equipment shortages and my only option is to do a home test.

Would I have had symptoms by now if I have it? Sometimes I can't sleep at night as I'm so worried, and watching It's a Sin has just made this worse.

Just get a test and get this over with. You're driving yourself mad with all of this overthinking.

Even if you DID have HIV (which seems VERY VERY unlikely), it’s very manageable with medication these days.

I had to do a home test before a coil fitting, it was a bit of a faff but had the results quickly, and it will put your mind at rest x

Why didn't you get tested at the time Op? It's not great that you relied on someone telling you that they didn't have HIV.

Getva test, it will be a load off your mind. Good luck.

I agree with the others, just get the test kit sent and do it at home.
I've helped a friend who had concerns, but everything came back clear.

Honestly op do the test you are worrying yourself sick over this. It sounds very unlikely you have it but you will never rest until you know for sure please get the test.

It sounds highly unlikely you’ve got it, you are over thinking it.

It’s incredibly unlikely that you have HIV. You do however have health anxiety. If you weren’t worrying about HIV it would be something else. You need to get a home test to put your mind at rest though.

Go and give blood OP - they test your blood for everything. If you have anything then it'll flag up and if not you'll have saved someone's life.

Just get tested as soon as you can - then at least you know for definite. Not sure why you didn't get tested yourself when you originally had these fears. I used to live and work in South Africa and our health insurance would regularly expect you to have a HIV test because of its prevalence out there. It was fine, just a finger prick and then a little bit of waiting around. I don't know how they do tests in the uk but the results in SA would come up on something that looked similar to a pregnancy test and would take just a couple of minutes to tell you the result. Hopefully it's as straight forward and simple in the UK.

Just get a test? In lots of areas you can get home ones that you just send in the post if you don’t want to go to a clinic.
Honestly if you have have HIV (unlikely but possible i guess) you’d need to know- managed with meds life expectancy is the same as without HIV, it’s having it and not knowing that is dangerous

Your living your life worrying as if you have it.

Get tested and out your mind at rest.

X

Genuinely, the chances of you having HIV are slim, compared to something like Hepatitis C it is incredibly hard to catch through normal sexual activity.

Get tested and deal with it if and when you get a result, don't let this sap the joy out of life now. In all likelihood you just had a viral infection. See here and attached photo for more information www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/estimated-hiv-risk-exposure

It’s extremely poor that they couldn’t spare one test tube for a woman who had a high risk exposure followed by symptoms. What are they saving the test tubes for if not for the most lethal disease we know about it?! Just do the home test but I’d push harder if it’s not as accurate because you can’t keep putting yourself through this.

The only thing you can do is get a test. All this guessing is just going to make your anxiety get worse. Chances are you don't have it but even if you did, like a pp said, it's very manageable nowadays

The home tests are quick and easy-- you prick your finger and that is all. Tip: when getting blood out, push upwards rather than squeezing the pricked bit.

Seems unlikely but you'll drive yourself mad until you know. I have been where you are, it is absolutely awful, I know.

@SweetBabyCheeses99, I totally agree with you she should get tested when she can for her own peace of mind, but HIV is not the “most lethal disease we know about” by any stretch of the imagination. Scare mongering is not helpful and HIV care is excellent now IF (unlikely) OP is HIV positive. OP, get tested - you are most likely negative but if you’re positive it’s a pill a day and regular checkups!

Ffs it's like the am i pregnant thread, just to the test 🙄

Get tested. Lack of routine medical care in UK is interesting to me for such a rich country. I'm from another country where physical exams are the norm every few years once an adult and an HIV test is routine. I've had several.

Really try not to worry. It sounds extremely unlikely. And even if you did have it, it's now a very treatable condition- totally different to the days if It's A Sin!

Just get the home test. It’s very unlikely you have HIV, and if you have you need to know. If you haven’t you can stop this worrying.

I completely relate as I spent years with a niggling worry about an odd lump I should just have got checked out at the time and by the time I forced myself to get it checked I was absolutely sick with anxiety. It was benign - if only I had found that out a long time ago I could have saved myself so much worry.

Pharmacies sell the home test kits now. I think they are about £40. Noticed them when I was queuing the other day.

I hope you are okay OP. It seems extremely unlikely you have it. Just imagine how relieved you will be when you get the all clear. You will by fine. Hugs x

I honestly think you'll be fine. Even if he had HIV the chances of catching it from having unprotected sex with him once would be less that one in 1000.

www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/estimated-hiv-risk-exposure

Get a test and maybe check for more common infections as well, but don't spend too much time worrying about it.