Worried about STD

[hdmi123]

Hello everyone. First of all I am 22 years old. I recently had an encounter with another male on May 27th. I had protected anal intercourse.(I was the recevier and I brought the condom) I did gime him oral sex for less then a minute since I got scared. This all ocurred recently washed in the shower (sorry for the details). I checked him for scares, bruses, sores, chankers and was very awear that he had nothing. There was no kissing at all. No fluids came together. When we were finished I removed the condom off of him and inspected it. It was not torn or anything. Well the day after I got a small sore in my mouth which already healed by using oralgel. I have been very worried about contracting a STD. I have had panic attacks, I have been paranoid and super sad with depression. Well, despite all this I talked to te person this happened with and told me that he never has had a std before. He has no sympotmes nor is sick. Thus I am having diahrreah (because I'm worried), no headaches, no muscle aches, no night sweats, my toung has 2 red spots, I did get a very light fever but that went away, I had a swollen lymph node behind my left ear but it does not hurt or bother me. I did a oral HIV test 1 week after being "exposed" which was negative. In march I had all my test done and all were negative. Should I be worried? I feel fine but super worried. I talked to my doctor but he is a assho*e and really doesn't help you with your problems. He told me to have my test due again. He told me to wait 2 weeks, which 1 week and 3 days have gone by since that day. Should I have my test done before 2 weeks for chlamydia, gonorreah and herpies 1&2? I know I have to wait a little more for the HIV, but how long do I wait? Thank you for your time!

[Blinker]

Hey hdmi,
Reading through your post and I went through something very similar.

I received anal from another sexual partner. Used protection and the condom split, but he didn't ejaculate and I was so worried for weeks that I had contracted something like HIV or herpes.
I had a HIV test done after the 6 week period and it came back negative. I also noticed a small tear between my buttocks, which I immediately thought it was herpes, but I had it checked out and it was in fact dermatitis. Dermatitis which was brought on by stress. Stress and anxiety can make our bodies do strange things and makes you become hyper sensitive to everything that happens. I was constantly checking for lumps and worrying if I had a sore throat, but you can imagine some of these sensations.

The fever you felt, is very likely to have been that you are flushed- which happens a lot to people who suffer with anxiety.

It's important to remember all the facts;

- No fluids were exchanged, which reduces the risk dramatically
- It takes 4-6 weeks for the herpes simplex virus to show any symptoms in your body after exposure (so it's practically impossible to happen the day after)
- Have a little trust in the person you slept with, that they said they have been tested and have never had any STD's
-Herpes sores can be very itchy and sore. They can take over a week to heal

I spoke with the Terrence Higgins Trust on their helpline and found it very helpful.
Make sure you wait an adequate time to get tested, as it's always sensible to do so even if you don't think you've contracted anything.

Hope you get on well, you'll pull through!

Thanks

Blinker

[hdmi123]

Hi Blinker

I did have anal sex which he did ejaculate inside the condom. I have felt weird but I got a Herpies 1&2, Gonorreah and Chlamydia test done which soon I will get the results back. I have been scared and had severe breakdowns with anxiety attacks. Tho I do have swollen lymph nodes on my neck and behind my ear, I have not had a sore throat. Nor have I had fever and no weight loss. Diahrreah is normal from fear. I have got tested twice with a oral hiv test which both have come back negative. I will talk to my doctor once my results are in so I can get done a hiv test threw blood. I was also reading that symptomes come all at once, not 1 by 1. I feel alot better but there is still some worry in my head. I am praying and hoping for the best!

[AnxiousUK]

You have to wait 3-6 months before HIV can show in the blood. You are unlikely to get it, it isn't as common as you may think and you used a condom which didn't break so you have a 0% chance of having it from the intercourse. Oral once again is pretty much 0% unless you had a open and deeply bleeding wound as saliva kills the HIV virus.

I honestly don't think you have it from what you described, and if you did you can expect to live a full life expectency because of modern treatments and constant health checks.

Tl;dr You used protection, you're fine.

[Blinker]

Hey HDMI,

I think I know exactly how you feel. What you need to remember is that the brain can do funny things to your body.
Cortisol is a chemical that is released in your body when you become very stressed. It's an adrenaline hormone that your body produces and it's called the 'fight or flight' response. High levels of cortisol can supress your immune system and makes it easier to catch colds and infections. During the time that I was suffering from severe anxiety, I caught tonsillitis and had an ear infection which only made my fears worse.
As long as you get a fourth generation test from your sexual health clinic, it gives a very high indication after 28 days of exposure and is very unlikely to change. If all of your other tests are clear, that's also a very good indication that you have absolutely nothing to worry about.

Can you answer the below?

Do you find yourself thinking about it at all points of the day?
Are you constantly checking yourself for symptoms?
Do you feel like it interferes with all parts of your life and stops you from concentrating?
Do you seek reassurance from family or friends?

If so, you are very likely to have high anxiety levels. Just remember to stick to the facts. It's highly unlikely that you have caught anything as you were safe.

Just try to relax.

[hdmi123]

Hi Blinker,

Yes, I think of it all the time! In the morning, right before I open my eyes and my brain starts to wake up, the first thing I think about is that. All I do is get up and check myself in the mirror for any changes in my body. I ask my partnert o check me all the way around including genital areas. Then I continue my day and start being ocuupied since I get alot of calls and people coming in with their cars. (I'm a mechanic and electronic repair too) my mind doesn't think of it until I have free time. Yessss. Every few minutes I check myself, I started poking around my lymph nodes even tho they don't hurt or aren't swollen but since I've been poking around they have gotten swollen. I keep on being preocupied about this. At night I think of it again when I close my eyes. My mind wonders into a dark world and I enter in anxiety and panic attacks. It constently makes me sad and feel away from people, evenyone has noticed thia in me. They keep asking why am I so distant. I have gone to alot of places, STD clinics, my head Doctor, Ararat STD clinic, a hospital yesterday which have me a Oral hiv test and I have talked to their consulers and have explaned everything to them with every minute details. Everyone says I do not have anything since the test come back negative but I need to be sure threw a blood test. The new tests can actually give you results at 2 weeks after exposure. My doctor only gave me those meanwhile, but I feel like he should have giving me the hiv one as well. The results for those test will be in tomarrow, sunday or monday the most late it can be. My normaly visited STDclinic won't let me have a hiv test because I had them done in March this year and I have to wait untill August! Even tho I have symptomes and I should be high priority they won't let me. I was gonna start a dispute because they are always talking about safety first, protect other but what the he*l should I do meanwhile? I am scared of being with my partner and we have not had sex for 2 weeks, even tho I ask him of it bother him and he says no. I just feel sad and angry. I do talk to my family, my mother, my partner, my sisters exmother in law which she loves me alot and has talked to me countless times that I shouldn't worry. Every time I write on this fourm, talk to my sisters exmotherinlaw or just start crying in front of my partner I feel better afterwards. I talked to the person this happened with and he agreed to go with me tomarrow to have a oral hiv test done. Do you think it's healthy for me to do this? I really am scared about what tomarrow test could be. It dependes on the result, negative: a huge hole in me being covered up and I can continue my life normally or positive, that I will continue to worry until I drop dead. Help please!

[AnxiousUK]

You're freakin out, try to read what I said. You had no way of contracting it from him, that's that. You used a condom, it didn't break. You are fine, calm down.

[hdmi123]

Ok. So today I went to the normal clinic which I had my test done for Chlamydia, Gonorreah, Herpies 1&2.

Results-
Herpies 1
>8.0

Index value
Negative <0.9
Equivocal 0.9-1.10
Positive >1.10
Does the result value mean I have no Herpies 1? A( bit confused about that result)

Herpies 2
Result
<0.2

Index value
Negative <0.90
Equivocal 0.91-1.09
Positive >1.10

C.trachomatis
Negative

N.gonorrhoeae
Negative

I also went to the STD clinic with the person this happened with and got a oral HIV test done. The test was performed while watching Jurrasic Park (this helped me to stop worrying meanwhile waiting for results) he was called back in to pick up his test result. The result came back NEGATIVE. This has completly relieved me from all the worries and suffering I was going threw! He didn't read the results, he just handed them to me. Well, since I seem to be clear of those STD thanks to these test, can someone actually tell me if I can have sex with my partner again? Thank you so much AnxiousUK and Blinker for all the help! I will defenetly continue to be on this forum and yes I will contribute to this excelente forum!

[ashyam86343]

Great.
Results are perfect by the way have you checked your lymph node after . Is it gone ?

[hdmi123]

Hi Ashyam86343!

It has been more then a year since this happened. Tho I did come back positive for Herpes 1 (oral) no signs of infection is occurring. I acquired it when I was a infant (this is called chickenpox). No meds needed since there is no outbreak (lucky me!) As for the HIV, negative all the time. I can say that I have gotten about 10-15 HIV test done and everything is fine. As for the nodes they come and go. Sometimes some small white spots on tongue but they heal very fast and every time a book an appointment with my dentist the disappear. It has not bothered me ever since. This is a closed chapter in my life that I will never fall into again. It just scares me nuts thinking about! Take care and be safe!

[ashyam86343]

Hi HDMI,
Glad to your response. i am also suffering with similar exposure and stress led me to IBS, which i am almost cured. But i do have mild fever and weight loss which doctors are still saying that is my anxiety. i also tested 6 times that is 10months after the suspected exposure.

I am bit comfortable seeing your response. thanks for being active too.

---------- Post added at 17:33 ---------- Previous post was at 17:31 ----------

All STD's came negative results