I'm still worried that I might have HIV... Please help me get over it

[kaylozako]

Hey there,

Long story short: back 7 months ago, I traveled somewhere with friends and got drunk and hired an escort and I was so drunk, suddenly the condom broke and I through it away and continued the having sex.

Came back home, after 3 weeks I started to nose bleed, then noticed a lymphoma node under the right side of jaw, night sweat and some tiny, super tiny bumps on my penis ring.

Got depressed. Panicled. Couldn't sleep at all.

Waited a month and did a combo test for HIV... Negative.
Second month... Negative.
And, finally, 3rd month did HIV test + ALL STDs... ALL Negative.


However, I'm still worried and I think because of that lymphoma node. It's a very, very strong symptom, which makes me can't believe it's not related to HIV... I mean, it's still there and I can't feel it, and first thing in the morning is to check if it's gone or not... It didn't and looks like it won't.

I'm truly depressed and I can't get my mind to think like before, I regret what I did. All I do all day long is feeling my glands all over my body like an animal and I don't have the courage to go through the testing again, but doctors says I don't have it if it's negative after 2 months and 3 months is final.

I really wrote this while being kind of drunk and I'm keeping short, really. I wish I can write the whole experience, but it will be boring for most of you and maybe skip it.

Help me get over this, guys.

[youdontknowme]

If you are having symptoms, yet all of the tests are negative, I can just about guarantee that your symptoms aren't being caused by an STD!
You got a clean bill of sexual health! Congrats! That means you've cleared that possibility off of the table.

There are all kinds of conditions that can cause lymph nodes to harden, and most of them are no death sentence. Perhaps it would be helpful to see a doc about why, exactly, your lymph nodes are inflamed. Not only could it quell your HIV scare, but it could also help you figure out just what is going on.

[wabbit1]

I think you're pretty clear on the STD and HIV. Have you mentioned the inflamed lymph node to your doctor? He may be able to give you a perfectly reasonable explanation for it.

[kaylozako]

I think you're pretty clear on the STD and HIV. Have you mentioned the inflamed lymph node to your doctor? He may be able to give you a perfectly reasonable explanation for it.

I'm in a country that provides free health care for free, but I'm afraid the doctor at the government hospital will run a deeper test on me and find something and attach it to my file.

The results I got are from private labs that provides privacy, but paid, not free at all.

I'm terrified of mentioning that I had unprotected sex, then mention the lymphoma node... Any doctor WILL suspect that I have an STD, especially with the super tiny bumps around my penis ring. You think he won't terrify the shit out of me with these symptoms?

After 2 months of that event, I had a fever and went to the hospital and mentioned the lymphoma node and he said it's related to a throat inflammation and nothing serious... But I didn't mention the unprotected sex thing to him.

[youdontknowme]

I'm in a country that provides free health care for free, but I'm afraid the doctor at the government hospital will run a deeper test on me and find something and attach it to my file.

The results I got are from private labs that provides privacy, but paid, not free at all.

I'm terrified of mentioning that I had unprotected sex, then mention the lymphoma node... Any doctor WILL suspect that I have an STD, especially with the super tiny bumps around my penis ring. You think he won't terrify the shit out of me with these symptoms?

After 2 months of that event, I had a fever and went to the hospital and mentioned the lymphoma node and he said it's related to a throat inflammation and nothing serious... But I didn't mention the unprotected sex thing to him.

Did you discuss your lymph nods with the doctor who ordered your HIV test?
I totally understand you being freaked out. I would be pretty freaked out if I had unprotected sex with an escort, found lumps on my genitals, came down with a fever, etc.
But, here's the thing: An STD only shows symptoms when it is active in the body. If it is active, that means it will show up on a test, especially if you got tested 3 times.
Sure, something is obviously up, here, but I doubt it's HIV.
Anxiety has a funny way of twisting information to feed into its worst case scenario version of events.
If the doctor listened to your symptoms, checked you out, and determined that it's some sort of nonserious throat inflammation, that's probably all that it is. Did you engage in some risky behavior? Yeah, you sure did. But a risk isn't a guarantee. Your health issue does not seem to be an STD, as the MULTIPLE test results indicate.
Take care

[wabbit1]

How can doctors help you if they don't know the full story?

You're scaring yourself silly at the moment. You need to go to your GP and explain everything. It's all confidential. I'm assuming the clinic gave you a copy of your results, then take these along with you. Was the clinic you went to a sexual health clinic? Then they are the experts so if there was anything to find they would have found it.