Friday, February 22, 2013

Email 258: I Don't Know What To Do!

Hi Pozziepinoy! 

Your blog is very helpful sa community sa pagpoprovide ng mga info about HIV. I'm glad may ganitong online community dito sa Pinas. (Translation: Your blog is very helpful in the community in providing information about HIV. I'm glad that there is an online community like this in the Philippines). 

Im 23, male, a nurse, pero hindi nurse ang work ko ngayon. I want to share my story kasi sobrang gulong gulo na ako. (Translation: I'm 23, male, a nurse, but I am not working as a nurse now. I want to share my story because I am so confused).


Dec. 28 2012, sobrang lasing na lasing ako ng gabing un. I had unprotected oral sex with an unknown girl, she gave me a blowjob for 5-8 minutes ata un. And then nagsex kami, gumamit ako ng condom. sya ung nasa taas. nakaupo lang ako. it lasted for 5 minutes lang. after that night,Dec 31, 2012, parang masama ang pakiramdam ko. Feeling ko tatrangkasuhin ako. (Translation: Dec. 28, 2012, I was so drunk that night. I had unprotected sex with an unknown girl, she gave me a blow job for 5-8 minutes, I think. When we had sex, we used a condom, she was on top while I was sitting. It lasted for 5 minutes only. After that night, Dec 31, 2012, I didn't feel good. I felt getting a flu).

Jan. 3, 2012, nagising ako nung gabi na un kasi naiihi ako, pero sobrang sakit ng pagihi ko. I knew something's wrong. naisip ko agad may HIV ata ako. kinabukasan, parang may sinat ako, masakit ang katawan ko, di ko nakuha temp ko kasi wala ako thermometer, so pumunta agad ako ng doktor, nagpa check up. Sinabi ko sa doktor ung nangyari, nagpa CBC at urinalysis ako. 0.13 ung monocytes ko at 5-6 hpf ung white blood cells ko. sabi nung doktor may UTI ako. binigyan nya ako ng levofloxacin for 7 days. (Translation: January3, 2012, I woke up one night because I had to pee, but peeing was painful. I knew that something was wrong. I thought quickly that I had HIV. The following day, I felt that I was feverish with body ache but I didn't get my temperature because I didn't have a thermometer, so I went to a doctor for a check up.I told the doctor what happened. I had CBC and urinalysis. 0,13 monocytes and 5-6hpf WBC. The doctor said I had UTI. He gave me levofloxacin for 7 days).

January 13, 2012, sobrang di na ako mapakali, kasi on off ung parang lagnat ko, pero everytime na kukuha ako ng temp laging 36,9 lang. last day to ng levo ko. tapos parang may makati sa kaliwang throat ko. I decided na magpa check up sa Infectious doctor kasi im so anxious na at di ko na talga alam ang gagawin. (Translation: January 13, 2012, I was restless because I had intermittent fever, but everytime I will get my temperature it was always 36.9. It was my last day of levi then I felt itchiness in my left throat. I decided to go to an infectious disease doctor because I was anxious and I didn't know what to do).

January 14, 2012- Pumunta na ako sa Infectious doctor, sinabi ko lahat ng nangyari, sabi ni doc, magpa HIV test na daw ako, (prior to my sexual encounter, 3 years akong monogamous). My test is non reactive. sabi nya, ulitin daw namin after 3 months, i should comeback April 14. I went home, medyo masaya ako, nawala ung paranoia ko. Nagpa MonoSpot din pala ako, negative din. (Translation: January 14, 2012, I went to see an Infectious doctor and I told what happened and was advised to take the HIV test(prior to my sexual encounter, 3 years I was monogamous). My test result turned out to be non-reactive. The odctor said to repeat it after 3 months. I should come back on April 14. I came home, a little happy and my paranoia disappeared. My monospot test also turned negative by the way).

Since nung araw na un, may mga kakaiba pa din akong nararamdaman sa katawan ko until now. Minsan makati ung tonsils ko, minsan masakit, Meron din akong post nasal drip, laging may mucus sa lalamunan ko, minsan barado ung ilong ko. Parang sinisipon na ewan. Nagpacheck up na ako sa ulit sa Infectious doctor, ENT at sa Allergologist. sabi nilang 3, baka daw nakadevelop ako ng allergy sa viral infection na na acquire ko. binigyan nila ako ng Desloratidine at steroid na nasal spray. (Translation: Since that day, I was feeling something different in my body up to now. Sometimes my tonsils are itchy, sometimes painful. I also have post nasal drip and there is mucus in my throat all the time and sometimes I have nasal congestion, like I have a cold. I went again to the infectious disease doctor. ENT and allergologist and they all said that maybe I am developing allergy to the viral infection that acquired. They gave me Desloratidine and steroid nasal spray).

For almost 7 weeks, hindi dumaan ang isang oras na hindi ko naiisip na baka may HIV ako. Lagi akong nagbabasa ng mga articles about HIV sa internet. (Translation: For almost 7 weeks, no day passes by that I don't think that I have HIV. I always read articles about HIV in the internet)>

Eto po ung mga nararamdaman ko, alam ko ung mga symptoms eh balewala pagdatng sa HIV. pero gusto ko lang po ishare. (These are the symptoms that I feel. I know that some of them are irrelevant to HIV but I just want to share).

1. Throat discomfort. Minsan makati, minsan mahapdi. may araw na wala, may araw na meron (sometimes itchy, painful, intermittent)
2. Chills- Kapag nasa aircon room ako, nilalamig ako, parang magkakasakit. Pero minsan hindi naman (in an airconditioned room, I feel chilly like I am getting sick, intermittent again)
3. Sneezing/Post nasal drip/Nose congestion- all the time ko nararamdaman, pero lately, medyo nawwala na ung nasal congestion (intermittently)
4. Rashes? Noon palang may mga tumutubo na sa balat ko, before pa ung unprotected sexual encounter ko. pero parang lumalala ngayon at nadiagnose din ako na may serrabhoic dermatitis. (Even before that I had the unprotected sex I already had rashes and they are getting worse. I was also diagnosed to have seborrheic dermatitis).
5. Weakness- May oras na hinang hina ako, minsan naman ako ako. like ngayong araw na to, hindi ako nakaramdam ng weakness.(intermittent weakness)

Gulong gulo na po ako, may idadagdag pa po ako. After ko nga pala magpatest nung Jan. 14, naginuman kami ng mga office mates ko at sa sobrang lasing ko, may nangyari samin ng officemate kong babae. Unprotected sex na naman. Im so stupid alam ko. :( Ewan ko ba anung pumasok sa utak ko nung oras na un. Simula nun di na ako makatulog ng maayos kakaisip. (Translation: I am so confused and I would like to add this. After I got tested on January 14, my officemates and I had a drink and I was so drunk that something happened between me and my officemate. It was another unprotected sex. I was so stupid :( I didn't know what got into me. Up to now, I can't sleep right because of what happened).

Nadiagnose din po ako last week Feb 13,  na may chlamydia. Kakatapos ko lang ng Doxy at Azithro. Nagpa HIV test po ulit ako nung Feb 13 sa sobrang takot ko. Non reactive po ulit. (Translation: I was also diagnosed with chlamydia last week February 13. I just finished my Doxy and Azithro. I took the test again last Feb 13 because I was so scared. Once again it was non-reactive).

May napansin lang po ako. After naming magsex nung office mate ko, nagkasakit sya, parang trangkaso ata. dun po lalo akong natakot. same kami ng nramdaman. Pareho kaming nilalamig pag nasa office. Pozziepinoy sobrang di ko na talaga alam ang ggawin ko!!! (Translation: I just observed this. After I had sex with my officemate, she got sick, like flu. Then I got scared. We had the same symptoms. We both get chilly in the office. Pozziepinoy, I really  don't know what to do).

Gusto ko na pong magkaron ng peace of mind. I have so many plans ngayong 2013, matatapos na ung feb wala pa din ako nasisimulan. araw araw akong nagiisip.  (Translation: I really want to have a peace of mind. I have so many plans this 2013 and February is ending and I haven't started anything yet. Everyday I am thinking).

anu po ba ang dapat kong gawin? (What should I do?)

POZZIEPINOY'S RESPONSE

Hi.

Thank you for your email. Thank you for the kind words about the blog. I am so glad that you were able to find it and found useful information about HIV.

I am proud of you for going to the doctor and getting consultations whenever you get sick. I applaud you for that. Most people just believe things in the internet instead of going to the doctor fast. Because the internet is a collection of information, people get more scared and  /or complacent instead of directly getting the advice from a doctor.

In your case, if you are worried about HIV, then get another test within the window period. If you still feel paranoid, get another test. It is a win-win situation, no matter what. You can take it as often as you want since you are not scared to take it. You are so brave and use that strength to your advantage.

With regards to your other symptoms, just keep on going back to your doctors, until finally they can treat them. Don't think anymore and let your doctors think for you based on your labs. Just believe in what they will tell you to do to calm down your nerves. You may also be thinking too much that you are contributing to your symptoms. 

Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy


CONTRIBUTOR’S RESPONSE

Hi,

I understand that you have a good grasp of medical knowledge and thus you can characterize most of your symptoms. Let me tell you that at this point, your partners are most of unknown status, they could be HIV positive but by probability the chance is higher that they are not.

From your lists of exposure ( unprotected oral sex, protected ? vaginal sex, unprotected ? vaginal sex), I will assume, the last one poses some risk if the girl is HIV positive.
The lists of symptoms you mentioned are all too non-specific to indicate whether you have been exposed to HIV or not but if I dissect your letters, these symptoms are well aggravated by your anxiety and at the least allergies.

Here is the bottom line, your two earlier HIV tests which are both non-reactive are already good indications that you were NOT exposed to HIV so far. I am just concerned with your Chlamydia. Remember that if you have concurrent STD, then your risk of getting HIV is magnified. For now and from your earlier tests ( though still within the window period), you are most likely NOT exposed to HIV. While waiting for the 3 months test,( you can take it as early as April 9), I think you should rest your mind, learn the lesson, stop those obsessive-compulsive thoughts and yes, you can already move on at this stage.

Stay safe.

Regards,

Phillip Tjr (MD)
Philippine Conributor



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