A service provided by the BC Centre for Disease Control
In the years since SmartSexResource launched, we have developed a library of questions asked by you, and answered by our expert sexual health nurses.
Our answered questions library cover a broad range of sexual health topics and common questions we hear at our clinics.
Hi, and thanks for writing in again.
If you have a negative 4th Generation HIV antibody test done 12 weeks after a sexual risk or exposure, then you can be reassured that you do not have HIV from this encounter.
Sore, swollen lymph nodes are what we call a “non-specific” symptom which means it could be attributed to any number of things, most likely a common cold or some other viral throat infection. Swollen lymph nodes are not specifically a symptom of HIV or of seroconversion.
It does sound like you are maybe feeling quite anxious about an HIV infection, and so you may want to consider speaking with a counsellor or another health care provider such as a doctor or nurse if you are having difficulty trusting the negative result from your multiple HIV tests.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions
or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for writing in with your question
The window period (time between when a person comes in contact with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and when the STI will show up on a test) for HIV is 3 months. If you have had a negative HIV antibody test 3 months or more after the encounter, this means that you do not have HIV.
Unfortunately it is not possible to determine what is causing your symptoms without seeing you in person. I recommend revisiting your doctor for further assessment if you are worried about continued symptoms. However, what I can tell you is that none of the symptoms that you have described are symptoms specific to an HIV infection. These symptoms could be caused by any number of different things.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi there, and thanks for writing in.
The window period (time between when a person comes in contact with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and when the STI will show up on a test) for HIV is 3 months. If you have had a negative HIV antibody test 3 months or more after the encounter, this means that you do not have HIV.
Actually I can see that you have written to us previously with this same question. It is very difficult to live in a place where there is still a lot of stigma around HIV. It is also difficult to function in everyday life when we feel this much anxiety. It seems from your question and from the number of times that you have posted that question, that you are feeling a lot of anxiety about the possibility of an HIV infection. The fact is, you’ve had a negative test result more than 3 months after the encounter. This means that you are HIV negative.
The symptoms that we sometimes see associated with HIV seroconversion are what we call non-specific symptoms. This means that while swollen lymph nodes can be present with an HIV infection, for example, they can also be present with a multitude of other harmless things, such as a common cold.
Interestingly enough, all the symptoms that you’ve described to me can also be attributed to high levels of continued stress and anxiety. When we are feeling particularly anxious we don’t sleep. And when we don’t sleep, we get sick. When we are worried, maybe we don’t eat a normal healthy diet. And when we don’t eat, we lose weight.
In sexual health, we often meet people who are experiencing anxiety about an infection, but when we talk about it further, we discover that the actual feelings are around a new or different sexual encounter that the person feels unsure or ashamed about. I cannot determine exactly where your anxiety is coming from, but perhaps this is true for yourself.
At this point, I would strongly recommend that you see a professional counsellor or a healthcare professional about the level of anxiety you are feeling. Sometimes talking through these things in person can be helpful and counsellors have a lot of different tips and tricks to help people work through their anxious thoughts. In any case, further testing for HIV will likely not be helpful at this time, and will indeed most likely be more harmful to your mental health.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
Most people do not experience the whole body symptoms of fever and aches with recurrent (repeat) outbreaks. Area-specific symptoms such as itching, tingling skin or sores are the most common symptoms.
You may still feel a bit tired or unwell during a second or subsequent outbreak but it is unlikely to be as severe as the first time. Getting plenty of rest, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining a low stress level are all things that can help you get through an outbreak, and indeed can help keep new outbreaks away in the first place as these things contribute to a healthy, strong immune system.
If you haven’t had a chance yet, I would encourage you to have a look at our Herpes: Patient’s Guide. It’s quite comprehensive, but there is lots of helpful info for you to look at as needed.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns. Health Nurse
Based on what you have shared with me it sounds like there are no significant exposures to indicate an HSV infection. Herpes is passed by skin-to-skin contact between one person who has the virus and another who does not. This contact needs to be directly with the part of the body where aperson has the virus. For example, if someone has oral herpes, their mouth is the area of the body that has the virus, not their genitals. The type of contact that usually transmits herpes involves skin rubbing on skin, like kissing or sexual activity. It also is possible for herpes to be passed if one person touchesthe part of their body that has herpes (like their genitals) and then immediately touches another person’s mouth or genitals. Sharing sex toys between one person and another without changing condoms or washing toyscan also pass the virus.
The chance of passing herpes is highest when there is an active outbreak (when sores or blisters are visible, or prodrome symptoms are present). There is no risk of passing herpes throughgeneral household activities. You can’t get herpes from a toilet seat or furniture, or fromsharing a bed or hugging someone with herpes.The herpes virus is fragile and doesn’t live more than a few minutes on most surfaces. The virus is easily killed by soap and water. Unless an item, like a spoon or a towel, is going directly from one person’s mouth or genitals to another person, there is no need to worryabout sharing household items.
Although there is no major risk exposure in the case that you’ve mentioned to me, these are the key clinical indicators of an active herpes outbreak/infection
GENERAL SYMPTOMS CAN INCLUDE:
• One or more sores that look like
water blisters, cuts, or broken skin
• The skin can feel itchy, tingling, burning, raw, or painful
• Fever, headache, or muscle aches
• Feel tired and not well
SYMPTOMS OF GENITAL HERPES CAN INCLUDE:
• Pain in your legs or buttocks
• The lymph nodes in the groin can be swollen and tender
• Painful urination (peeing)
• A change in vaginal discharge
• Swollen genitals
Does this answer your question? Please let us know.
Having abnormal vaginal discharge may or may not be an sexually transmitted disease. The best way to determine the cause of your discharge is to see a healthcare professional and discuss your symptoms with them. I have attached a link for you to find a clinic within British Columbia. https://smartsexresource.com/get-tested/clinic-finder
Does this answer your question? Please let us know.
Hi, and thanks for your question
While HIV can technically be passed through breastmilk, we typically see this from a mother who has HIV to an infant when the baby actually ingests breastmilk during regular breastfeeding multiple times per day. If the breastmilk only came in contact with your skin, then there would not be a risk. And as you’ve pointed out, the HIV status of your partner is unknown.
The 4th Generation HIV antibody test is the standard test used in Canada and the results are accurate at 12 weeks after exposure, as someone who has acquired HIV will have detectable antibodies at this time. Since you’ve tested several times beyond the 12-week mark and your results were all negative, this means that you do not have HIV.
The symptoms you are describing are not specific to HIV and could be contributed to many things including common viruses and infections of the mouth. If you are concerned about your symptoms, I would recommend visiting a doctor for further assessment beyond HIV testing.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi
There are no specific symptoms that are exclusive to HIV. If someone gets HIV the symptoms they could get can also be caused by many different medical conditions. Given this people are unable to use symptoms as a way to determine if they have HIV or not. The only way to find out if you have HIV is by doing a HIV test.
To answer your question boils would not be a symptom that is specific to HIV. People with and without HIV can develop boils. As you have a symptom and are worried about HIV I would recommend going for a HIV test.
It can be common for people to worry about HIV if they develop symptoms after a possible risk. In these situations we recommend that people go for a HIV test to find out their status, if there was a risk that could have passed HIV.
Let us know if you have any further questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
As long as your HIV test was done at least 3 months after the sexual encounter, the results will be accurate and there should be no need for further HIV testing
The symptoms you are describing are not specific to an HIV infection. If you are concerned about your symptoms you may want to visit your care provider or doctor for further assessment beyond STI testing.
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse
Hi, and thanks for your question
This can definitely be normal. Some people have bigger more palpable (able to be felt) lymph nodes very close to the surface of the body, especially if a person is on the thinner side. Others are naturally smaller and a bit deeper down and less easy to feel. The fact that they are not causing you any pain is a good thing.
Of course we also do recommend regular testing for STIs including chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV for all sexually active individuals regardless of whether there may be symptoms or not as many STIs don’t have any symptoms at all.
Have a look at our Clinic Finder to locate a clinic near you for testing
Let us know if this does not answer your question or if you have any more questions or concerns.
Health Nurse