Making myself sick thinking about possible hiv infection

[Worriedsick106]

I am a 21 year old female. One year ago I made a mistake that has forever haunted me. I had unprotected vaginal sex with this random guy after a drunken night. Shortly after that, I'd say a month, I met my boyfriend  whom Ive been with now it's been almost a year. We have had unprtected sex as I was on bc...just recently stopped the pill tho. This will relate as my story unravels. Just about a week and a half ago I started getting weird feelings in my stomach, just generally a sick feeling. For a couple of days, not very much, I got hot flashes and chills. No night sweats really. One time I felt all hot and anxious my heart was palpitating so fast. During this time I had such trouble sleeping. Could be anxiety but the heart palpiations lasted pretty much until my stomach symptoms were gone (atleast I think its stomach). This all lasted 5-6 days. Now that that's done with I feel a weird urge to always swallow like my throat is irritated or like there's a lump in it or something and I check it allll he time and it looks fairly normal maybe a little red. No white stuf flike I've red about...yet anyways Im praying. The biggest thing now though besides the throat is this weakness I'm feeling in my leg muscles. Not enough to keep my from my daily life activities but enough so that I notice I'm not myself. Sometimes I get random tingling in my left arm off and on. It's strange. Everyone is not taking me seriously but perhaps that's because they dont know of my stupid encounter a year ago. I know i know i know get tested for hiv but that's a lot to handle, I need to mentally prepare myself so it's been delayed but I will go. I have hypochondriac tendencies but this muscle weakness/fatigue for 3 days seems odd. I never had ARS symptoms in thne time frame they are supposed to occur. Either has my steady bf, who if I am infected, would probably have hiv as we've done it unprotected many many times. Also, I have no rash or fever, I can't feel my lymph nodes and my friends tell me if they were swollen Id feel them easily. However, I have this weird itch all over but no bumps or flaky skin, just generally more itchiness.  My main questions are:
1) what does this sound like? Is it normal to have these symptoms a year after cause I read symptoms in healthy ppl usually dont show up until years after? could I be THAT unlucky that I'm that small percentage that experiences symptoms and develops AIDS within a year? Would I know if I had AIDS? So basically a year later is it common to have these symptoms be honest i can handle it I think:(
2) what are the chances me and my bf are both infected but both never experienced ars symptoms.

ps. I realize my symptoms are varied that's what's so confusing, I went to a clinic initially who said it was stomach flu but now I know better because I'm pretty sure leg muscle weakness even if associated with teh flu wouldn't last very long.  I just picture my funeral allllll the time and it's really just always in the back of my head. My family nor bf who wants to marry me could handle this. Thank you.

[Teak]

Get tested..Simple as that. Both of you go together and get tested. A test is the only way to know if you were infected or not.

[Worriedsick106]

Yes I will, I was just wondering how common these symptoms are though in the time frame Ive given you with all the background. Sorry just so curious I cannot find anything on symptoms one year after exposure and not the usual 2-3 weeks.

[Teak]

You can't diagnose HIV by symptoms. Half of the people infected with HIV didn't have symtoms and  won't unless they are not on medication.

[Worriedsick106]

As a Doctor, how would you assess my situation just by reading my story. Obviously not accurate and yes I will get tested but I would value your opinion of my questions regardless.

[Teak]

Dr. HHH is not in this forum. You have to post your question and pay your 15 bucks in the Expert Forum HIV Prevention.

[Worriedsick106]

Also, I'm very curious, how long after exposure to hiv would someone develop recurrent yeast infections. Would this likely happen within 4 months- a year after exposure? Or is it more common after years of infection. I understand this is a common problem for many women with other causes but I read different things about the link between hiv and vaginal yeast infections. Some say early sign, some say a much later sign when the cd4 count is really low. If there is a link between the two it seems strange that it would happen within the first year after exposure but who knows. Anybody know some facts about people with hiv and when they experienced this as a symptom?

[Rangers22]

I'm a little confused.  You say your exposure was over a year ago, instead of worrying about symptoms why don’t you just go get tested today.  

[Xhost]

I know it must be difficult going through what you are going through. I know it must be hard keeping your emotions, and all those strange, rampant thoughts, in check. And I also know that it must be affecting your relationship with your current boyfriend. All of this must be adding to your stress level, which, as far as I can tell, seems to be off the charts entirely. Whew, you are stressed, I can feel it seeping, screaming out of your message.

But, before we get *too* stressed out, let's all take a very deep breath, and think rationally about all of this. I know, it's hard, but it *may* be done. And we shall do so now, I think. It's about time, don't you think? Breath in, breath out, and then do it again about a hundred more times.

First things first. The chances that you may have been infected with HIV in the scenarios that you described are very, very small. Trust me. It most likely, most, most, most, likely did not happen. That's just facts, Ma'am, care to believe it or not. That's just the way it is.

Now, I know that does not completely alleviate your concerns. How could it? You have built this all up in your mind so much that it seems like the end of the world. The end of your world, and the end of your boyfriend's world. How horrible! You may have a terrible disease, and you may have infected your beloved with that same disease!

Except, except, except...You probably didn't. You probably didn't come anywhere close to doing that. You probably had no chance of doing that. No chance at all. Oh, the fleeting drama.

If you are worried, you may safely visit any health clinic in your city and obtain a reliable HIV test. You will be negative. I feel so confident saying this, I cannot tell you. If only I were so confident betting on the Superbowl, I could buy and sell you ten times over.

But I am not. Damn it all to hell. I do, though, feel this confident telling you to go ahead and take the test and to put this all behind you once and for all. You have the power to do so in your grasp right now. So, you know, why do you need me to tell you this?

You don't. Take control now. Go get the test and sleep soundly tonight. It will be negative.

[Worriedsick106]

I know it's just I don't know if I can face it, I'm seriously contemplating even going just cause it's too much to handle the shock may just kill me. My whole life would be shattered. I haven't ahd any strange symptoms what so ever and Im very conscious of my body so I'd remember ARS even if only slightly. My bf has also never complained of any illness at all which has lead me to be secure in my mind for the past 11 months. Just now the weird symptoms although I feel most are now slowly subsiding and this is why now at this moment in time I'm concerned. My boyfriend, my family and his family mean the world to me, if theyre un happy/not in the picture/disgusted, whatever it may be...my world is gone. How could you not resent someone who is killing ur son. Good god even cancer would be better seeing as how atleast I wouldn't be the one to blame. I know ok there's a big chance it's not hiv and who's NOT going to tell me that. I just can't even sleep at night and im wondering if it will only get worse if I get that test back and it's positive. It's too much to handle especially when I can't tell anyone. I can't put my family through that I can just see it now my god, everyones going through other stresses helping my grandma cope with cancer it would just be out of this world horrific and devastating. Sorry for the life explanation but there you have it on why I haven't gotten tested. Having only sundays off makes allotting a good time to set up an apt. Having your hopes and dreams of having a happy marriage with children and grandchildren thrown down the drain is not something I can deal with until I muster up some courage cause I will be facing it alone, I won't tell anyone except my bf who wont tell his well to do family what a shame he would be. Thanks there's nothing I can do but get tested so either way the stress will kill me why not just go so that's what I'll have to do.