Fuck 'flu Or Normal 'flu

[ultrafuck]

Hi Guys,

 

Maybe I'm just over-reacting, but I have something on my mind I'd like to share.  Three weeks ago, I met this hot guy who was in to pretty much everything "sane", and we had an afternoon of hot, raunchy sex.  We spoke about barebacking, and he told me that he does not know his status, usually barebacks top if the bottom agrees (which I did, of course - although I'm pretty choosey about whom I let bb me), and we got on with the job.  At first he fucked me nicely and deeply, but didn't cum inside me (in fact, he didn't cum at all), choosing rather to change to fisting me.  The fisting was long and hot, and I have never had a guy's arm so deeply inside me.  I wanted him to try to his elbow, but he couldn't seem to twist his hand enough to enter the transverse colon, but it was still deeper than ever before.

 

I also drank a lot of his piss, and rimmed him deeply (inadvertently got a couple of bits of solid stuff, but just swallowed without thinking about it).

 

Ten days later, I came down with a bad dose of 'flu.  It stills persists today, ten days after it started, although is slowly improving.  There are some factors involved here: firstly, there is a lot of 'flu going around where I live at the moment (after a particularly shitty summer); secondly, due to a death in my immediate family, almost two months ago, I have been under an enormous amount of psychological stress lately, which obviously has an effect on the immune system, and could be why I so easily caught the 'flu (I don't often succumb to the bug).

 

Of course, my question is: is this fuck 'flu or just ordinary 'flu?  I am not asking for answers, just wondering what you guys think.  I was last checked for HIV 18 months ago, and despite being fucked regularly by two bb fuck buddies, who are poz, I stayed neg.  It's been the same in the past, too - bb and neg results.  I went to my doctor two days OK, just for a check on this 'flu, but did not mention the sex.  He did various tests, told me it'll just take a while to improve, and gave me an anti-inflammatory for my chest, which is slightly congested.

 

So, I guess I just have to ride this out, and see what happens.  I'd appreciate any comments. Thanks.

[ultrafuck]

By the way, I have had no fever, nor fatigue.  Just the usual cold symptoms, and a cough, with blocked ears.  Slight bronchitis, but it doesn't need antibiotics.

[fskn]

Just my usual PSA for others who might find this thread in the future...

1. Ask for PEP in any hospital emergency room, as soon as possible after an unexpected, unwanted HIV exposure. Post-Exposure Prophylaxis -- a one-time, 30-day course of HIV drugs, ideally hand-picked based on your sexual partner's own drug regimen -- is standard in US emergency medicine.

2. Ask for a qualitative PCR RNA HIV viral load test. Conventional HIV tests check for HIV antibodies, which can take time to show up. This test checks for the virus itself, providing an answer just days after exposure. Unlike the quantitative tests used by people who are already Poz, the qualitative version provides a yes/no answer.

3. Otherwise, ask for a fourth-generation HIV antibody test. Although still antibody tests, these yield results weeks after exposure rather than months after.

Good luck!

[ultrafuck]

Strangely, enough, fskn (and thanks for the advice!), I really am more worried about getting over this 'flu than HIV.  Does that sound weird?

[Guest JizzDumpWI]

Doesn't sound weird at all...  Your flu right now is real and present.  HIV not necessarily so; and if so; the symptoms after seroconversion illness (IF that is what is going on) will pass.  

 

Testing more frequently than every 18 months would be the popular options package.     I retest every 3 months.  If you can get on PrEP; that would seemingly be preferable for your long term health; but downside of HIV is much less than ever right now; and progress in treatment continues.  fskn gives some great advice, you could easily have the HIV answer within the week.  If you seroconvert and would be on meds anyway; then no harm, no foul in getting on PrEP now; and improve your overall health (and international travel) options.  

[fskn]

Strangely, enough, fskn (and thanks for the advice!), I really am more worried about getting over this 'flu than HIV.  Does that sound weird?

It doesn't sound weird at all, ultrafuck!

I agree with JizzDumpWI. Your flu is palpable and immediate whereas being Poz would a delayed and more diffuse reality.

I am just hoping that whatever you want to happen happens, and that you will be in good health either way.

If you are chasing, maybe this is the moment you've been waiting for. If not, I hope it's just a regular flu.

Your pierced nipple is really sexy, if I may distract you for a moment! :-)

[bearbandit]

1. Ask for PEP in any hospital emergency room, as soon as possible after an unexpected, unwanted HIV exposure. Post-Exposure Prophylaxis -- a one-time, 30-day course of HIV drugs, ideally hand-picked based on your sexual partner's own drug regimen -- is standard in US emergency medicine.

From the time of exposure you've got 72 hours to get PEP: after that time limit any HIV infection is going to be too well established for PEP to work

[ultrafuck]

Thanks, guys, for the comments.

 

Actually, I like what I read from bearbandit - it's too late now to do PEP (I presume that's the same as PrEP?).  I just want to get rid of this fucking 'flu I have, but it IS improving, and all I have now is a hacking cough.  Oddly enough, I somehow have this wish that I am now infected with HIV, but don't know if I really am.  It'll cause a lot of hassles in my life, but they are manageable; meds are not exactly what I want to take for a lifetime, but I'm addicted anyway to Xanax, so, if I am HIV, a few more won't hurt.  Maybe I am finally finding the freedom I have been looking for for ages.  We'll see.  

 

I suppose an HIV test at the moment is not a good idea, because it's not been the three months since possible infection.  I'll ride it out, and get myself tested in November - perhaps.

 

I'll keep you informed.

[bearbandit]

PEP and PrEP are different things. PrEP, pre-exposure prophylaxis, is a daily dose of truvada (itself composed of two drugs emtricitabine and tenofovir) which is, in the USA, prescribed to guys who are HIV- to prevent them getting HIV. You need to have quarterly blood tests to check on the health of your kidneys and liver and that you are still HIV-.

PEP (post exposure prophylaxis) which is taken for a month after a possible exposure to HIV. If it isn't started within 72 hours, it's pretty useless as the virus is, by then, too embedded in the system. Basically it's a three drug combination the same as someone who has HIV might take. At present truvada (two drugs in one, remember) backed up with raltegravir is a popular choice among doctors. It's essential to take PEP exactly as prescribed to maintain drug levels in the system: you can't afford them to slip in case you really did pick up HIV. If one of the drugs prescribed is raltegravir, that one is formulated to be taken every 12 hours, so you have to make sure it's 12 hours, not eleven or thirteen hours between doses. Think of it as "the morning after pill"...

[ultrafuck]

Thanks for the interesting explanation, bearbandit!  I think I'll just leave it, and see what transpires.  Maybe I'll finally become poz after all.

[ultrafuck]

Whom I am trying to kid?  I KNOW I want it.  It's just the insecurity before actually finding out - that'll be a few months yet.

[Poz1956]

The modern 4th generation Antibody/P24 Antigen lab blood test can pick up a Poz result starting at about three weeks after exposure.  More than 95% of people are producing sufficient antibodies to test Poz by four weeks.  The standard Western Blot confirmatory test is netorious for taking about 5-6 weeks to register.

 

If you really think you're experiencing suro-conversion illness the doctor or clinic can order NAAT RNA testing which looks for the actual virus, rather than antibodies or angigen.  It can detect the virus at about 10-12 days.

 

There is no need to wait for three months to get tested.  Since you think you are experiencing the fuck flu, (if it acually is HIV), there is probably enough immyne response to be found by the antibody/antigen test.

 

Rather than wait and worry go get tested NOW.  Better for your own health.  Better for the health of they guys you play with.  Better for your broader gay community.

[ultrafuck]

Healthy again, and over it.  Probably was just the 'flu.  I stay with the status "Not sure, Probably poz", and shall fuck BB as always.