Expert: Terry B - 1/29/2008

Question
Hi Terry, I know you have answered previous questions for me. I will really appreciate if you can answer this one for me too...

As you may recollect, I had a broken condom while having sex with a Thai CSW during my business trip to Singapore. the exposure was < 5 sec as the girl realized it and asked me to withdraw immediately. This incident was about 6 weeks back.

I read a lot about ARS symptoms on internet and though everyone cautions that using symptoms to understand HIV is not a good idea. However, I wanted to run the following through you:

In these 6 months, i never had fever (not even a single day). I has scracty/dry throat 2 weeks for about 10 days after exposure. Nothing bad enough that I needed to take any medicine.
Is this a sign of ARS?
Does ARS start with Fever in most case?
Does the fact that I took a flu vaccine affect my abilty to mask fever or ARS symptoms?

After about 4 weeks of exposure, I developed some redness/rash on my cheek bones. The rash sometimes looks bad and sometimes its OK. The rash is limited to my cheek bones, just under my eyes.
Is this ARS Rash?
Can ARS rash be limited to one area of body or is it more widespread?
Does ARS rash comes with Fever or not?

Finally, at about 3-4 weeks after exposure, I got a burning feeling in my mouth, more towards the end of throat. At the same time, i got a cut on my tounge. However, these things went away in a couple of days.
Could this be ARS related?

Thanks for your reply and patience with me
Sometimes, I get shaky feelings in my legs, it also goes and comes.  

Answer
Dear Andy:

Peace.  There's a reason "everyone" says diagnosis via symptoms is not a good idea.  It's not.  Get an HIV antibody test.  There's really no substitute.

And see your doctor about your symptoms.

Best to you and for your health,

Terry