Expert: Terry B - 8/30/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
I have sore throat for over 2months now. It is getting worse by the day. My throat is red and I have slight swollen throat glands.  I have sometimes problem with swollen and with patches back of the throat in the beginning. I have no fever. My tonsils have been removed when I was younger so this cant be tonsillitis.  I made numerous visits to my GP and all I hear is my throat is fine. He says it is slight red but cant see any infection. In my last visit I was prescript Penicillin to treat possible strep, I did miss same intervals but overall it didn’t help me. If it doesn’t clear my GP said he put me on steroid.
I rather want to know what the course is so my question is what tests can be done to identify the course? Iam scared that it is something serious because all this has started after an oral sex with my ex-boyfriend 4 months ago. Iam worried the fact that it is getting worse and it may be  from HIV infection. I did experience diarea and chest infection  few months ago and sore throat ever since. My lymph nodes in the rest of my body were normal and no skin discolouration. i had open mouth sores during the oral sex. Please help.

Tina


ANSWER: Dear Tina:

Peace and all good things to you.  Did you tell your General Practitioner that you were concerned about possible Sexually Transmitted Infections?  As it seems you will be seeing him again, please do so.  It would not be routine to test for STI when someone presents with a sore throat - but given your report of persistent symptoms, I would confide in him your concerns so that he can better assess and provide you with appropriate treatment.

It is important that you have a good relationship with your primary health provider.  Medical ethics (and law, in most cases) prevent breach of confidentiality between you and your provider; trust and openness are essential for the best partnerships.  

If you are too uncomfortable with your GP to be open and honest about your concerns, you should consider finding another doctor.  You could find an anonymous counseling and testing center while you are looking to answer your questions about HIV or other possible infections you might have contracted.  It likely that your symptoms are due to some cause besides HIV (no lymph node swelling) but diagnostic tests are the only way to be sure.

Lastly, I need reiterate the importance of taking antibiotics exactly as prescribed.  Missing "some intervals" is serious and can not only keep the medication from working as it should, but also develop resistant infections.

I do wish you the best of health, and strongly suspect a good discussion with your GP will result in better informed and more effective treatment.  Please drop me a line in a few weeks to tell me how your discussion and treatment have helped.

Sincerely,

Terry

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you Terry, I will be going 2 a health clinic but when u say symptoms are due to some besides HIV , what do u mean ?

Tina

Answer
Dear Tina:

You are welcome.  I am not a physician and would not attempt to diagnose via Internet even if I were; I am merely commenting that:
1) Symptoms are not a good way to attempt determination of HIV infection;
2) Swollen lymph nodes are a common (but not necessary) complaint during initial HIV infection, and;
3) There are other STIs such as gonorrhea or yeast infections that might produce your described symptoms.

Thus my encouragement to see a health professional and disclose fully your concerns and risks.

Again, peace and good health to you and yours.

Terry