Expert: Codie Sprinkle - 12/30/2006

Question
Hello,

I apologize in advance if I am long winded, but I am pretty much freaking out! I am a late 30's female who was recently pregnant (in August)from my long term (11+ years)partner. Right in the beginning of the pregnancy, even before I knew I was pregnant, I had to pee constantly. I had a UTI in February and it felt similar so my primary put me on antibiotics. It did not go away. They tried another antibiotic and it still did not go away. Then through a urine test I found out I was pregnant. At my first gyno appt. no heartbeat was found and I had a D & C. Right after, I started having the urge to pee again as well as really bad lower abdominal pain. I took a course of Keflex, and it seemed to get better. (I went to my primary and found out I never had a UTI in the first place, no one ever bothered to check the results the first time, I love my HMO!)

Then all sort of weird things started to happen to me. My mouth got really dry for several weeks. I thought my tongue seemed coated but both my doctor and a dentist laughed off thrush and said it looked pretty normal. Then I had a week or so of canker sores. Then it all stopped except I have a small lump inside my upper lip. I do not know maybe I am crazy and it has always been there but I do not know, it does nothing and gets no bigger, but it is still there. I also have a small black line on the gum under one of my teeth. (I have very bad gum disease as it is.)But all the things I read about HIV have scared the crap out of me!

Now to top it all off I have some kind of an eye infection. Both my eyes are buring and bloodshot. I got an antibiotic drop at urgent care last week, but it is worse now. On Tuesday I had a paptest, and got tested for HIV, HSV, and every STD under the sun. I was tested for HIV in early 2005 and also all STD's and it was negative and I have not been with anyone in any kind of sexual way except my boyfriend. (Who has never been tested for anything, but has never had any symptoms of anything and we have been together for all those years, and he had one experience of intercourse with another girl, but it was well over 8 years ago.)

Well I am terrified I have HIV, but my question is this, would it be possible for me to be getting all these kinds of symptoms (mouth sores, eye infections, vaginal issues)so soon, since I tested negative a little less than 2 years ago??

I am sitting here waiting for my results going so insane I had to take 3 xanax and I have chewed off all of my nails!

Answer
I think you have nothing to worry about.  Your mucous membranes could be infected which happens to a lot of people.  When you get your results and if they're negative, (which I am sure they will be), then tell your doctor you want a biopsy done on the lump in your mouth.  This could be caused from your gum disease.  I have bad eye infections all the time, it is called conjunctivitis.  I am not saying this is your problem but it could be.  Good luck with everything.