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Big Chunk Of Brown Mucus In Cough,dry Cough,with Yellow Mucus,Sexual Encounter,oral Sex Given,HIV Infected?
Question: I had a sexual encounter with another man on March 28, 2011. What we did was:
- XXXXXXX kissing
- He sucked my penis "I did not perform oral sex on him because I have braces so I was afraid of cuts in my mouth"
To my knowledge a sexual encounter of this magnitude is considered safe. I don't really see how I was exposed to hiv but I'm aware unprotected oral sex could lead to other STDS. I have had no symptoms until exactly 4 weeks later. I developed a cough. This morning I coughed up one big chunk of brown mucus and now throughout the day my cough is sometimes dry and sometimes it is mixed with a bit of yellow mucus.
Could you please ease my mind and tell me what exactly is happening to me? Is it possible this is an early hiv symptom?
I read somewhere that coughing is a possible symptom of Acute Retroviral Syndrome but I don't think that sexual encounter was risky at all. Could you please shed some light on this situation. I will also mention Iam a smoker.
- XXXXXXX kissing
- He sucked my penis "I did not perform oral sex on him because I have braces so I was afraid of cuts in my mouth"
To my knowledge a sexual encounter of this magnitude is considered safe. I don't really see how I was exposed to hiv but I'm aware unprotected oral sex could lead to other STDS. I have had no symptoms until exactly 4 weeks later. I developed a cough. This morning I coughed up one big chunk of brown mucus and now throughout the day my cough is sometimes dry and sometimes it is mixed with a bit of yellow mucus.
Could you please ease my mind and tell me what exactly is happening to me? Is it possible this is an early hiv symptom?
I read somewhere that coughing is a possible symptom of Acute Retroviral Syndrome but I don't think that sexual encounter was risky at all. Could you please shed some light on this situation. I will also mention Iam a smoker.
Hello XXXXXXX and thanks for your query.
Let me provide you with some information and reassurance. I would say that it is very unlikely that your current symptoms are related to an HIV infection. What you have is more than likely related to an upper respiratory infection or bronchitis. These are typically self-limited processes which clear within 7 to 10 days.
Now, back to your concern regarding HIV transmission. The odds that HIV infection was transmitted via your recent oral sexual encounter is quite low. It is very remotely possible that infection could be transmitted from a positive partner giving oral sex to a negative partner.
I would recommend to set your mind completely at ease that you obtain a screening HIV test. We perform these tests quite routinely in a primary care setting or at local health departments. If you are reluctant to do this, you could consider purchasing an over the counter testing kit which is available at your local pharmacy. I think honestly in order to restore absolute peace of mind you should obtain testing.
I hope this information has been helpful and that I have provided you with some good reassurance. If needed, I am available for your followups.
Regards,
Dr. Robert Galamaga
Let me provide you with some information and reassurance. I would say that it is very unlikely that your current symptoms are related to an HIV infection. What you have is more than likely related to an upper respiratory infection or bronchitis. These are typically self-limited processes which clear within 7 to 10 days.
Now, back to your concern regarding HIV transmission. The odds that HIV infection was transmitted via your recent oral sexual encounter is quite low. It is very remotely possible that infection could be transmitted from a positive partner giving oral sex to a negative partner.
I would recommend to set your mind completely at ease that you obtain a screening HIV test. We perform these tests quite routinely in a primary care setting or at local health departments. If you are reluctant to do this, you could consider purchasing an over the counter testing kit which is available at your local pharmacy. I think honestly in order to restore absolute peace of mind you should obtain testing.
I hope this information has been helpful and that I have provided you with some good reassurance. If needed, I am available for your followups.
Regards,
Dr. Robert Galamaga
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Thank you for your quick response doctor.
I guess what I'm trying to ask if you had seen patients who complained from a sudden cough. I do understand that it is very likely this could be related to smoking but reading online that a dry cough is a possible symptom of Acute Retroviral Syndrome has me worried "not sure if that is true or not". Have you seen what im experiencing with other patients? I thought ARS symptoms are similar to flu symptoms and respiratory symptoms are usually not associated with ARS. Could you give me your insight on that please? Thank you again.
I guess what I'm trying to ask if you had seen patients who complained from a sudden cough. I do understand that it is very likely this could be related to smoking but reading online that a dry cough is a possible symptom of Acute Retroviral Syndrome has me worried "not sure if that is true or not". Have you seen what im experiencing with other patients? I thought ARS symptoms are similar to flu symptoms and respiratory symptoms are usually not associated with ARS. Could you give me your insight on that please? Thank you again.
Hello and thanks for the followup.
There are so many symptoms included in acute retroviral syndrome and while a dry cough may be one of them, I would be hesitant to be so suspicious that your cough is related to ARS. You are correct in stating that flu-like symptoms are associated with ARS - fatigue, fevers etc. I have seen what you are reporting in patients who have simple upper respiratory infections caused by bacteria or viruses other than HIV. I more commonly have picked up HIV infection in patients who have no symptoms at all.
I have to say that you would be doing a disservice to yourself if you did not obtain HIV testing regardless of symptoms and I would encourage you to do so soon.
Thanks again for your query and followup. I wish you continued good health in the future as well.
Regards,
Dr. Galamaga
There are so many symptoms included in acute retroviral syndrome and while a dry cough may be one of them, I would be hesitant to be so suspicious that your cough is related to ARS. You are correct in stating that flu-like symptoms are associated with ARS - fatigue, fevers etc. I have seen what you are reporting in patients who have simple upper respiratory infections caused by bacteria or viruses other than HIV. I more commonly have picked up HIV infection in patients who have no symptoms at all.
I have to say that you would be doing a disservice to yourself if you did not obtain HIV testing regardless of symptoms and I would encourage you to do so soon.
Thanks again for your query and followup. I wish you continued good health in the future as well.
Regards,
Dr. Galamaga
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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