show me symtoms ofAIDS?

Answer 1

other things can cause symptoms
May 28, 1999

Hello: i would like to take the time to tell your readers that there are many other things that can cause the same symptoms of aids.Including: diabetes, cancer,leukemia,lupus,stress and anxiety,poor nutrition etc. If people continue to test negative but are still obsessed with hiv they maybe doing irreparable harm by not trying to find out the real cause of their symptoms. Theres a thousand things that can weaken the immune system out there.




Response from Dr. Holodniy

Agreed. MH

What are the symptoms of HIV/AIDS?
I am making the following recommendations to persons concerned about symptoms that they may be having.
Carefully read all the information found on The Body's Safe Sex and Prevention Forum. It should answer the vast majority of questions regarding symptoms.

If you are having flu-like symptoms or a rash, I cannot tell you whether these may be due to acute viral syndrome (AVS) or not. Only HIV testing at six months can determine whether a person has HIV.

If you are having any symptoms that are not going away after one to two weeks, or if your symptoms are very severe, see your physician, regardless of what you think the cause of your symptoms may be.

If you have been exposed to HIV, consider getting tested six months after a possible exposure to the virus. This is true whether you are having symptoms or not. This is the only way to know whether you have been infected with HIV.

Remember that I cannot tell you whether your symptoms may be due to HIV or not. Because every symptom associated with HIV/AIDS looks like the symptoms of other illnesses, I cannot tell you if your personal symptoms may be related to HIV/AIDS. Again, only HIV testing can determine that.
I have seen a lot of people convincing themselves that they may have HIV, based on their symptoms. Many people have tried to "match their symptoms" to that of acute viral syndrome and full-blown AIDS. Please do not do this! It's very easy to convince yourself you have HIV/AIDS based on symptoms, when in fact you may not even be infected. I have personally seen many cases where a person convinced themselves that they had HIV (based on their symptoms), went through major stress and anxiety (for months or even years), and then turned up HIV negative six months or more after the exposure that they were concerned about. I'm trying to keep other people from going through the same unnecessary mental torment. The only thing that symptoms tell you is -- if they do not go away, or if they get very severe -- that you need to see a doctor. That's all they tell you. Please do not diagnose yourself based on symptoms!

You will also note that nobody, not you, me, or anybody on the Internet or at any AIDS hotline, can tell you if your symptoms may be HIV-related, without having laboratory tests done.

That said, let me review with you the symptoms of HIV/AIDS in detail.

The following information compares the symptoms of both recent HIV infection, and the symptoms due to full-blown AIDS. You will note that the symptoms of AIDS itself tend to be chronic, long-term and can occur over and over. This differs from the symptoms of recent HIV infection, which are acute, only last for a week or two, and do not occur over and over.

When we're talking about symptoms, it's important to remember that there are actually two periods of time when one may show symptoms.

Within the first four to six weeks after infection, some people with HIV (up to 70%) show symptoms due to acute viral syndrome (AVS). This occurs during your bodies initial response against the virus. During this time, a person may show symptoms that look exactly like the flu (headaches, body aches, fevers, fatigue, etc.). These symptoms do not appear as cold symptoms (coughing, sneezing, congestion, runny nose, etc.). A rash is sometimes seen, primarily in the upper portion of the body. The rash may or may not itch, and can be raised. There is no such thing as an "HIV/AIDS rash," and if a rash is seen at all, it resembles rashes seen from many other skin conditions. All of the symptoms last for a week or two, then go away by themselves. They do not persist for many weeks or months.

In some people with AVS, the symptoms can be very severe. In other people with HIV, these symptoms may be very mild. In still other people with HIV, they may not show these symptoms at all. A person may, or may not, show positive on an HIV test during this period of time. I must strongly emphasize here that all of the symptoms of AVS look exactly like the symptoms of other illnesses, so having flu symptoms or a rash does not indicate HIV infection, in of itself. It is also important to remember that not all people will get acute viral syndrome, and in those that do get it, the severity can vary significantly from person to person. Because AVS looks exactly like the symptoms of many other illnesses, nobody can tell you whether or not your symptoms are due to this syndrome. Only HIV testing can determine if a person has HIV or not.

I have had a lot of people come to me concerned about AVS, and exactly when it occurs. Can it happen in the first hour after an exposure? The first day? The first week? The first month? The first year?

Because the symptoms of AVS are so non-specific, it's difficult for anybody to determine the exact time that this syndrome occurs. The fact is, nobody can give you an exact time, since it can vary from person to person. Also remember that during this time, a person may or may not test positive. This makes it even more difficult to determine if symptoms are related to AVS or not. All anybody can say is that the symptoms occur within the first month or so (that is, within the first four to six weeks) after infection. The symptoms usually last for a week or two, although this, too, can vary from person to person. They do not however last for many weeks or months. And these symptoms do not occur in all people; the estimate is about 70% of people get this syndrome. That's all anybody can say.

How soon you get any symptoms after an exposure is unimportant and irrelevant. What is important is that if you've been exposed to the virus, that you get tested, regardless of whether you have symptoms or not. And if your symptoms are persistent or very severe, it's important that you see a physician, regardless of what you think the cause may be.

In regard to the symptoms related to full-blown AIDS, they don't usually begin until literally years after infection. Before that time, a person can look and feel totally healthy with no symptoms at all. As for the specific symptoms of AIDS, there are none. This is because AIDS is actually a group of diseases, and therefore you're dealing with literally dozens of different symptoms. Not everyone with AIDS has every disease and therefore not everyone has every symptom.

Every symptom of AIDS looks like the symptoms of other illnesses. There are no symptoms that are unique to AIDS. Symptoms can include severe weight loss, fevers, drenching night sweats, fatigue, purple-colored blotches on the skin, severe headaches, severe diarrhea -- the list goes on and on. Generally the symptoms tend to last for many weeks or months at a time, and do not go away by themselves (not without treatment). They can also recur over and over. Notice how this differs from the symptoms of AVS, which only lasts for a week or two, and does not recur over and over. AIDS symptoms are ongoing and can be very severe. AIDS related symptoms do not begin until an average of 10 years after infection. You can have HIV and even full-blown AIDS and have no symptoms at all!

Generally speaking, if you have any symptoms that last for more than one to two weeks and do not go away, or if you have any symptoms that are very severe, always seek medical attention, regardless of what you think the problem is. You can't assume any symptom is HIV/AIDS related until you get laboratory tests. Remember, every symptom related to HIV/AIDS looks like the symptoms of other illnesses. Therefore symptoms alone cannot determine whether a person has HIV or not. Nobody can tell you whether or not your symptoms are due to HIV/AIDS, without getting tested. That's why laboratory testing is so important.

Answer 2

It is not possible to reliably diagnose HIV infection or AIDS based on symptoms alone.

People living with HIV may feel and look completely well but their immune systems may nevertheless be damaged. It is important to remember that once someone is infected they can pass on HIV right away, even if they feel healthy.

As time passes without effective treatment, HIV weakens an infected person's immune system, making them much more vulnerable to opportunistic infections. These infections are caused by germs that are around us all the time but which can normally be fought off by a healthy immune system. Once HIV has broken down the body's defences, such infections can take hold and produce any of a wide range of symptoms - some of them very severe. Certain cancers also become more common when the immune system is weakened.


Such symptoms are, however, not caused directly by HIV, and they can't by themselves be interpreted as definite signs of HIV infection or AIDS. A diagnosis of AIDS requires signs of severe immune deficiency, which cannot be explained by any factor except HIV. This generally requires an HIV test.

The only way to know for sure whether a person is infected with HIV is for them to have an HIV test

Answer 3

Once full-blown or frank AIDS takes over when t-cell count dips below 200/mg of blood: symptoms may include, but are not limited to: kaposi sarcoma-cancer of the nerves
Pnuemocystis Carinii-a really bad infection of the lungs
Oral thrush-yellow white yeast on the tongue
Neuropathy-Dementia, Forgetfullness, swelling of the brain nerves
Severe waisting-weight loss
A form of TB
Hodgkins Disease-lymph nodes are affected
Salmonellis-like salmonella poisoning
severe diarrhea-up to 20-30 times/day
Shingles
Epstien Barr Virus-like Herpes
There are plenty others because these are all opportunistic infections that people with AIDS succumb to, especially because AIDS is the effect of HIV completely weakening and ruining the immune system.

Answer 4

Well you ovulate typically 14 days after your period so you would likely conceive then. Two weeks after conception most women are due for their periods that's why it is usually the first symptom (missing your period). I experienced some breast tenderness about 5 days before my period was due more so than you would with a period. Nausea doesn't usually show up till around 4-6 weeks. So I guess to answer your questions about 2 weeks before you notice some symptoms.

Answer 5

its hard to tell if someone has aids or not. aids victims can be alive for up to 10 years or so...you could only really tell when the virus is really advanced....im not an expert but i suggest if you have doubt go immediatly to take a blood test in a clinic or if you suspect someone else might have aids ask him/her to take a test ware protection when haveing intercourse(for your protection and your partners) and dont let or touch any blood or semen specially if you have an open cut or sore on you... unfortunately there is no cure for aids but an early detection can help ..

Answer 6

HIV Symptom Free Period
Becoming infected with HIV and becoming sick from AIDS are two different events. For most people, it takes many years from the time someone is infected with HIV to the time that they develop symptoms of AIDS. Some people get sick sooner and others stay well longer, especially with treatment. However, there is almost always a significant period of time after infection when an HIV-positive individual will have no symptoms at all -- often 10 years or more.
Keeping in mind the two separate events (becoming HIV-infected vs. actually developing AIDS) can help you to remember that there are also two separate time periods when someone may show symptoms related to HIV-infection.



HIV Early Symptoms
What are the early symptoms of HIV/AIDS?
Many people do not develop any symptoms when they first become infected with HIV. Some people, however, get a flu-like illness within three to six weeks after exposure to the virus. This illness, called Acute HIV Syndrome, may include fever, headache, tiredness, nausea, diarrhoea and enlarged lymph nodes (organs of the immune system that can be felt in the neck, armpits and groin). These symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for another viral infection.

During this period, the quantity of the virus in the body will be high and it spreads to different parts, particularly the lymphoid tissue. At this stage, the infected person is more likely to pass on the infection to others. The viral quantity then drops as the body's immune system launches an orchestrated fight.

More persistent or severe symptoms may not surface for several years, even a decade or more, after HIV first enters the body in adults, or within two years in children born with the virus. This period of "asymptomatic" infection varies from individual to individual. Some people may begin to have symptoms as soon as a few months, while others may be symptom-free for more than 10 years. However, during the "asymptomatic" period, the virus will be actively multiplying, infecting, and killing cells of the immune system.

Once HIV enters the human body, it attaches itself to a White Blood Cell (WBC) called CD4. Also, called T4 cells, they are the main disease fighters of the body. Whenever there is an infection, CD4 cells lead the infection-fighting army of the body to protect it from falling sick. Damage of these cells, hence can affect a person's disease-fighting capability and general health.

After making a foothold on the CD4 cell, the virus injects its RNA into the cell. The RNA then gets attached to the DNA of the host cell and thus becomes part of the cell's genetic material. It is a virtual takeover of the cell. Using the cell's division mechanism, the virus now replicates and churns out hundreds of thousands of its own copies. These cells then enter the blood stream, get attached to other CD4 cells and continue replicating. As a result, the number of the virus in the blood rises and that of the CD4 cells declines.

Because of this process, immediately after infection, the viral load of an infected individual will be very high and the number of CD4, low. But, after a while, the body's immune system responds vigorously by producing more and more CD4 cells to fight the virus. Much of the virus gets removed from the blood. To fight the fast-replicating virus, as many as a billion CD4 cells are produced every day, but the virus too increases on a similar scale. The battle between the virus and the CD4 cells continues even as the infected person remains symptom-free.

But after a few years, which can last up to a decade or even more, when the number of the virus in the body rises to very high levels, the body's immune mechanism finds it difficult to carry on with the battle. The balance shifts in favour of the virus and the person becomes more susceptible to various infections. These infections are called Opportunistic Infections because they swarm the body using the opportunity of its low immunity. At this stage, the number of CD4 cells per millilitre of blood (called CD4 Count), which ranges between 500 to 1,500 in a healthy individual, falls below 200. The Viral Load, the quantity of the virus in the blood, will be very high at this stage.

Opportunistic infections are caused by bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites. Some of the common opportunistic infections that affect HIV positive persons are: Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), Tuberculosis (TB), Salmonellosis, Bacillary Angiomatosis (all caused by bacteria); Cytomegalovirus (CMV), Viral hepatitis, Herpes, Human papillomavirus (HPV), Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) (caused by virus); Candidiasis, Cryptococcal meningitis (caused by fungus) and Pneumocystis Carinii pneumonia (PCP). Toxoplasmosis. Cryptosporidiosis (caused by parasites). HIV positive persons are also prone to cancers like Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphoma.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC), Atlanta has listed a series of diseases as AIDS-defining. When these diseases appear, it is a sign that the infected individual has entered the later stage of HIV infection and has started developing AIDS. The progression of HIV positive persons into the AIDS stage is highly individual. Some people can reach the AIDS stage in about five years, while some remain disease free for more than a decade. Measurement of the viral load and the CD4 count helps a doctor in assessing an infected person's health condition.



Later Symptoms of HIV
Following are the later symptoms of HIV:
Lack of energy
Weight loss
Frequent fevers and sweats
A thick, whitish coating of the tongue or mouth (thrush) that is caused by a yeast infection and sometimes accompanied by a sore throat
Severe or recurring vaginal yeast infections
Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease or severe and frequent infections like herpes zoster
Periods of extreme and unexplained fatigue that may be combined with headaches, lightheadedness, and/or dizziness
Rapid loss of more than 10 pounds of weight that is not due to increased physical exercise or dieting
Bruising more easily than normal
Long-lasting bouts of diarrhoea
Swelling or hardening of glands located in the throat, armpit, or groin
Periods of continued, deep, dry coughing
Increasing shortness of breath
The appearance of discoloured or purplish growths on the skin or inside the mouth
Unexplained bleeding from growths on the skin, from mucous membranes, or from any opening in the body
Recurring or unusual skin rashes
Severe numbness or pain in the hands or feet, the loss of muscle control and reflex, paralysis or loss of muscular strength
An altered state of consciousness, personality change, or mental deterioration
Children may grow slowly or fall sick frequently. HIV positive persons are also found to be more vulnerable to some cancers.