POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: lolacola881 on July 25, 2013, 04:57:22 pm
-
I had unprotected sex with a guy I didn't know almost two months ago. His baby momma informed me he shoots up dope, and shares needles with his brother who has herpes. I got tested at 4 weeks and 6 weeks and they both came back negative. I've read so many things on the internet 6 weeks is sometimes considered conclusive. and it's very unlikely for that result to change at the three month mark. Then I heard it's possible to have a inaccurate negative result before the 3 month mark. I don't know what to believe. I've read and heard some much information on testing, and the window period. Would my result only change if I engaged in high sexual behavior? Or if I had chemotherapy or a organ donated. I've heard if you test negative at 6 weeks it won't change at 3 months, but why do some sites say it can?
-
lola,
The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days.
A six week negative must be confirmed at the three month point, but is highly unlikely to change.
Just go get your confirmation at three months. Your hiv status is nothing to guess or be complacent about.
It doesn't matter how you become infected - the testing window remains the same.
You need to wise up and stop having unprotected sex with anyone - and not just freaking out and testing because someone else tells you the person you had unprotected sex with engages in certain activities.
Any time you have unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse you're putting yourself at risk for hiv and a whole host of other STIs as well.
Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:
You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together.
To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex without a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.
Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.
Anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.
If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results.
Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!
Ann
-
I would never ever do what I did again. I've learned a huge lesson from all of this, and I wouldn't go out and have sex with a random guy again and I will always use a condom ALWAYS regardless of who it is and their sexual history. This has been a life changing experience for me. It really woke up. But do you think I'm HIV negative?
-
Lola, with a negative result at 6 weeks the odds are in your favor that you are going to test negative again at 3 months. But only taking that test at the right time (3 months) can give you the result you are anxiously awaiting.
There is nothing more we can say at this point except I would say the odds look good that the result is going to be a happy one.
-
So you never heard of somebody testing negative at 6 weeks then testing positive at 3 months?
-
So you never heard of somebody testing negative at 6 weeks then testing positive at 3 months?
I have been given risk assessment on this forum for over ten years and I've not yet seen a six-week result change at the three month mark except in the rare cases of people undergoing chemotherapy which irradicates the white blood cells and makes antibtiotice temporarily impossible to form.
I have every faith that you get out of this OK.
-
lola,
While your result is highly unlikely to change, you still need to confirm at the three month point. I get the gut feeling you're wanting to not bother with it - but you do need to do it.
Don't forget to get checked out for all the other, MUCH more easily transmitted STIs as well. Many of them can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know is to test.
Chlamydia, for example, is very prevalent in the under 30s. It's often without symptoms and in women, can lead to infertility in the form of blocked tubes years later when you want to start a family.
Ann