Please help me, I'm very very scared!!!

[worried99]

Dear all, I hope you will help answer me.

I'm from Cambodia, the hiv rate is quite a bit higher than neighbor countries.
I had low risk in March 2010, I thought the condom broke (i'm not sure) with CSW.
That time even after ejaculation, I still continued like 10 strokes before I pulled off.

- After 2 months or 8.5 weeks (62 days) I tested negative at government free test center. Then I decide to move on without going to test at 3 months mark (FYI: window period here: test at 3 months and retest again at 6 months).

Later after more than a year start from July 2011 (till now), I've so many many HIV symptoms including low WBC, I took medications but never go away.

I decided to test 2 times in August 2011:
16 months rapid test negative
16 months 2 weeks rapid test negative

Summary tests history: (All tests took at government free test center)
- 2 months: Rapid test negative
- 16 months: Rapid test Negative
- 16 months 2 weeks: Rapid test negative

What made me so worried The free rapid tests are NOT 4th generations. And some people even they tested with 4th gen they still worried

Questions:



1. Are there any chances of false negative?

2. I am a weak person, and I've read on internet that weak people (weak immune system), and some people with hiv at very late stage could not be detected by antibodies tests (not reach it's detected level) or false negative.
This make me super worried, could be the sympthoms all from late stage hiv?

3. I believe my blood rapid tests were tested by abbott determine hiv 1/2 (i'm not sure), http://www.determinetest.com/about_hiv/how_to_use.aspx

Have you ever known that test kit? are they good at accuracy?

4. I also called helpline in my country (they answer to hiv related questions). They said my tests are not 100% conclusive but only highly negative.

5. If i decide to test again, do i need to test at private clinic and ask for 4th generation? Or same free government test is fine?


Thanks you

[Ann]

Worried,

A person who is hiv positive will test positive usually by six WEEKS, certainly by three months, REGARDLESS of what generation test is used.

The fourth generation tests will pick up an infection slightly earlier than first or second generation tests.

A fourth generation test can often pick up an infection in two to three weeks where it may have taken a first or second generation test four to six weeks to pick up the same infection.

1. No. You tested hiv negative far outside the window period several times.

2. Even people with weak immune systems would have tested positive by sixteen months if they did have hiv, regardless of what generation test is used.

3. That test is well known, accurate and trusted.

4. You do not have hiv. You are conclusively hiv negative.

5. You do not need further testing but if you do test again, any test will do.

You do NOT have hiv. You are conclusively hiv negative.

Ann

[worried99]

Thanks admin,

What about my so many sympthoms more than half a year, dizzyness, swollen lymp nodes,.....? I also have low white blood count recent general blood test.

I forgot to mention also I had fungal infection at genital area in July 2011 but gone after meds, and after that I started to have multiple sympthoms.

since about a week ago, I started to have something red red small small on my skin on my leg, on my arm, on my chest....


What is that?

Could that be late stage of hiv? Could my tests were false negative or not?

[Andy Velez]

You have more than reliably tested negative for HIV. Whatever your symptoms maybe, HIV is not the problem.

If you have continuing symptoms you should be discussing them with your doctor instead of attempting to misdiagnose them yourself.

You are HIV negative. Period. 

[worried99]

Dear All,
I asked you a month back about low risk. But since I really had a very high risk long ago I want to ask another question.

In early 2008 I had condom completely broke while had sex with prostitute knew only after done (ejaculate inside). I never knew about PEP that time. I did ask her and she said he was negative (how do I believe).

- On March 2009 (more than 12 months): I had negative rapid test (Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 rapid test)
- April - 2009: negative rapid test (Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 rapid test)
- August-2009: negative rapid test (Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 rapid test)
- Sept,-2009 : negative rapid test (Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 rapid test)

Second Risk: Low risk March-2010 (condom didn't break but just think it did)

- May-2010: negative rapid test (Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 rapid test)

- July-2011: negative rapid test (Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 rapid test)
- Aug-2011: negative rapid test (Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 rapid test)

- Jan-2012: negative rapid test (Abbott Determine HIV 1/2 rapid test)

Now I have many sympthoms of late stage HIV.
Then I look around on Abbott determine test, it is 3rd Generation test and out since 1998 (It's an old test kit till date).

Questions:

1. Since it's out since 1998, Can I still trust the results?

2. In product catalogue site:
   

1. How sensitive is Determine HIV-1/2?

    HIV-1 Positive 100%
    HIV-2 Positive 100%
    HIV-1 Subtype A-G 100%
    HIV-1 Group O 100%

    Europe 100%
    North America 100%
    Asia 100%
    Africa 99.91%

[/i]
I know that there are other subtypes and group, but they don't list down.
Does it mean it can't detect other subtype (eg.H,J,K), group N, Group P?

3. On it's site again;

   
  

10. Would a negative result conclude that a patient does not have HIV?

    A negative result with Determine HIV does not exclude the possibility of infection with HIV. A false negative result can occur in the following circumstances;

    low levels of antibody (e.g., early seroconversion specimens) are below the detection limit of the test
    infection with a variant of the virus that is less detectable by the Determine HIV assay configuration
    HIV antibodies in the patient that do not react with specific antigens utilized in the assay configuration - in exceptional cases this may lead to observation of false negative results
    specimens handling conditions which result in loss of HIV antibody multivalency.

[/i]

Does it mean it also make false negatives?


4. I read a book:

   

Causes of false-negative results include testing during the pre-seroconversion, bone marrow transplant, agmmaglobulinemia, seroreversion in late stage disease, and infection with HIV-2 or unsual HIV Subtypes, technical or lab error.

[/i]

What chance of false negative? I'm afraid i'm in late stage (I am sick now).

5. The tests are from government free test center. Do I need better test? what are they?

6. I have chimical friend who works closely with hiv test center, he said Rapid test is just screening test for rapid purpose and not accurate enough to judge someone HIV status at all.




Thank you for your time for helping in this forum.

[Andy Velez]

You really need to let go of all this unwarranted worrying about your HIV status.

You have more than reliably tested negative for HIV. You ARE HIV NEGATIVE.

Period. End of story. Stop all this  self-torture and get on with your life. Really.

There's nothing more we can do for you here. 

[worried99]

Thanks Andy,
I'm sorry for too much questoins. My sympthoms make me can't stop thinking.

I have one last question,

Can hiv antibodies become weak to detect by rapid test  when test too late? like 4 yrs after risk? I ask because people keep saying conclusive at 3 months.
Does it mean 3 months is the best time to test for best accurate?

[RapidRod]

Thanks Andy,
I'm sorry for too much questoins. My sympthoms make me can't stop thinking.

I have one last question,

Can hiv antibodies become weak to detect by rapid test  when test too late? like 4 yrs after risk? I ask because people keep saying conclusive at 3 months.
Does it mean 3 months is the best time to test for best accurate?

No, once one is positive they will always test positive.

[Andy Velez]

You are worrying needlessly. Get off of the worry wagon right now. No kidding.

We're not going to continue going through this with you. HIV is not your problem. Period.