POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: Panicstricken on July 04, 2012, 02:32:49 pm
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So a month ago I gave oral to two guys status unknown. Both came in my mouth for a second I immediately spit it out all of it. I had no sores cuts etc. Few weeks later I have a bad allergic reaction to an antibiotic fever rash and was admitted to the hospital cause one of the reactions to the bactrim is it suppress your white blood count. Mine dropped to 2.4 after the antibiotic got out of my system my fever went away and my WBC went up to 10. I was asked in the hospital if I want an HIV test. I said yes and the doctor said it would take a few days to get the results. I was released and few days later my test came back negative. In the mean time I got a rapid test done at a clinic also neg. My question is do the hospital send it to a lab that uses a 4th gen test and is it a good indication at almost a month? I have no other symptoms just stress is eating me alive! What are my actual risks. I've read a lot online need an honest opinon
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Your actual risks were slim to none.
The only truly confirmed/documented transmission vectors of HIV (sexually) are:
unprotected vaginal and/or anal intercourse.
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Ok. Any idea on when a hospital sends your blood out to be tested if the use the 4th generation test?
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Panic,
Do you think we have crystal balls that tell us what type of test each individual hospital uses around the world? We don't.
If you want to know what type/generation test was used on you, you'll have to get in touch with the hospital where you were tested.
You are not going to end up positive over this.
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.
ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED TO TEST SPECIFICALLY OVER ORAL, 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
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No i know Ann I wasn't asking if you had a crystal ball, just wondering if anyone knew what test labs from hospitals were using. I'm in a major city it was sent out to a lab for a full work up and RPR test. I'm just really stressing out. Although I have have no fever, swollen lymph nodes etc. just wondering if that test and the rapid test at almost a month is enough to ease my anxiety. I've read that it's 75% accurate at 3 weeks and higher at a month. Not trying to be a pest just want to ease my stress.
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So should I bother testing again? Or is 2 negatives at 3 weeks and almost a month sufficient for a low risk? And how low is low risk? I'm just really scared and google has got me so confused. I just want honest answers from people who deal with this everyday and this forum seems to have people on it who are informed. Please help.
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Panic,
Giving oral is really only a theoretical risk - and it's also a theoretical risk that you'll get hit by a meteorite the next time you step outside your house. Is it going to happen? It could. Is it likely? Nope.
There have been three long-term studies of couples where one is positive and one is negative. In the couples who used condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, but no barrier for oral activities, not one of the negative partners became infected with hiv. Not one.
Unless you have terrible oral health (going by your first post, you don't) AND you were unlucky enough to blow a newly infected guy with a sky-high viral load, then you're worrying over nothing and you don't need further testing.
Even if you did have terrible oral health AND the guy had a astronomic VL and you got infected, your four week test would have at least been indeterminate if not outright positive, regardless of the generation.
Not only is saliva not infectious, but it also contains over a dozen different proteins and enzymes that damage hiv and render it unable to infect. Your saliva protects you.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!
Ann
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Thank you Ann. I really appreciate having a place to ask questions to put my insane anxiety at ease. The moderators on the forum here seem like you deal with people very knowlegeably. I think googling is the worse thing I can do cause I've read so many conflicting things. And the second test the rapid was just a few days under a month, not sure if that would make a difference? But thanks Ann and anyone else who responds. This has really giving me a new outlook on my life and how I should appreciate a lot more and not take anything for granted.
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Panic,
Stop googling. There are too many out-dated websites out there and there are also too many with a (semi-hidden) anti-sex - particularly anti-gay-sex - agenda. You get the real deal here.
It doesn't matter if your last test was a day or two shy of four weeks. You didn't have a true risk so your negative results are not going to change.
Ann
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Ok thanks again Ann. I'd hate to be that theoretical risk. This whole ordeal has stressed me out beyond belief. It's the not knowing that kills me. But your words have helped. Glad I wrote in. I guess if oral was a real risk it would be way more reported and you guys would know, all the moderators on here seem very current and up to date.
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Do yourself a big favor and stop surfing the web. All you will do is find more to feed your worst fears and all to no good purpose. You haven't had a risk and there's no need for further concern on your part.
You can go ahead an get tested strictly for your peace of mind although a negative result is a foregone conclusion. It's up to you. There's really nothing more we can do for you at this point.
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Thank you Andy.
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You're welcome. Get on with your life.
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Ok one last question, how bad does your oral hygiene have to be to be a risk? I've had some slight gingervitis in the past, rarely do my gums bleed when I brush or floss, maybe few times a year. Some slight receding gums nothing where teeth are gonna fall out. I mean do you need to have ulcers and open bleeding cuts in your mouth? Thanks again, and I'm really trying not to be a pest just really wanna put this whole thing behind me and move on.
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Panic,
If you don't want to be a pest, then don't be one.
Here is an example of poor oral health:
(http://media.publicbroadcasting.net/wkms/newsroom/images/3402402.jpg)
From what you describe, you don't have oral health problems.
You didn't have a risk and your negative result is not going to change.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!!!
Ann