POZ Community Forums

HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: reassureme on June 12, 2006, 02:55:10 pm

Title: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on June 12, 2006, 02:55:10 pm
Hello:

I am new to this, i have a short question regard to my current HIV-status.

Here is the question: i had one unprotected oral sex encounter with a guy in the past, me being the preformer( male) without his ejaculated in my mouth.

Had an ELISA test done lately which was 13 weeks and 6 days past the incident, would you consider my result conclusive, or should i need to retest in 6 months mark.. Thanks!!



Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: jkinatl2 on June 12, 2006, 02:59:05 pm
You are relaibly HIV negative after an incident that can only be described as a vanishingly small risk. If that.
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: Andy Velez on June 12, 2006, 04:53:38 pm
Many would not even consider it necessary to have tested in relation to the incident you described. In any case, your negative at 13 weeks, which is the timing suggested by the CDC, has given you a reliable result.

You are HIV negative. Period. End of story.

If you are sexually active it's a good idea to get a full panel of STD tests done regularly -- at least annually and more frequently if there has been genuinely risky behavior.

Cheers,
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: Moffie65 on June 12, 2006, 06:37:11 pm
I do hope you have been re assured, and I must say, I do agree with both Andy and Jonathan.

Play Safe, and have a wonderful life!

In Love
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on June 12, 2006, 08:27:33 pm
Thanks people.

You've been really helping me, and take care!!
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on July 06, 2006, 01:40:56 pm
Hi, all experts:

I have this question regards hiv testing again, hopefully you guys inputs can reassure me again, thanks.

I have tested negative on 13 weeks and 5 days past potential exposure, I thought I would be alright and didn’t think too much about this incident anymore, but yesterday, I developed severely sore throat after consumed some spicy food, consequently today I felt a little lymph node on the left side of my neck. I am freaked out again, and think about re-test in couple of days, could you please tell me what the chance of my test result turns out to be changed? Re-testing over this incident even warranted in your opinion? Please answering my question, I really really want forget about this incident and move on with my life. As far as I can tell I am a healthy guy, so I guess I could not fall into late serocovertion people category?

Thanks, for answering this very urgent question!
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: Darkfiber on July 06, 2006, 01:49:58 pm
reassureme

You have been told by three of the most respected members of Aidsmeds that your 13 weeks test is conclusive.

If you have a sore thorat go to the doc or just wait 3 or 4 days and it will be over.

One thing is for sure, it's not HIV.

Regards

Darkfiber
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on July 07, 2006, 11:48:02 am
Thanks for this quick reply.

My sore throat heal up quickly, but the lymph node on the left side of my neck still can be felt( swell) a little bit, like a pea size. THIS  is the reson why i freaked out about, because normally people don't get lymph node swollen eaisly. ???

By the way, Ann what do you think in my situation? Could you please give me some advice as well??

Thanks.
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: RapidRod on July 07, 2006, 12:09:56 pm
First of all keep you hands and fingers off your lymph nodes or they will stay swollen. Yes, people without HIV do get swollen lymph nodes all time time. You tested negative so you know that your swollen nodes, if they are really swollen are not caused by HIV.
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on July 08, 2006, 04:00:46 am
Thanks rapidrod:

So, gathered all the info here, means i don't really need that re-testing thing at all? O.K i think i just need not freaking out so much, right? Because 13 weeks and 5 days result are sufficient enough to reassure me my current status is NEGATIVE..

Regards
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: Ann on July 08, 2006, 05:32:29 am
reassure,

You do not have hiv - you are hiv negative. You have tested conclusively negative for hiv and you do not need further testing unless it is in the future as part of your routine, annual or biannual sexual health check-up. 

Protect your negative hiv status by using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions. Please read through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can  use those condoms with confidence.

Use condoms and avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple.

Ann
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on July 08, 2006, 01:48:56 pm
Thanks so much Ann and everyone.

I am feeling much better now. One thing for sure- i don't have it.

Regards
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on July 10, 2006, 05:21:45 am
Ann,

Sorry for borthing you so much, but the lymph node under my armpit has swollen( when i touch it, a little bit sore), as well as two days of continued diarrhea....

I really really don't know whats happening with my body right now, thus i decide to go test again in around 18-19 weeks after exposure.

Could you or anybodyelse tell me could this be ARS symptoms, i learned ARS appears in couple of weeks after exposure if it happens all, isn't too late for me to experiening TYPICAL ARS symptoms after 18 weeks?

I have tested 3 times after exposure, the last one was this 13 weeks and 5 days after exposure, all negative. Am i really late seroconversion after 3 months? I am at my early 20s.

Thnaks so much, i want move on my life, but this thing borthers me so much that i can not do anything at all these days.

Best regards. :'(
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: RapidRod on July 10, 2006, 05:27:56 am
reassureme, it not HIV you should be testing for. You are negative. See your doctor if symptoms persists. Don't be playing and probing your lymph nodes you'll make them sore and hurt. 
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: Morgan on July 10, 2006, 07:41:04 am
Reassureme,

Good news.... to second Rod's assessment, you are hiv negative.  Whatever is going on with your nodes is not hiv related.  Work with your doctor to get to the bottom of the symptoms plaguing you.

Morgan
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on July 10, 2006, 10:19:36 am
Thanks guys,

I will try to relax while waiting for the next test result( i already decided to check out again tomorrow).

The welcome thread has mentioned test in 6 months, which makes me very upset. But you guys keep saying test conculsive in 13 weeks....i dunno why.

Regards.
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: Morgan on July 11, 2006, 01:44:34 am
Reassureme,

This is right out of the hiv testing lesson that the welcome thread links to:

When should you get tested and how can you be sure the test result is accurate?

<<There is a "window period" which is the time it takes the body to produce antibodies after HIV infection has begun. For the vast majority of those who will test positive, antibodies to HIV will develop within 4-6 weeks after exposure. Some will take a little longer to develop antibodies. To make certain that you receive a reliable test result, it's necessary to wait at least three months (13 weeks) after your last possible exposure to the virus before being tested. >>

Your 13 week 5 day test is conclusive.  You are hiv negative.

Morgan
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on July 11, 2006, 05:21:51 am
Ann and others,

Firstly, Morgan thanks for replying me, but on the second phrase of the welcome thread has indeed mentioned 1% person serocoversion later than 3 months. So I think I might be that very unlucky one. Sucks.

Sorry for keeping posted, I have totally screwed over this symptoms thing, otherwise I will move on with my life without any further doubts.

People always says more than single swollen glands enlarged is an obvious sign of HIV infection, my situation is pretty confused and pretty much consistent to the ARS symptoms, have flu-like symptoms over 3 days, developed enlarged swollen glands both on the neck and armpit, diahrea for 2 days, also left hand joint pain. I just want to have another antibodies test done to clarify my situation have nothing to do with HIV infection, but barely have the courage to take the third test over that stupid action 4 months ago.

My question is that even possible one person literally experience typical ARS after 18 weeks of potential exposure? I never had one swollen gland before, so this timeframe when have some of them really freaks me out. Please tell me the truth about testing thing, what are my chances of testing positive after my negative aft 13 weeks and 5 days? I promise I won’t be borthering you guys once more before my next test result coming back. Finger crossed.

Thanks so much for helping me, these days I barely sleeping well just like get those tests done before.

Regards.
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: Ann on July 11, 2006, 06:11:30 am
re,

Just  because you had oral sex with another man does not mean that you are going to be smitten with hiv. Hiv isn't a punishment for man on man sex. Oral sex is not a high risk vector for hiv transmission and you're just going to have to accept the fact that you are hiv negative.

Your test result is conclusive. If you insist on posting about this again and again, I hope you have also read the portion of the Welcome thread that discusses repeated posting over a conclusive negative result.

You are hiv negative. You do not have hiv. Period.

Ann
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on July 14, 2006, 09:35:20 am
Ann, and everyone:

Thanks for helping me cope the irrational anxiety in the past, i have just received my 4th hiv antibodies test  result, which was NEGATIVE again, thats was 127 days past the incident, so i think i'm really negative without any doubt.

Thanks sooo much, you guys are terrific. :-*

Regards
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on July 18, 2006, 11:11:11 am
Hi, everyone:

Since the last hiv test has came back negative again, i think i MIGHT have already ruled out the possbile infection. But could you please tell me whether should i need for test HCV as well? I dunno if i have the chance of getting that virus through giving oral.

My exposure was givng head to a guy for half minute without ejaculation in my mouth, also that person claimed he has nothing. :-\

Regard.
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: Ann on July 19, 2006, 06:41:53 am
reassure,

No, you don't need to test for hepatitis C. Hep C is primarily transmitted through blood to blood contact and is not generally considered to be a sexually transmitted infection. Most of the very few cases where sexual transmission of hep C has been suspected or confirmed, there was rough and bloody sex involved (ie. fisting)

As long as you are not sharing drug injecting equipment, getting "jail-house" tattoos, or having unprotected sex where damage and active bleeding is caused to both partners, you don't need to be concerned about hep C.

You are without doubt hiv negative. Use condoms for intercourse and you will continue to avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple.

Ann
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: reassureme on August 24, 2006, 03:30:09 am
Hi, experts here:

I developed a fever (38 c) yesterday afternoon (don’t think I caught a cold at all), the temperature went back normal by today’s morning after I took some antibiotic, but left me with headache and watery stool. I thought I’ve already ruled out the possible of HIV infection after bunch of ELISA tests I took, but the fever and some other very strange symptoms still hanging there persuade that I might be a late sero..

9 weeks, 12 weeks, 14 weeks, 18 weeks and nearly 23 weeks all negative, should I be retested at exactly 6 months past exposure to be 100% certainly that HIV is not the cause of my symptoms?

Thanks for your inputs. I know I’ve been so much annoying over this incident, please understand. :-\

Regards.
Title: Re: good enough?
Post by: Ann on August 24, 2006, 05:55:14 am
reassure,

You are as hiv negative as one can get. Your test at twelve weeks was conclusive and the tests you had done after were overkill.

You never really had a risk in the first place. You're not on chemotherapy for cancer, you haven't had an organ transplant that you are taking anti-rejection drugs for and you haven't been injecting street drugs daily for years. There is no way that you would seroconvert late.

You are conclusively hiv negative. If you cannot accept your negative hiv status, please seek the assistance of a mental health care professional to help you deal with your health related anxieties.

No cold, flu or fever is going to change the fact that you have tested conclusively negative. Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse and you will continue to avoid hiv infection.

Ann