HIV Seronconversion and Test Results

[Yoyoyo]

Hi,

I am 37 and on July 13th, 2011 I tested negative for HIV via a rapid test.

My last exposure was in late November or early December (definately before Christmas 2010). It was with a sex worker and I have seen sex workers for 8 to 10 years (women and transgendered).

In this encounter everything was covered including oral. She did give me an uncovered handjob.

In the past I  have given unprotected oral sex with ejaculation in mouth. I have bleeding gums. I also remeber one incident that happened several years ago where I was penetrated by a transgendered person. She initially joked about doing me without a condom which I stood up and looked back. She put the condom on and penetrated me. Afterwards while laying on the bed, it felt like I was leaking. I was freaking out that she had cum inside me. Some counsellors have told me it could have been the lube.

I have not been to a doctor since I was 16, but got a family doctor last week. He is doing all the blood work along with another HIV test.

My concern is that in mid May I had flu like symptoms and since then have have joint and muscle pain, headaches (lately wake up every morning with severe pain in the back of my head, fatigue, weakness in limbs, and have noticed that lately my arms and feet tend to fall asleep more easily). Have had loose stools and sometimes watery diarrhea for a couple years at least. Also in the last couple of days have had yellowish brusises or skin marks on my bicep and one on my shin and loss of appetite.

I went to the ER room a couple days after taking the hiv rapid test and they found high levels of creatinine in my blood and according to the work up, I have stage 2 of chronic kidney disease.

If I have an autoimmune disease or disorder (haven't been to a doctor since I was 16 so I don't know if I have one or not) could it delay seronconversion and effect the hiv test I took last week? My bowels havent felt right for a couple years. Could coilitis or chrohns delay serocnversion?

Also, could I have been effected with HIV for such a period of time where now I am in the advanced stages of AIDS and the rapid test would not show my infection?

I am scared and concerned that my test could be a false negative.

[Ann]

Yo,

Autoimmune diseases cause false positive results, not false negative. They do not delay seroconversion.

The illness that sometimes accompanies seroconversion is not caused by the virus itself. It is caused by the process and chemicals the body produces while creating antibodies. This happens in the two to three weeks following initial infection.

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 negative result at six weeks is highly unlikely to change, but must be confirmed at the three month point.

If the last sexual contact you had was before Christmas and your test was done recently, then you are conclusively hiv negative. You do not have hiv.

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 FURTHER HIV TESTING AT THIS TIME, 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.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

Ann

[Yoyoyo]

Thank you Ann for reading my post and especially for your response.

I will definately be taking your advice.

2 more folow up questions if I may,

a)Is it possible that I could have been infected several years ago and now the symptoms I have been feeling are the advancement of Aids whereby HIV antibodies could not be detected in a rapid test?

b)if the doctor finds any cancer after doing blood work and tests, should I continue to restes for the HIV virus?

Thank you.

[Ann]

Yo,

a) No. Once a person is hiv positive, they will always test hiv positive. There were a few reports in the 1990s where people in very advanced stages of hiv (in other words, in hospital dying) who no longer had hiv antibodies. However, when this happens the p24 antigen becomes detectable again, just like it is detectable for a short time in very early infection, before antibodies are produced. Fourth generation duo antibody tests also test for the p24 antigen. Unless you are in hospital dying of PCP or other aids-related illness, this will not concern you.

b) No. You are conclusive hiv negative. You only need to retest if you engage in a risky behaviour such as unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse or sharing needles to inject recreational drugs or steroids from the gym.

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

Ann

[Yoyoyo]

Thanks again Ann.


Like I mentioned in my first post, the reason for my concern is because of all the symptoms I have been feeling since Mid May which would have put me at  6 months after exposure.

I know you cant diagnose by symptoms, but delayed seroconversion is a concern of mine.

I have read that Hepatitis C can delay seroconversion. Is this accurate?

[Andy Velez]

You are still worrying needlessly. The exceptions when it can be necessary to test at 6 months are when longterm intravenous drug use are involved or the immune system is severely depleted due to an organ transplant or treatment for an illness such as cancer.

Whatever is causing your symptoms has nothing to do with HIV and you should be discussing them with your doctor if they persist.

HIV is not your problem. Really.