Andy experts please help are these HIV symptoms?

[happyguy]

To make a long story short I just found out the girl I've been with for the last 7 months has been cheating on me with atleast one other guy maybe two,but one that I know of for sure. I'am scared because I seriously doubt she used a condom with him as me and her stopped using them when i thought we were together so to speak. I trusted her when she said she was only seeing me and I feel like such an idiot. I know most people get cheated on and they don't go out and get checked for std's but I mean How can I not get tested at this point knowing what I know about her? I know I did a really stupid thing ditching the condoms with her but I believed her and trusted her shows what I know huh? Anyways how good is it if I test negative at 4 weeks? I know I have to  confirm the result at 3 months but i'am just looking for a little piece of mind is all thanks guys for listening.

[Andy Velez]

Hi Happy,

Any negative result is a good thing. The average time to seroconversion is 22 days, so a negative at 4 weeks does have some value. All but the smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks after an exposure to the HIV virus. We follow the CDC recommendation which is to get a definitive answer at 13 weeks.

Hopefully you're going to come through this ok. HIV is not an easy virus to transmit. It's significantly harder to transmit from female to male. Those are important factors in your favor along with that prelimenary result.

It's a good idea to have the full panel of STD tests done as a precaution.

For future reference should you find yourself in a relationship again where both partners are securely committed to monogamy, both partners need to test at the same time to insure that you're on a level field as far as HIV concerned. It's not something to just take someone's word about as even well meaning people sometimes don't know their accurate status.

I think you have a good shot to come through ok this time.

Keep us posted and good luck with your test.

Cheers,

[happyguy]

Thanks andy i think the 18th of this month puts me just past the 4 week mark so thats when i'am going to get the test done. I take some solace in the fact that you think the odds are with me. Andy I've had unprotected sex with her i don't know how many times,but it was always vaginal never anal. Up until now I've always used condoms i don't know what I was thinking. I to hope I come out of this ok because i'am very hurt emotionally by what  this woman did to me,I just hope trusting the wrong person dosen't come back to haunt me I'll keep you posted.

[kevin]

I know exactly how you feel happyguy, but in this case, only time will tell. I would get that test you're planning to and then test again at 3 months.

I would also stop having unprotected sex with that girl starting now.

[happyguy]

Hey andy I was wondering if maybe and RNA test at 30 days would be a better indicator of my status? Is it likely to test positive on an antibody test at 3 months after testing negative with the RNA test at 30 days? Does it happen often or at all for one to get a negative result on an RNA test at 30 days and later test positive on and elisa at 3 months? I guess what I'am asking is if I have an RNA test at 30 days and its negative then does that mean i'am not infected and what are the chances that I will get the same result at 3 months with the elisa?

[Ann]

Happy,

PCR (RNA)testing is NOT approved for diagnostic purposes because it has a high rate of returning FALSE POSITIVES. It's also an expensive test - why waste your money on something that isn't conclusive and has the very strong potential to completely freak you out?

You'd be far better off waiting until the six week point and testing with an antibody test. 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 needs to be confirmed at 12-13 weeks, but would be unlikely to change.

Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus and more so from a woman to a man. Even if by chance your partner has become infected, you still have a good chance of testing negative. My own partner and I were together for 18 months before we knew my status, during which time we didn't use condoms. He's still hiv negative seven years later. (and yes, we do use condoms now)

You are far more likely to have become infected with something like chlamydia. The other STIs are much, MUCH more prevalent and easily transmitted than hiv. Please get a full STI panel, not just hiv testing.

Ann

[happyguy]

Thank you ann so what your saying is even though I've been having unprotected sex with her for the last 6 months,assuming shes even hiv positive I still have a good chance of not being infected? I plan to test at 6 weeks or maybe even 8 weeks I'am hoping for a negative result and from what you've said ann a negative at that point is very encouraging right? On another note this woman(shes 38) had surgery in may just out of curiousity are people tested for hiv before having any major surgery? I've heard thsi is the case but don't think its true is it? I'll keep you all posted on my progress thanks again everyone who replied.

[jkinatl2]

<< Thank you ann so what your saying is even though I've been having unprotected sex with her for the last 6 months,assuming shes even hiv positive I still have a good chance of not being infected? >>

Yes. Several members of this forum were in relationships for months, even years, before they tested positive - and their negative partners continue to test negative. HIV is not an easy virus to transmit, as Andy says. It is even more difficult to transmit from the receptive partner to the insertive one.

As for testing for HIV before major surgery, I know that an HIV test requires specific permission, and is not part of a routine blood workup.

I really urge you to rethink testing at 6, eight, and ten weeks. One test at 13 weeks is enough, and the rest will simply prolong and exascerbate the fear.

[happyguy]

Exactly 10 days ago I fell very ill with a high fever and severe headache and also a sore throat with sinus preasure,my feet were very itchy and tingly as well. After the high fever subsided I've had a very low grade fever that has lingered and finally today its gone and I'am feeling ok again for the most part. I haven't had any recent expousures or anything but was wondering if this could god forbid be hiv symptoms? I don't usually get sick but I haven't been tested for hiv since my last post here about my cheating ex girlfriend back in july. Is it possible for hiv symptoms to come on 5 months later or are these symptoms even specific to hiv? I know I can't be diagnosed over the internet but I'am very scared right now and I want to get tested but am afraid that whats going on with me now is god forbid hiv related,am I being rediculous?

[RapidRod]

Please post your questions and thoughts in your orginal thread.

[Ann]

happy,

I've merged your new thread into your original thread - where you should post all your additional thoughts or questions. It helps us to help you when you keep all your additional thoughts or questions in one thread.

If you need help finding your thread when you come here, click on the "Show own posts" link under your name in the left-hand column of any forum page.

Please also read through the Welcome Thread so you can familiarize yourself with our Forum Posting Guidelines. Thank you for your cooperation.

Did you ever test at the three month point? If not, get tested. Although whatever it was that made you ill certainly would NOT be seroconversion illness at this late point, the only way to know your true hiv status is through testing. Symptoms, or even the lack of symtpoms mean absolutely nothing when it comes to hiv infection. The ONLY way to know your status is through testing.

Don't forget that we are in the middle of cold and flu season.

Ann

[happyguy]

Hi ann no I did not get tested at the 3 month mark as I had planned to. Ann I know symptoms mean nothing but I read that ichy,numb or tingly feet can be an hiv symptom,so you are saying that nothing I've described is hiv specific then? I'am just scared because I'am taking like 10 days to kick this sinus/flu thing is this normal?  Its never taken me this long to get over the flu before so I got paranoid thinking my immune system isn't right. As a side note I diddn't go to the DR. for antibiotics as I'am without medical insurance right now,could this be part of the problem? I mean certainly the fact I'am not over a really bad flu bug in 10 days dosen't mean I have hiv? maybe I'am being unreasonable here ann.

[Coffeechick88]

About your post above about whether they test for HIV before major surgery, it depends on the doctor.  There are doctors in my area who will test surgery patients for HIV, Hep B, Hep C in addition to all the routine surgery bloodwork.  So it depends.  If she doesn't know what she got tested for--not all patients read their orders or even see them--she should at least know if she had to sign a consent form for HIV.

There is no such thing as a specific HIV symptom.  Even the ones related to HIV are not specific to HIV and can mean many things.  Do you know for sure you had the flu as in been diagnosed?  The problem with the flu is people often assume that is what they have even when it isn't the flu.  It can often be something totally different.  This is the right season, but other things have the same symptoms.  That is why a doctor should be the one to diagnose things.  Many respiratory things can last that long anyhow.  A doctor can also determine whether it is bacterial or viral in nature--if it is viral no amount of antibiotics would have helped you anyhow.

So get tested.  That is all you can do.  Don't overanalyze symptoms that are completed normal for this time of the year.