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Author Topic: Can anyone Explain this... or have seen this before....  (Read 4901 times)

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Offline Ricky

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Can anyone Explain this... or have seen this before....
« on: October 22, 2006, 08:37:41 am »
Hey Guys...

I posted back over the summer... I was tested for hiv and the results can back inconclusive.  Per request to test my viral load and cd4, I did... my viral load was undetected and cd4 was normal in the 700's... so as a precautionary measure I was to test two months later... well here is two months later... my viral load is now at 165 and my cd4 in the 600's, only about 100 units lower... now my doctor tells me to come back in another month, nov 10, and have viral load and cd4 tested again... what is going on??? she has not yet officially said I am hiv positive... but I have to wait til my viral load is over 500 and that the western blot shows I have all bands of hiv......if i was hiv positive wouldn't i have a sky rocketing viral load and a huge drop in cd4 counts.... how long does it take to convert? or wants the longest you have know for someone to convert? my doctor tells me she has seen it take up to 9 months....how about you guys?

or another theory... is it possible that i did contract the virus, but by someone that knew they had it and keep it under control with meds... so that is why my viral count is takin so long to multiply.... I mean, I thought once you get it most people show huge viral loads and very low cd4 counts...   how can you explain what is going on with me?  I'm just worried that come nov 10, my viral load is going to creep up near 500.... and my cd4 will slowly drop....so does that mean i have yet to get that flu like sickness???  if everyone can help shed light on this mystery to me I would greatly appreciate it...  hope to all hear from you :-)  thanks again, ricky.... 

Offline Andy Velez

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Re: Can anyone Explain this... or have seen this before....
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2006, 08:50:13 am »
Hi,

I can certainly appreciate why you are confused and concerned.

Let's back up for a moment if you will. Did you have unprotected intercourse? More than once? Details are helpful.

If you're at 13 weeks or more past the most recent possibly risky incident there's absolutely no reason at this point that you can't get a definitive test result. Generally I don't like to get into criticizing someone's doctor, but I don't get why you haven't gotten a straight answer by now.

Personally I would go to someone else or to any appropriate testing site and get a test done. Depending on where you live you maybe able to get one which does the test which can give you a result in 20 minutes.

 
Andy Velez

Offline Ann

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Re: Can anyone Explain this... or have seen this before....
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2006, 09:06:07 am »
Ricky,

What sort of hiv antibody tests have you had? If you had a inconclusive result on an ELISA, they should have done a Western Blot on you before going on to use PCR (viral load) testing.

It sounds to me like you are not hiv positive at all. The fluctuation you had in your CD4 count can and does happen to people who are not hiv positive. This is one of the reasons why CD4 counts cannot inform you of your hiv status.

As for the viral load test, you are correct in thinking that if you are actually infected, it would come back sky-high. PCR testing is notorious for returning FALSE positives and these false positive are very often very small numbers, just like yours was. The fact that you had first an undetectable viral load, then a tiny one, leads me to believe that you are not hiv positive at all. PCR testing is not approved for diagnostic purposes for the express fact that they have a bad habit of returning these false positives.

You need to go somewhere and have another ELISA test done. If this also comes back indeterminate, you need to have a Western Blot test run. You can learn more about hiv testing if you follow the links in the Welcome Thread

It sounds to me that you are testing through a doctor who doesn't really know much about hiv. If you go to the HIV testing center database and enter your zip code, you can find an hiv testing center near you. I suggest you go and have the ELISA test done again - by someone who knows what they're doing. I have a feeling you are not positive at all and it's important that you know for sure.

BTW, I deleted the thread you started in the Just Tested Poz forum. As you don't really know your status yet, it's probably best you stay in this forum for now. And please don't start a new thread for each new question, keep all your additional questions in this thread. Thanks.

Good luck and let us know how it all turns out. With what you've told us so far, I'm expecting a happy ending.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

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"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Ricky

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Re: Can anyone Explain this... or have seen this before....
« Reply #3 on: October 24, 2006, 08:39:33 am »
I have had the Western Plot Test... right now they are waiting to see if I have the outer bands of hiv.... my last test had two bands but they where the two bands that show up after the first two bands.... so whats up with that?

Offline Ann

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Re: Can anyone Explain this... or have seen this before....
« Reply #4 on: October 24, 2006, 09:59:59 am »
Ricky,

From what you're telling us, you had one ELISA test come back indeterminate. Have you ever retested with an ELISA and if so, what was the result? If you've only had the one ELISA test, I would again suggest you have another ELISA done.

It is not uncommon to get indeterminate results on a Western Blot and provided the test is run at the appropriate time (at the end of the three month window period) it is rare for the indeterminate to change to positive after. Two indeterminate WB results (when the person is outside the window period) is considered to be a negative result.

So far, with the information you've given us, I do expect you to end up with a negative result.

One thing you haven't told us is - what was your risk and when did it happen?

Clarification on these points (your ELISA history and your risk and your testing history in relation to the time of your risk) would be helpful. Thanks.

Ann
« Last Edit: October 24, 2006, 10:02:49 am by Ann »
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Ricky

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Re: Can anyone Explain this... or have seen this before....
« Reply #5 on: October 25, 2006, 01:20:37 pm »
Hey Ann,

Well yesterday my doctor recieved the results from my Western Blot test... and now I am officially positive... the four major bands have shown up... I almost kind of figured this but up to this point did not have a positive test result... and as for risky behavior--yes, a few times...I guess in a sense its better than feeling like I'm in limbo, like I have been since July... we are thinking either its a very slow developing virus or the person that gave it to me knew they had it and was already on meds, thus keeping their viral load count low...  my current load count is 216 which went up 50 in 3 days.... on nov 10 i get blood work done again and then, I guess you call it, phenom or genom type the virus is....so i guess i can now post on the I am HIV positive thread? 

Take care,

Ricky

Offline Ann

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Re: Can anyone Explain this... or have seen this before....
« Reply #6 on: October 25, 2006, 02:00:03 pm »
Quote
or the person that gave it to me knew they had it and was already on meds, thus keeping their viral load count low

Ricky,

It doesn't work like that. Tim Horn might be better able to explain why - but that's a subject for the other side of the forum.

I'm sorry to hear that your WB ended up with four bands, but as you say, it's better to know than to be in limbo. See you on the other side.

Ann
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Tim Horn

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Re: Can anyone Explain this... or have seen this before....
« Reply #7 on: October 25, 2006, 02:51:26 pm »
Hi Ricky --

This is a most unusual situation.  My advice -- which Andy has already suggested -- would be to consult with a specialist, such as a virologist.  Confirming a diagnosis based solely on Western blot and very low HIV-RNA titers (technically speaking, the VL should be in the thousands -- not simply above 500 -- to confirm anything) is highly irregular.  It also seems very odd that, without a positive EIA and Western blot, you've had three viral load and CD4 tests since the summer.   

Again, I strongly suggest seeking out the medical advice of a board-certified specialist in the field of virology to make sense of all this.  While you're welcome to join the discussions in the AIDSmeds.com Forums intended for people living with HIV -- you seem eager to do this -- I hope that you'd make conclusive information about your health your first priority. 

Tim Horn

 


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