POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: imadeastupidmisake on April 19, 2010, 04:28:04 pm
-
I was seeing a girl for a few weeks - Feb 26 we got together and some kissing and stuff, she was naked I was naked. She was on top and my penis was in her for 10-15 secs and I told her to stop, can't do this... HIV status unknown No condom was used...a wk later I was looking at some sites that talked about HIV/AIDS and it got me thinking and I got one of those The Home Access® Express HIV-1 - are these good? Took test 9 days after poss. expose. Test came up HIV-. I have been having chronic hives for about 3 months before this happen. Last 7 wks or so seemed to be worse. Went to doc and he said I could have pressure hives, everytime I put to much pressure on my skin i break out, some itch some don't. My rash comes and goes-sometimes 1 hr sometimes 15-20mins all different spots on my body. Week 6-7 3 days on my belly on and off all day!! Is this a sign of HIV+??? Between week 5-6 my lower back has a burning sensation has not gone away..another sign? No Fever ..sometimes I run around 99 F... Of course after reading all the stuff on the net my mind has been a wreak!! - I have not noticed any other details...ie sore throat...head ache...aches and pains... Everytime I think about it and think I have something else!!! Thanks in advance for any help!!
-
Nothing you are reporting symptomatically is in any way HIV specific. But then symptoms or the lack of same are never the way to reliably knwo your correct HIV status. When you have had a risk the only way to know for sure is by getting tested at the right time.
You did have a risk for HIV transmission, albeit a very low one. HIV is a fragile virus to transmit. It is harder to transmit it from female to male than the other way round. You had a single and very brief risk. The very, very strong likelihood is that you are going to test negative. You ought to get tested at 13 weeks past the incident. A negative result at that point is reliable, and yes, I do expect you will test negative.
Your symptoms are something to discuss with your doctor. We can't diagnose them here. I can only say that nothing about them points to HIV as the problem.
For future reference you need to be more careful and always, without exception, use a condom everytime you have intercourse. By doing that it won't matter if the person you are with is HIV+, because condoms provide very effective protection against HIV transmission.
Good luck with your test. I expect you to come out of this ok.
Cheers.
-
Tks Andy -
The test I took at 9 days was hiv- , but now I know I should have waited...
I took another test wk 6-7 I should get that back this week- my dr. always ask for his clients to take...he was doing other blood work due to the heat sensation in my back.
With the rash...is there any kind of rash that is common with HIV?? This interweb is a mess, as I'm sure you already know ;)
Also would I start getting these symptoms after the 2-5 wk window period??
I have talked to the girl, but I just can't ask...I have not been with anyone UNPROTECTED in 11 yrs.
Also is the The Home Access® Express HIV-1 a good test?
Tks again Andy for your time!
-
Yes, the Home Access is an approved and reliable test.
A negative result at 6 weeks is a very strong indication that you will continue to test negative. And yes, I do expect you will test negative. All but the smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so beyond 6 weeks. The average time to seroconversion is 22 days.
The red rash associated with ARS may appear on the torso and arms. It is flat and not itchy. It appears for a week or two and is gone. If there are going to be noticeable signs of ARS they all come on at once, appear and then are gone. They don't show up one at a time over a period of time. There is nothing HIV specific about what you are reporting.
Wanting to asking a sexual partner about their status is understandable. But it's never a basis on which to know your own status. And it's not considered a polite or reasonable thing to do. When there has been a risk it's only your own test result that can reliably give you the answer you want.
-
Thanks Andy
QTE
The red rash associated with ARS may appear on the torso and arms. It is flat and not itchy. It appears for a week or two and is gone.
UNQTE
Does it come and go though out the day? Or stays for a week or two?
I really admire what you do, I have been reading for a while. You and the other people on this site are great.
Sean
-
No, it does not come and go, day or night. It stays and then is gone. Period.
-
Hi Andy
As stated before i took a test between wk 6-7 - got it back today HIV- it was a HIV 1/2 EIA AB Screen
It states -
A nonreactive HIV-1/2 Antibody result does not exclude HIV infection since time frame for seroconversion is variable. If acute HIV infection is suspected, antibody retesting and nucleric acid amplification (HIV DNA/RNA) testing is recommended.
What is that??
Thanks again.
-
That is them covering their butts for the unlikely positive result after a negative at 6 weeks. Having received a negative at 6 weeks is a VERY strong indication that you will continue to test negative, particularly since your risk was so low to begin with.
-
Tks again Andy - is here a way I can donate to this site or any other you would recommend? This is for the help that all you guys do -
-
That's very thoughtful of you to offer to donate but this site doesn't accept donations.
However, I am sure that any AIDS service organization in your area would appreciate any amount you want to give and they will know how to use it best.
Cheers.
-
Cheers Andy - and your group!!!
Dear Sean,
We are deeply grateful for your generosity and support of our efforts. Your gift makes a difference — it enables us to provide vital services to the community we serve. We count on you and people like you to ensure that we can continue providing these services.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
AIDS Foundation Houston
Please print the following for your records:
Transaction Summary
Transaction Date:
4/21/10
Design your gift below
Level:
Other Amount
Amount:
$100.00
Take care and I will take this experience and make the best of it.
-
Thanks for letting us know about that, Sean. That's great.
All the best to you.
-
Hello Andy and the rest of the gang.
I took The Home Access Express HIV-1 - test yesterday 90 days from poss expose. It came up HIV -
So 9 days HIV-
6.5 Weeks HIV-
90 Days 12.8 wks - HIV-
So is this it...am I ok to STOP watching my body?? Can I move on and learn from this and spread the joy of life! I know the CDC says you are not clear till 6 mo test...
Tks Sean
-
No Sean, you are wrong. The CDC advocates testing at 13 weeks and has for a long time. The only exceptions are where longterm intravenous drug use is involved or organ transplant or treatment for an illness like cancer. Otherwise 13 weeks is the gold standard.
You are HIV negative. Period. End of story. So lay off the drama and the what ifs and all of that, get on with your life and make sure you always use condoms unless you are in a securely monogamous relationship. Happily, HIV is not your problem now.
-
Last one Andy... even though I was at 90 days 1 day shy of 13 weeks...I will be fine?
I must be reading old stuff then about the 6 mos.
Tks
Sean
-
You are conclusively negative.
-
Yes, your are reliably HIV negative. Give it up and get on with your life. And make sure you consistently use condoms in the future for anal/vaginal intercourse. Then you will be well protected.
-
Imadea,
Yes, you are indeed reading old, outdated information about the hiv testing window. Three months has been the conclusive window period for quite a few years now. There is absolutely no need to test out to six months.
In fact, that vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks with today's tests. A six week negative is highly unlikely to change, but must be confirmed at the three month point.
You are conclusively hiv negative. Like Andy says, use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will continue to avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple! Read through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use them correctly and with confidence.
Ann
-
Just a follow up - I was wondering I had used a The Home Access Express HIV-1 - Do I need to confirm with a HIV 2 test too?
Also I have had to inject myself with Antigens (Immunotherapy) the past few weeks and before my last test, would this make my test different? If I have had bad allergy issues, would that change anything?
Tks Sean
-
Give it up and get on with your life. You are reliably HIV negative. Stop throwing more into the mix to worry about needlessly.
You have no cause for further concern. Really.
-
Hello All -
Here we go - No un-protected sex however!! I was at a strip club a few nights back and this girl with fake fangs kept biting my neck. I thought nothing of it till the next day looking at my neck I saw a small scratch. there was a small scab... I'm not even sure if it was from her. Was this a risk? Do i need to go thur testing again?
Of course the web not helping!!
-
No, here we do not go again. That is absolutely not a risk.
How about just keeping it simple?
As in with regard to sexual transmission the only confirmed risks are unprotected vaginal and anal intercourse. Use condoms everytime for those activities and you will be well protected.
Period.
-
Hi Andy -
Tks - Just two quick questions and I won't go on with this.
Even though I saw a small scratch that had a scab, this could have came from her, if so, and she had bleeding gums or a open sore - this could have came in contact with me, if I was bleeding too. So there could have been blood to blood contact, still no risk?? It is a very small scratch, however I peeled the scab and it did have a little blood. Scratch was this big ---- if that matters.
Also, about testing (not do to this - 6 month testing active sex life) Is testing with an HIV 1 test only ok? Or should I test both HIV 1 and 2?
Tks for the help!
-
Ima,
So you're worried her fake fangs had blood on them? Get real. 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. So unless you'd repeatedly punched her in the mouth causing her to bleed profusely, there could not have possibly be enough blood present to be a concern.
As you live in North America, you do not need to be concerned about hiv2. However, most modern tests today test for both.
You do not need testing over this fake fang incident anyway.
Ann