POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: oakvilleguy1989 on May 10, 2011, 03:44:00 am
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Firstly I would like to thank the forum for letting me take the floor and borrowing their time to help me with my situation.
Here it goes, I am a 22 year old male and on Day 1: I had a high risk HIV encounter. I was having vaginal sex with a CSW woman in an area where HIV is very predominant. And then my nightmare occurred.. the condom broke in half. She noticed it and pulled me out mid-session. We put another condom on and finished the session. I asked her if she was clean and she claimed she was. Since then I have had the most difficult 27 days of my life from then until today. Strange bodily occurrences have been happening to me, one thing after the other. I am very scared and haven't been able to function. Due to all the different information I have been reading I do not know what to believe. I have taken meticulous notes on my physical condition and have now seeked out your forum with hope that one of your experts could analyze these occurrences and give me their honest point of view on the situation.
For 3 nights following the incident I had a mild sore throat and two nights of waking up wet night sweats. Day 8: I had a painful kink in my neck, I woke up with it and it severely inconvenienced my life for 4-6 days I tried robaxacet and non-prescription anti-inflammatory drugs but they had no affect. It felt as if the tightness was coming from my mid left back and it affected me turning my neck mostly to the left, but to the right as well. I also had a sore throat, not painful but uncomfortable. The neck caused fatigue and laziness for a matter of days. Day 14: I started to notice a loss of appetite and in turn weight loss of approx 3 kgs. Day 15-21 I was a little bound up, when pooping I was fighting to get little nuggets out one at a time, I didn’t have a healthy stool for almost a week even while eating healthy.. Day 19-21: Noticeable night sweats again, taking off my shirt each night due to sweat, as well as sweat on the pillow. Day 22: I noticed a purple brownish pimple like irritation on the cheek of my trunk, and noticed a wart on my foot (that was there before) start to irritate me. Day 23: There was a discomfort developing in my right armpit. Day 24: I had Diarrhea, 3 trips to the toilet in a 30 min period. I also noticed 2 large pimple like red bumps on my upper chest and about 4-6 smaller red pimple like spots on my upper chest (that don’t appear to be pimples). I also noticed one mosquito like bite on my left forearm. Not as large as a mosquito bite about a third of the size, very small but noticeable and red. I also noticed about 6 small what looks like pin hole looking spots on either of my hands. Day 25: Very very loose stool, pretty much diarrhea. Day 26: Diarrhea again, and the discomfort in the right arm pit still there and bothering me a little more now during simple daily use, I also have a larger than usual pimple on my face, and my throat is feeling a little swollen. Day 27: Is when I wake up this morning, and I am terrified to see if today brings me anything else to document.
I ask you to first assess my risk. I am un-circumcised, and my friend slipped a viagara in my drink that night. I can only assume if the female noticed a different feeling when she told me to remove my penis ,that I would have only been inside her with the broken condom for no longer than a few minutes. Please assess my risk.
Secondly, knowing that I had a HIV risk, by analyzing my notes please let me know which of the above problems could have been related to the HIV issues, ARS or seroconversion.
I have done research and found out about three available tests to detect HIV (http://www.freedomhealth.co.uk/sexual-health/hiv-test-hiv-testing-london/125/)
I contacted all the sexual health clinics in my province of Ontario, Canada. And the only test they are offering in the public or private health sector is the Rapid HIV test which they say is only accurate for people whos inncodent occurred more than 12 weeks ago. They said that even if I had anal sex with an HIV positive man I only might be be able to quality for a p24 test.
I am young, and I am scared, and I have nobody to talk to. Please help me.
Thanks for your time, patience and helpfully your help and advice:
Yours,
Oakvilleguy1989
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toronto1980, do we really need to go over this with you again?
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Oak,
For a start, you need to know that using the term "clean" to describe the state of someone's sexual health is offensive. I'm hiv positive and yet I'm clean, thank you very much. I shower daily. Please do not use that term in that manner here again.
Forget about p24 testing. It's only useful in the first few weeks of infection.
You are highly unlikely to end up hiv positive over this brief incident. Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus and more so from a woman to a man. I've yet to see the insertive partner end up positive following a condom break and I don't expect you to be the first.
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 six week negative must be confirmed at the three month point, but is highly unlikely to change.
Nothing you describe sounds remotely like hiv infection. The sore throat you had has nothing to do with it as symptoms, when the occur (they don't always) do not come on that quickly. And if you were having true hiv-related night sweats, you'd have to get up and change your sheets and whatever you were wearing in bed. They're absolutely soaking.
But don't bother telling us anything more about your symptoms. Symptoms, or even the lack of symptoms, will never tell you a single thing about your hiv status. Only testing at the appropriate time will.
The only approved home test kit is Home Access. Don't bother with any others as they have a high rate of false positive results.
Here's what you need to know in order to remain hiv negative:
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.
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
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Ann and the other Admins or anyone else I might have offended: I am terribly sorry and meant absolutely no disrespect with my ill judgements in the use of my words. My apologies and I promise not to make that mistake again not just in forum discussion but in everyday life.
Ann, thank you for your time and words. I appreciate you looking at my notes and giving me a professionals standpoint on my physical issues. From before I talked to you and a few other people I was convinced from what I read on the internet that I had ARS symptoms. The information provided on the internet for this topic is very vast, but extremely vague, and different from one site to the other.. and from what it sounds like also un-reliable.
Are you saying you have never heard of an insertive partner from this forum saying they have been infected by a broken condom or you have never heard of anyone in general in your years of research get infected by a broken condom?
Also you say a vast majority of people who have been infected test positive at 6 weeks, do you have a ballpart estimate on those numbers? 70%, 80%? And can I go get tested at 4 weeks with a "Rapid Test" or would it be too in-conclusive, I am trying to get as much accurate positive information to give me additional piece of mind.
I forgot to mention two important points:
At day 2 my friend got the female tested and she came up negative.
At day 26 my friend get the female tested again and she came up negative as well.
If seroconversion does indeed happen at 22 days would this mean that in fact she most likely is negative?
My only last concern that is plaguing my mind is that if this incident occurred with her during her window period. With the test date information provided if I did in fact on Day 1 sleep with her and she was in her window period should she have tested positive by Day 26?
Thanks you so much for your time, the good people on these forums seem to really help put out the fires that were lit by accessive internet related research on this topic. Note to anyone reading: stay away from searching the internet for HIV symptoms and research, it is too vague and the stress and anxiety is not worth the in-accurate information.
Oakvilleguy1989
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The window period is 4 weeks to 3 months. If after 3 months the test is still negative then it is a conclusive negative test result.
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Oak,
You can't go by someone else's hiv test results to determine your own status. The ONLY test results that count are your own.
The earliest you should test is at six weeks. Testing at four weeks is a waste of time, money and resources.
As for the condom break thing - I meant exactly what I said. I've yet to see the insertive partner end up poz following a condom break. I've been posting in this forum for ten years now and I've seen plenty of men test following condom breaks and every single one tested negative. I expect you to test negative also.
Get off the internet and get busy with other things while you wait for the appropriate time - six weeks - to test. We're not here to hold your hand while you wait to test.
Ann
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Thank you Ann for being speaking with me, I am sorry for worrying I just can't control my mind with this situation it has taken control of me and my life I cannot seem to mentally function. For therapeutic purposes I keep reading over and over again what you wrote to me to try to help me relax and it is helping me.
"You are highly unlikely to end up hiv positive over this brief incident. Hiv is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus and more so from a woman to a man. I've yet to see the insertive partner end up positive following a condom break and I don't expect you to be the first."
"As for the condom break thing - I meant exactly what I said. I've yet to see the insertive partner end up poz following a condom break. I've been posting in this forum for ten years now and I've seen plenty of men test following condom breaks and every single one tested negative. I expect you to test negative also."
An online counsellor told me a few statistic that if you wouldn't mind I would like to run by you.
1. If a man is having unprotected sex with an HIV positive woman he only has a 12% chance of contracting the disease. Is this a valid statement?
2. That the Elisa test is 95% conclusive at 4 weeks and that a p24 combi test and that it is 99% conclusive at 6 weeks. (Is the Elisa test the same thing as the "Rapid (POC) Point of Care Test", and is his statistic true about being 95% accurate at 4 weeks?)
3. What is the true percentage of infected people who do suffer the symptoms? I have been told and read that it is: 20%, 50%, 90%, 40-90%, 50-90%.. what is the actual answer? I know we are not supposed to look at any physical ailments but if the symptoms I told you are not reflective of Acute Hiv symptoms I would like to know where I stand in terms of the percentage of people who don't have the symptoms. For example if it is 90% of people have the symptoms and I have not had the symptoms then I would feel much better falling into the 10% category as opposed to thinking I am in the 90% category. Please give me an honest answer not an answer to make me feel better.
4. Last question as I said earlier in my post my friend slipped a viagara in my drink, would this increase my risk factor of contracting the virus?As it is a blood to blood disease and from what I understand the viagara increases blood flow to the penis. Is this an added concern? My erection seemed to feel very normal but would the viagara have caused a tear in my penis?
Sorry for the intense posting, I just need to talk to someone and have a professional assess my concerns and validate or in-validate the information I have been given. This forum seems to be the most qualified and accurate I have found on the internet and I really do appreciate the help and information.
Yours,
Oakvilleguy1989
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HIV isn't something to guess about. Your 3 month post exposure test will be conclusive.
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Thanks for reading my post and your quick words Rod but could you help me answer some or any of the questions in my post?
Thanks,
Oakvilleguy1989
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Oak,
1. We don't use numbers like that here as the study that those numbers are based on was flawed and the numbers were pulled out of thin air.
2. Again, we don't use those types of statistics - we don't find them useful. I already told you about when to test - go re-read my posts.
3. Again with the percentages. I was never sicker in my entire life during seroconversion, but I also know plenty of people who never noticed a single thing. Symptoms or even the lack of symptoms are meaningless when it comes to hiv infection - ONLY testing at the appropriate time will reliable inform you of your hiv status.
4. Viagra will not effect hiv transmission in any way, shape or form.
I fully expect you to come out of this hiv negative. Make sure you read through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms correctly and with confidence. A correctly used condom RARELY breaks.
Ann
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Thanks again Ann, thanks you for your patience and positivity. I went to a clinic today and did a full STI testing today and also did a Rapid POC test which came back negative (I am now at my 4 week point). I'll keep the forum informed on my status as if I continue to be negative (which I pray) then hopefully other people can learn from my mistakes and not obsess over the "what if" factor and "what if" symptoms.
Thanks for your time and patience with me, blessings to you and yours.
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Hey Ann, sorry to bother but if I tested negative today at my 4 week point does that mean the symptoms I was feeling are not related to HIV? Because if they were HIV related would that have meant at that time I was seroconverting? And If I already seroconverted would I have tested positive?
And what are the determining factors of when you do show up positive for HIV? Is it the strain of the HIV virus, the condition of your body? Please advise, Thanks.
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Thanks again Ann, thanks you for your patience and positivity. I went to a clinic today and did a full STI testing today and also did a Rapid POC test which came back negative (I am now at my 4 week point). I'll keep the forum informed on my status as if I continue to be negative (which I pray) then hopefully other people can learn from my mistakes and not obsess over the "what if" factor and "what if" symptoms.
Thanks for your time and patience with me, blessings to you and yours.
All rapid tests are POC which means point of care.
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You need to make a real effort to keep this matter simple(r).
You had a minimal risk.
The average time to seroconversion is 22 days. Yes, if you had already seroconverted you would have tested positive. But you didn't. You tested negative. That's a good thing.
You're part of the way safely home. And given the low level of your risk we expect you to keep testing negative.
Now you need to make a real effort to focus on other matters in your life instead of trying to figure out every angle and detail when ultimately the only way you will get the answer you want is by testing at 13 weeks.
Now, get busy with other things and you will find the time passing much easier than you may think is possible.
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Oak,
I do not see the point of answering any more of your questions. You have not paid any attention to a single thing I've told you so far and I feel I'm just wasting my time.
Ann
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Sorry Ann, I know you'v been patient with me I'm just fucked up. Thanks for your help. And thanks for the kind words and support Andy, it really made me feel better being able to eliminate those strange bodily occurances over the past 4 weeks with seroconversion. You guys are good people.
I found this read on "www.medhelp.org" and it applies directly to my situation. Is this an accurate statement or an out of date in-accurate statement?
by H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D., Jun 12, 2007 12:00AM
The risk of HIV transmission to a male for any particular episode of unprotected vaginal sex averages 1 chance in 2,000, if the female has HIV. Logically the risk is lower the briefer the exposure, but there are no data to estimate how much lower. So if you assume a 5% chance your partner had HIV, your risk of having caught it should be no more than 0.05 x 0.0005 = 0.0000025, or 1 chance in 40,000. If those odds are too high for you to live with, have an HIV test. Anyway, every sexually active person ought to have an HIV test once a year or so. So if you haven't been tested recently, this would be a good time, since it's on your mind.
I don't suggest any other STD testing unless you get symptoms like sores or discharge from the penis.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
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You were told at Medhelp when to test over and over. Move on.
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Instead of feeding your obsessive fears, you would do yourself a big favor if you stay off of searching the web.
As you have been told repeatedly, getting caught up in numbers and odds are useless. Worse than useless because they just feed your fears without giving you a solid answer.
We've evaluated your situation and told you that we expect you to test negative.
Now stop your hysterical behavior and behave yourself. Get busy with other things until you test. Don't bother saying you are too worried to do that because that kind of response is not going to fly here. Just do it.
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I'm sorry but I am worried sick! I can't function, I can't breath. I am not focusing on the symptoms or what knot they are physically affecting me. I would love to have had no symptoms but unfortunately these are real.
It is 29 days since the incident and I have had diarrhea for 6 days straight now (this has never happened to me before in my life even with stomach flu it would only be a day or two) and my right armpit is really irritated causing tingling in my arm when using it, and this has been going on for 6 straight days now. Also the rashes I thought were pimples on my chest are not: they have a bluish tinge to them under the skin after I tried to pop what I thought was the pimple I noticed the color, and the one on my trunk is visibly purple.
I pray to God that you guys are right and I'm not infected but I don't know how to dis-regard these strange bodily occurances.
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Oak, there is nothing even remotely HIV specific about any of the symptoms which you are reporting. If they persist I suggest you discuss them with your doctor.
Ultimately only a negative test result is going to give you the answer you want. What I can say is that among the many, many who have come here worried over a broken condom incident, not one has ever turned out to be HIV positive at 13 weeks. The risk of such a situation is minimal.
I daresay you may not have been very active sexually thus far. If I right about that then there is often a lot of anxiety associated with becoming sexually active along with excitement and all the other stuff.
All of your fears notwithstanding I still expect you to come out of this ok.
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Thanks for the encouraging words Andy. When I read your posts and Ann's posts it takes my mind off the worst case scenario, I'm not going to lie and say I'm all better but it puts my mind at ease for the moment. It was very difficult in my country because the p24 test is not often used but I have arranged to get a p24 dual test tomorrow, could you advise me at 4 weeks should I go forward with this test? And if so how accurate this test will be? And also how long it will take to get a result from the blood test.
Thanks.
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You have to ask the source of the test about how long it will take for a result. P24 will pick up the infection only in the first few weeks after an exposure. A negative result would be encouraging but not conclusive.
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I just got in contact with them, the appointment is set for may 19th which is 5 weeks after exposure, and they told me it will take 2 weeks to process the blood. Did I miss the timeline for this test? At this point where I stand today should I do another rapid test in 2 weeks, go through with this p24 or do both?
I will continue to apologize for my posting I just don't know what else to do. Please advise.
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My advice is don't bother with the P24 but instead wait one week longer and get an HIV test at 6 weeks. All but the smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks after an exposure.
So a negative at 6 weeks would be a strong indication that you are likely to continue testing negative when you retest for a conclusive result at 3 months.
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Alright, So don't do the p24 antigen and rapid poc test at 5 weeks? Do just the rapid poc at 6 weeks? If so i'll take your advise Andy.
I read a statistic that 90% of people infected test positive at 4 weeks.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081007232211AAQdpWB
I also read that 75% of people create antibodies by 4 weeks that are detected by the antibody test.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090302234302AA9tpjC
Are these facts or fiction? Can you please read these articles and let me know the validity of them.
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Enough, you have been told a number of times on two forums when you need to test to obtain a conclusive test result. As Ann told you it's a waste of our time to even address anymore of your questions because you aren't paying a damn bit of attention. Now move along.
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Alright, So don't do the p24 antigen and rapid poc test at 5 weeks? Do just the rapid poc at 6 weeks? If so i'll take your advise Andy.
I read a statistic that 90% of people infected test positive at 4 weeks.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081007232211AAQdpWB
I also read that 75% of people create antibodies by 4 weeks that are detected by the antibody test.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090302234302AA9tpjC
Are these facts or fiction? Can you please read these articles and let me know the validity of them.
Oak,
Knock it off already.
We cannot and do not vouch for what is said on other websites. We have assessed your claims in line with our lessons on HIV transmission, which are the best on the internet, and you have our collective opinion.
Whether you choose to accept our expert advice or not is a matter for you.
Continue with this rubbish and you run a real risk of being dealt with under our posting guidelines. You'll find the posting guidelines in our Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0).
MtD
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Thanks Andy and Ann. Every time I read your posts it really encourages me and helps me get back on my feet.
Hope you guys have a good weekend, I will keep you posted.
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I don't understand this paragraph, experts please read and advise. Are they saying here that the Rapid POC test will not detect HIV Clade B or HIV Sub-type B? Please explain if they are the same or different.
"EIA tests which can detect either one or both types of HIV have been available for a number of years. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, current HIV-1 EIAs "can accurately identify infections with nearly all non-B subtypes and many infections with group O HIV subtypes. However, because HIV-2 and group O infections are extremely rare in most countries, routine screening programs might not be designed to test for them. Anyone who believes they may have contracted HIV-2, HIV-1 group O or one of the rarer subtypes of group M should seek expert advice."
http://www.avert.org/hiv-types.htm
If the EIA test is a Rapid POC test and it does not infact detect HIV Claude B, and I am worried about that infection what test should I administer?
Thanks.
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Sorry guys I just answered this question, hope everyone is doing ok.
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Hey Team: Andy and Anne. One final questions and I'm sure you will be just as glad as me to not have to hear from me anymore.
I got a RNA PCR test at 34 days post exposure and it came back negative. They did not give exact specifics but they said a negative test result is one that comes back with less than 20 copies of HIV-1 RNA per ML. The log states "HIV-1 RNA: Unable to calculate result since non-numberic result obtained for component test." In addition I received a 3rd genetation antibody test 36 days after the exposure that came back negative.
With the combination of these two tests and the timelines provided what is the accuracy of my negative test results? Should it be followed-up at a 3 month post exposure point with one final antibody test for confirmation or is it fair to say that I am in fact HIV negative?
Thanks to the team her for all their support, patience, help and kind words with people like me. As much as it didn't sound like due to the multitude of questions I continually flooded this forum with; everyone here really helped me through the last 5 weeks. Thanks again and I hope this is the last question I have to bother you guys with!
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You sure do have a comprehension problem? How many times have you been told when a test is conclusive?