POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: nervousnelly on October 08, 2009, 10:30:30 pm
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had an exposure 51/2 months ago in healthcare where a droplet of blood went in to my eye. I called the PEP hotline and spoke with about 6-7 Drs. all telling me that due to the low chances and me being pregnant they wouldnt recommend PEP chance of transmission is low. Anyways, we asked the patient of his status he states he didnt have anything but refused an HIV test. None the less the Docs felt that even if the pt had HIV such an inoculation would not cause disease. However, after the PEP window passed I lost my mind. I was convinced that the patient lied and I was doomed.
Sure enough about 8 days later ARS started...I got loose stools for 2 days, Night sweats for about 2 weeks, THRUSH on my tongue (confirmed), white patches on my tongue, HAIRY and FISSURED looking papilla on the tip of my tongue, Burning sensation in my esophagus and lips....And still 5 months later my symptoms persist and more have come about such as numbness in my thighs (femerol nerve) not sciatica, sores on my body that are healing slowly, shortness of breath, insomnia/ fatigue and all I can think about is that I am DYING of HIV. Despite all my symptoms all of my tests have been negative thus far...
Oral Swab at 3 weeks- NEG
I had a PCR-RNA test at 35 days- NEG; no virus detected; less than 48 copies/1.7 ml
Oral swab at 6 weeks- NEG
Antibody blood test for HIV 1/2, HEP C, Sypillis at 8 weeks- NEG
Antibody blood test for HIV 1/2, HEP C, Syphillis at 12 weeks- NEG
Antibody blood test for HIV 1/2, HEP C, Syphillis at 5 months and 1 week- NEG
My questions are:
1) Could pregnancy and extreme stress delay seroconversion?
2) What about coinfection with Hep C?
3) Can having Latent TB delay seroconversion?
4) Everyone keeps tellling me that the 3 month test is conclusive but I cannot let go...
5) And what of my symptoms? they are very strange and very HIV related... THRUSH is a huge indicator....
6) what would you suggest for me? (additional testing, blood work, etc)...I need to put this behind me before my baby is due in 1 month. PLEASE HELP!
FINALLY.... HAS ANYONE ON HERE OR THAT YOU KNOW TESTED POSITIVE AFTER 5 MONTHS FOLLOWING AN EXPOSURE????
PLEASE HELP...I AM LOSING MY MIND
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Nervous,
1. NO. Pregnancy sometimes causes false positive results, but it does not delay seroconversion. Neither does stress.
2. What about it? You would have tested positive for either by now if you were coinfected.
3. NO.
4. Well, the window IS three months. If you cannot accept that fact, then perhaps it's time you sought counseling.
5. What about your symptoms? You've ruled hiv out of the picture. You do NOT have hiv. Anyone can get thrush - there's NOTHING hiv specific about thrush. There's nothing hiv specific about ANY of your symptoms.
6. I'd suggest counseling. I'd also suggest you work with your doctor to find out what, if anything, is physically wrong with you. As I said, you've already ruled hiv out of the picture. You do NOT have hiv. And no, I've never heard of anyone not testing positive until five months after an exposure. The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six WEEKS.
As you were told, you were highly unlikely to end up positive following the blood in your eye incident. You do NOT have hiv and it's not surprising.
Ann
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Thanks for your response... so you have never met anyone that tested out past 3 months? How does the CDC state 3 months is for the majority of people, but 6 months will detect almost all cases but it may take longer than 6...That drives me insane....I wish it was cut and dry.
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Nervous,
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. The only people who MIGHT take a little longer than three months to test positive are those who are undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, are taking anti-rejection drugs following organ transplant, or people who have been injecting street drugs, every day, for YEARS. And no, I've rarely seen anyone take more than six weeks to test positive, and I've NEVER seen anyone take more than three months. I've been doing this work since 2001.
As for what the CDC says, who knows. They have a lot of misinformation concerning hiv on their website. It drives me insane too, so you're not alone there.
There is one thing for certain here - you do NOT have hiv. You tested negative far outside the window period. If you continue to feel unwell, discuss it with your doctor. Whatever is going on has NOTHING to do with hiv. You are conclusively hiv negative.
Ann
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Ann, thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I want to believe my negative tests out to 5 months but really having trouble. I can't shake the story about the health care worker who tested out to 10 months... I know that happened in like 1995 or 97. My big question is... Are the tests more sensitive in recent years enough to pick up just a few antibodies?
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Yes, all generations of tests currently in use yield an accurate result at 13 weeks.
While I understand that you remain concerned, there is absolutely no basis in HIV science to dobt at this point that you are HIV negative. End of story. Period.
Get on with you life and having a healthy baby.
Cheers.
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I am also wondering about the PCR-RNA test, at around 4 weeks after expsoure and in someone experiencing symptoms would a PCR detect some virus in everyone? the PCR i took checks for less than 48 copies.
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You had a conclusive negative result at 5 months. Move along.
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Nervous,
If you had hiv, the PCR RNA would have picked it up. The fact is, you DO NOT have hiv! You never had a real risk to begin with.
Now knock it off and get on with your life. You do NOT have hiv!
If you read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) before posting like you're supposed to, you will have read the following posting guideline:
Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.
Please consider yourself warned.
Ann