Need opinions from the experts

[rockbottom]

I am a female, mid-30's, that had a possible exposure in March of this year.  I have tested for HIV monthly, since the encounter for seven months and have been negative.  I have also tested negative for several other STD's as well.  However, since my exposure I have had profuse night sweats on a regular basis and chronic yeast infections, along with a few other random issues.  I have seen an infectious diesease specialist and she suggested that I test up to a year from the exposure date.  Is it possible to take that long to test positive?  From my understanding it is 6 months, but I can't shake it off that I am positive because of my lagging symptoms that do not go away.  Please give me some advise!!!!!!!!

[RapidRod]

3 months post exposure is when you obtain your conclusive negative test result. If the ID specialist did say 6 months, seek a new specialist. If you can't accept your negative result seek the help of a mental health professional.

[Ann]

Rock,

You were conclusively hiv negative at the three month point. You did not need to test out to seven months and you certainly don't need to test out to a year over this one incident.

I suggest you see a gynecologist about your yeast issues, rather than an infectious disease doctor. Yeast infections can be notoriously difficult to shift even for hiv negative people.

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 with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.

Have a look through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

Although you do NOT need further testing over this one incident, 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.

You ARE hiv negative. Make sure your partner is always using a condom and using it correctly and you'll stay that way.

Ann

[rockbottom]

HI Anne.  Thank you for taking the time to reply to me.  If I could just ask you one more question.... I notice a lot of statements regarding a late seroconversion due to a compromised immune system.  Would being on antibiotics for the first 3 months past my possible exposure relate to that?  I have seen many doctors about the profuse night sweats that I have daily since this incident and they can not tie anything to it.  That is why I am having a difficult time letting this go and I continue testing.

[Ann]

rock,

People who might seroconvert late are people who are on chemotherapy for cancer, people who are taking anti-rejection drugs following organ transplant, or people who have been injecting street drugs, every single day, for years. I trust you don't fall into any of these categories.

Antibiotics will NOT make any difference to hiv testing. However, antibiotics WILL cause yeast infections because they also kill off the friendly bacteria we need to keep the yeast at bay. Everyone has yeast (actually a type of fungus) present in and on our bodies and it's easy to upset the balance with antibiotics and end up with an over-growth of yeast. See your doctor about this. I always have to be prescribe the remedy for yeast infection when I have to take antibiotics - and I had to do this LONG before I became hiv positive.

Keep working with your doctor about the night sweats. It could be anything, including early-onset menopause. It could also be as simple as needing to have some additional ventilation in your bedroom.

You ARE hiv negative. If you continue having problems accepting your negative status, you may find it beneficial to find a counselor who can teach you methods of dealing with your anxious thoughts. We cannot help you with that here.

Ann

[rockbottom]

Hello.  I had to reply again.  i just tested positive for HPV after 8 months of my exposure.  I was still concerned about HIV because my symptoms, night sweats, visual probs (flashers and floaters), light-headedness, confusion, dry, coated tounge, do not have anything to do with HPV asked my doctor about HIV again and she stated she wants me to test at one year.  As i statedin my previous blog, I have tested monthly withe the anti-body test, 8 times which have all been negative.  i also had a viral load test done at 120 days and that was also negative.  I now have 2 different doctors telling me to test in a year.  Has something changed?  Does it take up to a year to know?  Please help me out with some guidence on this.  Thank you so much.

[RapidRod]

No it does not take a year. It only takes 3 months.

[Matty the Damned]

Rock,

Both of those doctors are wrong. You do not need to test again in a year. As Ann and Rod have noted your 3 month test is conclusive - you are HIV negative. Being infected with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) makes no difference and does not affect the validity of HIV test results.

Whatever is making you ill, it's not HIV. Please work with your doctor to determine the cause.

MtD

[Andy Velez]

And if your doctor can't find out what is causing your symptoms, then see another.

You are absolutely way beyond conclusively negative for HIV so that's an issue. Too often when someone is having symptoms and has been worried about HIV, they mistakenly think it's still an issue. But it's not. You're HIV negative. Period. End of that story.

Good luck with finding out what the real problem is.

[anniebc]

As the others have already told you, you were conclusively HIV neg at 3 months...HIV is not your problem.

I now have 2 different doctors telling me to test in a year

I'ts possible you misunderstood your Doctor, it's sounds to me that they are just advising you to test again in a years time because annual testing is a damned good idea if you are sexually active.. use condoms at all times ..NO EXCEPTIONS and continue to have full STD screening once a year.

Jan

[rockbottom]

I would like to thank everyone who has taken time to respond to my concern.  In response to Jan, this is what my doctor said:  You should test again in a year because in rare cases people do not react ( not sure what she means here) and do not test positive until a year.  I know it is strange and I have seen 3 doctors who know everything that I have told all of you.  Not one of them will say that I am 100 percent HIV negative and it is as frustrating for me as at may seem to you.  I made a huge mistake that I am paying dearly for, and I can not believe how hard it is to get some solid facts from the medical field about this situation.

[Andy Velez]

All I can say is that it doesn't matter how many doctors may say otherwise to you, that business of HIV not showing up for up to a year has absolutely no basis in HIV science.

But I also don't see any value in getting into a war over this. It's just a shame that your anxiety is unnecessarily and totally incorrectly being stirred up by this issue.

You've gotten the real deal here. And we're careful about what we put out. You are HIV negative.