Worrying of Symptoms and accuracy of HIV rapid test and HIV Acute HIV-1 test

[SafeT93]

I have been having anxiety problems for the last 2 months because of a recent HIV exposure risk. On Nov 24, 2013 I mistakenly had unprotected sex with a guy. We originally had sex in august 2013 but that was protected until the condom broke and had sex for a little bit until I told him I can't do it anymore. He didn't cum in me in august. Unfortunately after months of talking with him, we messed around again on Nov 24 and he cummed in me that day. 4 days later on Nov 28th on thanksgiving I began to feel muscle aches like a burning or aching feeling in the back of my thighs and lower back at the sametime. Later on that day I began to feel chills and my body was warm. I was unable to bend properly and began rubbing my thighs and back, that is when I started looking online and found out this could be signs of early HIV infection. A few days after that on Monday I went out to eat with my friend and was unable to finish my food. A few days after that I began to have constipation, not having the urge to deficate for 2 weeks. During the 2 weeks I was unable to eat a lot, was hardly hungry, and had a dry mouth, the food had some taste but not like before for 2 weeks straight. I took the rapid Hiv test and the STD and Acute HIV-1 test at NYC free STD clinic on Dec 11th 2013. The rapid test came back negative, and a week later I got back my results for the STds and Acute HIV-1 test which were all negative. Basically I took the test 17 days after possible exposure. I would like to know based on my symptoms and the timing I took the test, can you say if my results were accurate. Anyone can answer but I would like a Dr or Professional to answer also. Oh yes during that first week of symptoms I began to have a  skin peeling lining on both sides of the inside of my mouth and since then as of Jan 3,2014 the back of my tongue near my taste buds is a little white. I also went my Dr a day after the STD test, he gave me a fleet enema prescription for my constipation, and also had me do blood work a days later at a diagnostic center. This test was taken 4 weeks after possible exposure. A few weeks after that the results came back and the only problem I had was low vitamin D range 24 which I need 30. The enema worked and flushed out the feces. After that I experienced diarrhea once a few days after I stop using the enema. But ever since my feces have been coming out sometimes with fury stuff on it. I am very nervous and anxious. I will do the rapid test over in 3 months either in Feb or March, but I just wanted to know can my results 17 days after possible exposure be accurate especially for the Acute HIV-1 viral load test. It's a lot of stuff I know and a lot it is general questions, but based on experience and professional knowledge on HIV symptoms and test. Does my symptoms sound like HIV early symptoms and can my test results be accurate even though I will test again in 3 months. Im questioning the results because I only felt these symptoms after me and the guy messed around. Oh and A fews days after possible exposure, I saw flaky skin near my groin flat bumps with flaky skin around it. The guy encouraged me to go get tested, and he told me he gets tested every 3 months. He told me he got tested in September 2013 and then Dec 2013 which was recently which came back negative. The only problem is he never actually showed me his results. He claims he doesn't have HIV or any other STD. The HIV DR said the flaky skin near my groin looks like a fungal problem and that it is not related to HIV but I am still worried.

[Jeff G]

The average time to seroconversion is 22 days. Most who are infected will test positive by 6 weeks. For various reasons a small number will take longer and that is why we follow the CDC recommendation to test at 3 months for a conclusive negative result.

The testing window period is 6 weeks past any possible exposure and again at 3 months to confirm the result .

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. Some of the other STDs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid HIV infection. It really is that simple!

 

[SafeT93]

Ok, yes I know the 3 month window period. The HIV Dr at the NYC STD clinic told me after 10 days, the Acute HIV-1 test can detect HIV viral load. I know the rapid test I took may not be 100 % after 8 weeks and then 3 months. But the HIV viral load test I took was 17 days post exposure. The Dr said that the viral load is high after 10 days of initial infection, and also because of my symptoms I should have a high viral load while having those symptoms. MY viral load test was negative after 17 days post exposure. I will test again on the 8th week and then the 12th week, but just wanted to know in general how accurate was that test. In general can my symptoms be related to recent infection. I know the window period for antibodies is between 6 and 12 weeks. But can my negative result on viral load test after 17 days of pssible exposure be accurate

[Andy Velez]

It might be accurate but it's not conclusive. Also, none of your symptoms are in anyway HIV specific. You need to know that neither presence nor the absence of any symptoms is ever a reliable way to know your HIV status. Only an HIV test taken at the proper time can give you that answer.

Also, I want to put in a word here for safer sex. You can have all the anal sex you want to and with whomever, but do it the safer way. That means the insertive partner always has to wear a condom. No exceptions.

Good luck with your testing. 

[SafeT93]

Ok thanks. I have an appointment to do the rapid test again on Monday from a different clinic but same type of rapid test. My possible risk was on Nov 24,2013, I got tested for rapid test and Acute HIV-1 test on Dec 11th,2013. My rapid results was not detected, and a week later got back my results for Acute HIV-1 test which said test was normal. You answered my questions for my previous questions.3 months is the recommended time to retest from the CDC guidelines. But as you said most people will be positive by day 22 if recently infected. You guys also said recommended time to get tested is 6 weeks. Well now I will get retested for the rapid test on Monday, Jan 6, 2014. Based on my general but not specific symptoms and previous test results, how accurate would you think my results would be after 7 weeks post exposure. I began to have some black spots on my face this morning, yes I know HIV symptoms are not specific, but can this be a sign of HIV infection 6 weeks after post exposure. If my 7 week results are good, I will get tested again on the 10th week and then 12th week. Yes I know to be 1000% accurate you have to do the 12 week test. So in all based on your knowledge of HIV, it's early symptoms, and testing, would by 7 week test give me accurate results. Yes 3 months to be conclusive, but if most people seroconvert by day 22 would my 7 week test be an accurate result?

[Jeff G]

Its rare for a 6 week negative test to go on to be positive when its confirmed at 3 months . Unfortunately there are no shortcuts to HIV testing .

You have thrown around so many dates its confusing so the bottom line is if you have an exposure you only need to test at most 2 times and that's at 6 weeks and 3 months .   

[Ann]

But as you said most people will be positive by day 22 if recently infected.

No, he said "The average time to seroconversion is 22 days. Most who are infected will test positive by 6 weeks. Big difference between "average" and "most".

A six (or seven) week negative is highly unlikely to change. If your symptoms were anything to do with hiv, you can bet you'd test positive by then. The symptoms that some, not all, people experience are caused by the process the body goes through while producing antibodies, they're not directly caused by the virus itself.

You really don't need to test again at ten weeks. You're wasting money and resources by testing too much. Re-testing at twelve weeks following a six week negative is more a formality than anything when one is testing with third or fourth generation tests (better safe than sorry). And that's pretty much all that is in use today in the US.

(Oraquick in-home tests are an exception - one MUST NOT consider themselves negative on those tests until one has tested negative at twelve weeks.)

I really hope you learn from this and always make sure condoms are being used. No exceptions until you're in a mutually monogamous relationship where you've tested for ALL the STIs, not just hiv.

Are you aware that untreated syphilis can also lead to death, and syphilis is notorious for going unnoticed? Primary syphilis lesions (chancres) are painless and if you get one where you can't see it (in your rectum, for example) you won't have the first clue that it's there. Primary syphilis can also cause flu-like symptoms, so think on. Syphilis shares a three month testing window with hiv for a conclusive negative result.

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection and stay sexually healthy in general:

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. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.

Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!

Ann