POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: HelpHelp on November 30, 2007, 08:28:34 am
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Hello, I really would appreciate if someone could give me a response. This is my story
I had unprotected sex from April to August 18th ( That was my last exposure date)
Oct 31 I got tested but was still in the window period ( 11 weeks )
Nov 18 I got tested again came back negative ( 13 weeks)
However, my original reason for getting tested was a diarrhea for like a month and then once that stopped I started getting orange anal slimly discharge after I went to the washroom from the bum ( I have never had any type of anal sex or anything)
Nov 1 I got my first canker sore of my life, along with the worst pain in my mouth in my life. It’s not a typical sore throat. It’s really red at he back of my mouth and I have an aching pain in the back of my mouth and the top of my mouth as well. The top of my mouth is earthier aching with pain, or is itchy. I was treated for strep throat, but it didn’t do anything, then they said it must be viral then. Its been a MONTH now and I’m still having aching pain on the roof of my mouth and back of my mouth ( top of throat). I also have a slightly/small red rash on my chest and sometime my legs. I realize that people normally test at the 13 week mark, but could this not be my body forming the antibodies? Could this in any way be related? It’s been a month, most normal viral infections don’t last that long. Please help me, I’m really worried. I have no immune deficiency, and I was on lorazapam meds when I got the first test done, but not the second. I am convinced I have it and my body is one of those one in a whatever amount of time that isn’t showing up. Please I need to know if my mouth problems could be related to HIV. Thanks so much
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Read the posting guidelines found in the "Welcome" forum. Don't double post. You're negative and your symptoms have nothing to do with HIV. See a doctor if you have concerns.
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Like Rod I just want to say without a doubt this is NOT an HIV situation. You have reliable tested negative for HIV so that is eliminated.
You need to discuss your symptoms with your doctor. We can't diagnose anything here. I will say other STDs are much easier to acquire than HIV. We always recommend that anyone who's sexually active have a full STD panel done regularly -- at least annually and every six months is even better.
Lastly, you need to know that everytime you have unprotected intercourse you are putting your life at risk. It's as stark and as simple as that. You can have as much intercourse as you want to and their HIV is irrelevant as long as you always wear a condom. No exceptions, no matter what you think you know of the other person's history or how great they look. Use condoms. Everytime. They do the job. Learn from this experience and start protecting yourself.
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I'm sorry for double posting before, I thought I did it wrong the first time. Thanks for your responses. I just wanted to clarify that the roof of your mouth being itchy along with the back of my mouth aching with pain is not a HIV symptom? Its not difficult to swallow or talk, its just is extremely red and achy/ weird pain both in my in the back of my mouth and top of my mouth/ basically a huge annoyance .
Thanks Again
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I"m sorry I'm not too good at this type of thing....
i just want to clarify that the aching pain in the back of my mouth( severe redness) and the aching pain/itch on the top of my mouth is not an hiv symptom? Also i have like a sore on the top of my mouth that just turned up this afternoon. Its not a canker, its just red bump
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I've merged your threads. Please keep all of your entries in this same thread.
As for the additional symptoms you are concerned about that's still something to discuss with your doctor. You did not have a risky HIV situation and whatever is going on has nothing to do with HIV even if your fears tell you otherwise.
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I had unprotected sex ( which I'll never do again). It isn't possible for me to be having acute HIV or something now while still testing negative three months after? I never have had mouth sores, nor have i ever had this type of a aching pain in my mouth. I'm sorry to keep bugging here, but I'm really scared that I have it. One more question, medication such as lorazepam won't interfer with test results right?
Thanks ... i really do appreciate this web site
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Help,
I think Andy confused you with someone else in his answer. Thats one of the reasons why we ask people to keep all their concerns in one thread - otherwise things get confusing.
You did have a risk of infection, yes. However, you were not infected. Your test results prove that. The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks. You tested out to the very end of the window period. You are NOT hiv positive.
See your doctor about your mouth problems. Whatever is going on, it has NOTHING to do with hiv. You do NOT have hiv.
Make sure you use condoms in future and you'll remain hiv negative.
Ann
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So medications such as lorazepam or anti biotic ts for a throat infection wouldn't interfer with the accuracy of test results? and it is NOT possible that i am seroconverting now and that why i didn't test positive at 13 weeks because my body just started making anti whatevers now? :)
thanks
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Help,
No, those medications will not interfer with the seroconversion process. You are not seroconverting at this late date. You do not have hiv. See your doctor about your mouth concerns, whatever is going on has nothing to do with hiv.
You have reliably tested hiv negative. You ARE hiv negative.
Ann
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Further testing wouldn't be required if i knew the person I slept with was HIV positive? The three month( 13 week) is 100% reliable , as long as i don't use drugs ( which i don't in any way) or have an immune deficiency ( which i don't) ?
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Also, my mouth issues stated Nov. 1, and i was tested Nov 18 so again ( I'm sorry) it wouldn't have been the seroconverted thing happening and there just wasn't enough anti bodies developed to test positive?
Thanks for all your help
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Help,
How would it make any sense to extend the window period if you knew the person was hiv positive? What about all the people who had sex with people they didn't know were positive, but were?
The window period is three months, period. End of story. The ONLY exceptions are people on chemotherapy for cancer, anti-rejection drugs following organ transplant or people who have been injecting street drugs, every day, for YEARS.
People who are hiv negative get mouth issues too. You need to see your doctor or dentist about them.
One more time, you ARE hiv negative. If you continue to have difficulties accepting your hiv negative status, then perhaps it's time you sought counseling. We cannot help you with that here.
Please make sure you read the posting guidelines in the Welcome thread. We do not permit people to use this forum to continually question their confirmed negative status.
Ann
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Can you get HIV from unprotected oral sex?
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No...
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Yesterday, I felt like i was going to feel sick all day, then finally , then last night I was out and got hit like a wave of Diarrhea and feeling like i was going to get sick. Last exposure ( unprotected sex) Aug 18. Nov. lymph nodes swell up and i get laryngitis, that is Slowly going away, now I have this 'flu". There is no way that its hiv if i tested from a Nov. 18th Test? I just keep gettin sicker. Slowly. I"m so scared that its from that and that my body is just reacting slowly to it.
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You have reliably tested negative for HIV. No matter what your mind is scaring you with in relation to your symptoms, you are are HIV negative. Period. End of story.
Whatever is causing your symptoms is not HIV. You need to discuss them with your doctor and find out the real cause, which I repeat, is NOT HIV.
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OK i just have one more question. If you are just fooling around and then you go to have sex so you put the condom on but there was already pre cum and u wipe it off prior to putting the condom on and then when you put the condom on , the pre cum gets on the outside of the condom from your hands,then you have sex... is that a risk? if the pre come was on the outside of the condom ? weird question, i know
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Help,
It's not a weird question - it's one we see quite often around here in various different disguises. Hiv is very fragile and does not withstand the type of treatment you are talking about. Once it finds itself outside the body, it quickly becomes too damaged to be able to infect.
Keep making sure your fella wacks that condom on before he enters your anus or vagina and you'll be fine.
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. Better yet, you can put the condom on him as part of foreplay - this way you'll know it's on properly.
Have a look through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms properly and with confidence. Please also check out the information on the female condom (http://www.aidsmap.com/en/docs/6B8B1AB3-6C46-4EE2-9C34-9D53DF3ECE3E.asp).
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. This is something for you to keep in mind for the future - we already know that you are currently hiv negative. Stay that way by insisting that condoms are always used for intercourse.
You ARE hiv negative.
Ann
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Ok, just to clarify... It cannot live outside the body for even a couple seconds?Therefor , if there was pre cum on the outside of the condom, i am at no risk of infection becuase the virus would have been killed/damaged? Thanks
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Help,
Pre-cum on the outside of a condom is not going to infect you.
You are conclusively hiv negative. Use condoms and stay that way.
Ann
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This happened to me recently , so I was just making sure( the pre cum on condom) . The last unprotected sex was Aug.18 , so yes I am HIV negative.
Thanks for taking the time to respond to me, its greatly appreciated. When i start to get nervous, i come on here and re read your responses, so it really helps me. Thanks.
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Aslo, can you or can you not get HIV from giving a guy oral and swallowing?
Thanks
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One more questions to go with the one above for an admin memeber . Are red dots inside your mouth ( checks and roof of mouth) a symptom of hiv . they just look like small red pin dots( blood dots) . I also have one red thing on my cheek that looks like a spider ( but no erosion) just a red thingy that looks like a spider?? That isn't raised or anyhing just there.
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You can't be diagnosed over the Internet. If you have a concern see your doctor.
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Help,
Giving blowjobs is more a risk in theory than reality. There have been long-term studies of couples where one is positive and one is negative. In the couples who used condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, but no barrier for oral activities, not one of the negative partners became infected with hiv. Not one.
However, there are other sexually transmitted infections that can be transmitted through giving blowjobs, notably herpes, syphilis and gonorrhea. If you're concerned about these, you'll have to see your doctor.
If you have concerns about your oral health, see your doctor or dentist. We cannot diagnose your mouth-spots here.
Ann
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Should i be re tested for HIV then or am I okay? Since that last unprotected sex Aug 18. I have had oral once and used a condom the other time( with the pre cum on the outside of it) ?
Thanks
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Help,
You do not need re-testing at this time, no. You do, however, need to make sure that as a sexually active adult, you are having a yearly sexual health check up that includes all STIs, not just hiv. It's what responsible adults do to protect their own health and that of others.
You can test again in a year, or in six months if you happen to be very active with several partners. Please understand this is ROUTINE testing, not over anything you have brought here so far. If you don't have sex in the next year, don't bother testing again.
Keep using condoms and expect hiv negative results.
Ann
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I don't think you're really listening to what is being said to you. Your anxiety is clogging your ears. Ann has already responded to you about giving oral sex.
You are HIV negative. If you are going to get anxious everytime you give oral then use condoms for that as well as for intercourse.
This is not an HIV situation.
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I have heard of situations where the person picked up more then one std at a time, making it so that they wouldn't test positive at the three month mark? Is this true? If i got herpes or hep C at the same time as HIV would it take longer to test positive? Thanks
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No. Being infected with another sexually transmissible disease (or any disease for that matter) will not affect the window period.
You don't have HIV. Are you getting the message?
MtD
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I was actually meaning like if you had a one time encounter with someone who was HIV pos and Hep C pos and in that one time you slept with them , you picked up both hep C and HIV, would you test pos for both at the 3 month window thingy? or would it take longer because of being infected b y two things at the same time.
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No.
Firstly HCV infection is extremely unlikely to be transmitted by unprotected sexual behaviours. But assuming someone did contract both, one would not affect the window period of the other.
The window period for HIV is 3 months, for HCV it's 6 months.
But this prattle is beside the point.
You do not have HIV. So stop with the what-iffing.
MtD
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I need to ask this , because its driving me crazy. Is a tooth ache ever a sign of HIV? i know you don't diagnosed by symptoms, i was just wondering if the too have ever been related. Thanks,
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Help,
Toothache? This has gone beyond silly. I think it's time that your thread was reviewed by the Moderators.
MtD
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Toothache has absolutely nothing to do with HIV, you need to see a dentist, I'm giving you a 28 Time Out so you can go and make an appointment...there is nothing else we can do for you.
Jan
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OK. I have one last thing , I've been waiting to write. I had unprotected oral sex on Dec 1 , then i got a tickle in my thorat and mouth/tongue. Had a throat infection already at the time when this happened. But the thingling /weird feeling in my throat didn't happen start till about a week after the oral where i swallowed. Do i need to be tested in three months? also been feeling sick( tired, flu like things. Also white dots on the top of my mouth and tongue. Thanks
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You don't need to test, but if that is the only way you are going to move on, test collect your negative result.
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Help,
You're MUCH more likely to have gotten gonorrhea from giving head. To find out, you'll have to have your throat swabbed and tested for gonorrhea. We can't diagnose you here.
Ann
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OK thanks, I went and got my throat swapped. I just have a few questions with regards to HIV
1) Can you get the brief flu symptoms of HIV the same day as the exposure?
2) If I was exposed on Dec 1 from an oral incident, would it possible to have white dots on my tongue and a white patch as a result of HIV or is it too soon for these symptoms?
3) Is a tickle in your thorat/ mouth a symptom of HIV ?
Thanks SO much. I went and i was tested for all other STDs but am worried about HIV because i had a thorat infection already at the time.
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1) Can you get the brief flu symptoms of HIV the same day as the exposure?
No. HIV seroconversion illness does not appear at the same time as exposure. For the record you were not exposed.
2) If I was exposed on Dec 1 from an oral incident, would it possible to have white dots on my tongue and a white patch as a result of HIV or is it too soon for these symptoms?
3) Is a tickle in your thorat/ mouth a symptom of HIV ?
As we've told you repeatedly -- symptoms are meaningless and in any event you do not have HIV as you did not place yourself at risk.
MtD
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I was concerned because i had unprotected oral and like 6 hours later had the flu, plus I had a throat infection at the time and i swallowed. Then I small white dots on my tongue plus small white patch at back of mouth with tingling all throughout my mouth .
But i don't need to be tested for HIV ?
Thanks
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No, you don't need to be tested for HIV as a result of the sexual activity you report.
Is that clear enough?
MtD
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I'm not sure you're listening to anything that's being said to you because your anxiety is screaming so loudly.
This is a really simple situation. No HIV risk = no need for testing.
Going through all of the previous entries in your thread it's starting to seem like the same scenario over again, the one for which you ended up being given a time out. Keep in mind that next time you'll end up getting banned if you simply come back again and again with this kind of stuff. Re-read the lesson on Transmission. It lays the issues of transmission of HIV out for you there very simply and directly. And the advice and information you have been given throughout this thread is transferrable from one situation to another.
I repeat, are you listening?
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Yes , I am listening, just wanted to make sure that if i had unprotected oral when i had a thorat infection and swallowed that I don't need to be tested for HIV.
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Well now you can be sure.
You don't need to test.
MtD
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Thank you. I needed that reassurance. I am away from home for school so i don't have a doctor except for the one provided through the school. I have had my mouth looked at numerous times, they just keep telling me it must b e a viral infection. Yes, it has freaked me out given that it has been there for awhile and because of my unprotected oral. I also went to the dentist, where he indicated that no problems with my gums/teeth that would be cause my problems in my mouth. Thanks you all for your support.
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Wondering if it is possible to delete all my postings. Not delete my account, just all my postings? or if one of the moderators would be able to do this for me? Thanks
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It doesn't work that way. Just don't post on them and they will go by the waste side.
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I have another question , i seen a doctor again about my mouth, he thinks that its Oral lichen planus (mouth rash for unknown cause) but i have to have further tests, apparently this leaves your gums are affected, so that the surface of the gum peels off, leaving the gums red and raw...too me it just feels like i burned my mouth in spots and its sore, would this make me susceptible to receiving HIV through oral? thanks
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?
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Seems to me that nothing is going to satisfy you short of getting tested. You just keep coming back with more what ifs.
Get your test done, collect the inevitable negative result and hopefully that will allow you to get on with your life. I'm unwilling to go through each of the additional hand wringers that you come up with.
During your waiting period stay productively busy and the time will pass more quickly than you may imagine possible. I don't see that anything other than a negative result is going to satisfy you -- and I hope that will do it for you. And again, I certainly expect you will test negative. Period.
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i hope so. i was also just wondering is thrush an initial symptom of HIV like what you get when you first get the virus? or is it a later? I read on the internet that its an initial symptom, along with the flu stuff, and then i tired to get into the general information thread on this site , but is not opening for me. I know i read something about it in there, but for whatever reason it won't open and i don't want to trust the internet so i just thought i would ask if thats something you can get right at the start? thanks
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Thrush is NOT an HIV-specific symptom. It happens to those who are HIV negative as well as HIV positive.
Period.
Now, as I have said before, get productively busy with other matters until you test and collect the negative result we all expect you to get.
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Hello, i am gettin really scared again about my oral sex incident. I know there is very little risk but its really scaring me. In the introduction forums when it says that the initial flu l like symptoms happen with 2-4 weeks of exposure is that the latest it would happen? Or could you get the initial flu like symptoms 6 weeks after also? I am having weird tingling feelings in my hands ( only one) and my feet, and it really scares me. When people have HIV , is this a issue that happends in the beginning or later stages? Thanks. I know you don't deal with symptoms questions, but feedback would make me feel better
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Help,
Feeling tingly is NOT a symptom of primary hiv infection. If you're worried about your tingles, see your doctor.
Ann
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In the introduction forums when it says that the initial flu l like symptoms happen with 2-4 weeks of exposure is that the latest it would happen? Or could you get the initial flu like symptoms 6 weeks after also? Thanks for your reply
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Your all a great help and are helping me through this :)
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When there has been a genuine risk, which I hasten to add you didn't have, the average time to seroconversion is 22 days. All but the smallest number of those who are going to seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks after an exposure to the HIV virus.
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and when you seroconvert is the time that you get the iniital flu like illness?
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Yes.
BUT because the symptoms are so similar to flu and other illnesses you can never know from symptoms about HIV status. Only an HIV test can reliably give you that answer.
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And just because you have seroconverted , dosn't mean you would test positve. In the forum it says the vast majority will test pos by six week? i know you still have to get tested after 12 weeks, i was just curiouse?
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Is nausea even a symptoms of the flu? sorry last question
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Help,
If you're feeling unwell, go see your doctor. We do not make a habit of discussing symptoms here.
You're taking your risk level all out of proportion. Stop it, please.
Ann
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Sorry that i continue to discuss my symptoms. I have a general question. In the information forums when it refers to flu like symptoms , is this stomach flu or influenza? Apparently, they are often mistaken for one and other but are totally different. So would it be possible for someone to just clarify for me if the initial symptoms are influenza or stomach flu ( nausea, diarrhea) or both if its a result of HIV infection? Thanks.
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Look Help,
You have been told that we are not in the habit of discussing symptoms regarding HIV infection outside of saying that sero-conversion illness is not unlike influenza, which in turn is not unlike many, many other viral infections.
You have been told that you should see your doctor if you feel ill.
You have been told that should you test, that result will be negative because you were not at risk of being infected with HIV in the first place.
Don't think that you will be permitted to post obsessively about these things, you won't be.
Best you moved on, I think.
MtD
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I got an HIV test done at week six, just to make myself feel a little better and my doc is young and said that she hasn't ever been asked to get that test and then i went in to get my results and she said it was it was negative. We talked about my other health problems currently going on and i left. Then i got worrying if she knew the diff. between non responsive and false-negative.. should i call to clarify or can be safe to assume she was aware of how the testing works, even if she hasn't done it before? Thanks
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Help,
You never had a risk in the first place. You are conclusively hiv negative.
As we don't seem to be getting through to you, I'm giving you another time out. This one will last for 56 days. Please seek counseling for your unwarranted fears.
Ann
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Hello. Just wanted to say that i was neg at three months from my oral incident i was worried about. Just wanted to make sure there are no weird sub types of HIV that would be slow in progression therefore take longer to detect? Only asking because of my burning mouth/metallic taste in my mouth that still worries me in the back of my head. I know it seems like i keep puttin myself in the same situation over and over again, but yet again, something weird happend, and i just want to make sure i wasn't at risk. It was with the same person as my before incident. I had shaved the same day i had sex and while we were having sex it kinda hurt and i knew i must have cut myself shaving. Before he ejaculated he pulled out took the condom off and went on the outside of my area, which went i cleaned up, one of my cuts must have been bleeding little.... i was very upset that he took the condom off... and its completely over now because of it... i just want to know if that's a risk. if he ejaculated on my open Small razor cuts? Thanks so much for all your support....
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You're negative, move on with your life. No more "what ifs" or maybes. Your negative. END OF STORY.
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Help,
You never had a risk in the first place. You are conclusively hiv negative.
As we don't seem to be getting through to you, I'm giving you another time out. This one will last for 56 days. Please seek counseling for your unwarranted fears.
Ann
Help,
If you keep posting about this no risk incident, you won't just be timed out, you'll be permanently banned. Please consider yourself warned.
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.
Ann
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Hi Everyone.
I know I have an irrational fear of HIV and I am seeing someone to help me figure it out. Please be patient with me. I am really stupid or something, and i wasn't aware that using oil based lube decreased the effectiveness of a condom, so I'm back in the same situation as always. I had sex throughout the month of April with the same person who claims tested neg, we used a condom and an oil based lube, because i am paranoid i always look at the condom, it never appeared to be broken. A few times i noticed there wasn't much in the end, but didn't think anything about it until i realized that oil based lube causes small slits... Should i go through the procedure of testing again? Thanks so much.
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Help,
If the condom had truly broken, you'd know it.
You should have read the condom and lube links in my signature line like I asked you to back in December - if you had, you'd know about oil based lube.
Good luck with the therapy - you've worn out your welcome here. I'm banning you, as promised.
Ann