Hiv testing questions

[EnderWiggin11]

Hi guys im very worried and afraid and I really think I have hiv, I had regular sex with a girl for very brief period, I've been tested 4 times using oral swab at clinic but I did the swab myself. I did it twice at 2 months once at 3 months and once at 5 months. I haven't had appetite and I have a very reaccuring pain in left buttock for since exposure , I've read in this very site that a guy tested negative all the way to five months just like me in 2011 with same test then positive on blood test, I'm so afraid but my counselor says blood test is totally unnecessary at this point and I really don't want to take blood test because I'm afraid it will be pos. thanks for all input . Oh btw all tests were negative

[Joe K]

Ender,

You are conclusively negative.  Testing guidelines are to test at 6 weeks past the last incident and then at 12 weeks to confirm the test.  You have tested negative 5 months past any exposure and you are negative.  The post you reference involved very special circumstances that have no relation to your situation.

You are negative.

Joe

[EnderWiggin11]

Thanks for your reply first off. Second off, I would LOVE to know about these very special circumstances, because I didn't see anything about any circumstances, all I saw was where Ann told the guy maybe his body wasn't producing enough antibodies for the oral fluids...which is scary sh*t, on the count of theses tests supposedly being somewhat definitive and conclusive at 3 months post exposure LET ALONE 5 months. But I reckon those circumstances are none of my business, I guess that's what I get for not fighting the urge to go into that section of the website. I just want to feel free and be able to move on... Which is very hard... Especially with all these symptoms including swollen glands all over. But oh well, I guess I'll just try my best to move on, thanks so much for your input it's very much appreciated. God bless, ps. All I ever really wanted was to have children of my own one day..!:(

[Ann]

Ender,

Those "special circumstances" were more likely than not that the person had another risk that put him into a new window period that maybe he didn't want to admit to or just didn't remember. I don't recall ever saying anything like you mention to anyone.

Sometimes we "humour" newly diagnosed people who don't want to face up to reality. They're already fragile and raw and we give them time to come to terms with things. That's why they have their own section of the forums.

As for you, you were never likely to end up hiv positive following a one-off incident of unprotected insertive vaginal intercourse. Hiv is much more difficult to transmit from a woman to a man (but not impossible). Your second situation posed NO hiv risk to you.

At the end of the day, if you cannot bring yourself to believe your perfectly valid and reliable rapid test results, go get a blood test done. The result isn't going to be any different to the ones you've had so far.

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

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.

ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED FURTHER HIV TESTING AT THIS TIME, 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