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Author Topic: Need confidence in Oraquick Oral HIV Test  (Read 11755 times)

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Offline needconfidence

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Need confidence in Oraquick Oral HIV Test
« on: March 05, 2014, 10:22:31 pm »
So it starts off with a high risk encounter.  I had unprotected receptive anal sex, for about 5-10 min.  Not sure how long, but the guy ended up putting a condom on about 5 min before he came.  I was drunk and obviously wasn't thinking, but didn't think too much about it.

About 6 weeks later I started getting sick, which made me think, "what if I got HIV".  Sore throat, fever, general bad feeling, congestion, not too bad and lasted a few days.  Because it wasn't bad, I didn't freak out because I figured I didn't have HIV if I was able to fight off an infection so quickly.

Then 2 weeks after that, at total of 8 weeks from my exposure, I got sick again.  This time it was bad.  I don't think I have ever been that sick before.  Reading about acute HIV seroconverting, I have seen it described as "the worst flu ever".  It did feel like the flu, but it was in July.  Symptoms started with cough, then sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, muscle aches, bad night sweats, etc...  This went on strong for just over a week. About 5 or 6 days into it, I started feeling little pin pricks on my skin.  I went to the mirror and started seeing these little red dots appear, less than 1mm in size.  To this day (8 months later), they have not gone away.  I kept expecting to have the fever break during the night, but each time I woke up with night sweats I still had a fever.  I wasn't right for 3 weeks.

I freaked out and took the HIV Oraquick oral test when I was still sick.  After buying it, I realized it recommended waiting 3 months from exposure.  I took it anyway and it was negative.  I then took another one at 3 months to the day.  It was also negative.  Ahh, I relaxed.  Kind of.  The 92% accuracy on the oral test didn't settle well.

Around 5 months I got a new girlfriend (yes, gay experience was just some experimenting).  Just to be sure, I took another test before we had sex.  Negative.  Good.

About 5 weeks later, I got sick again.  I went to the doctor and was tested and diagnosed with the flu.  I admit I was worried, but relieved when my sickness was actually tested positive for the flu.  But about a week after the onset of being sick, I started getting the pin prick sensation again, with even more red dots showing up on my torso and upper arms and shoulders.  For a little more than a month I continued to have periodic isolated pin sensations, all over the body.  Developed a rash on my upper arms and shoulders (actual rash, distinctly different from the red dots that never went away).  The pins sensation has finally stopped, but a few weeks later, my mouth gets a weird dryness to it, with a foul metallic taste.  This has been going on for about 2-3 weeks now and still present. (Thrush symptoms?)

Just shy of a week after I got sick with the flu, my girlfriend starts complaining of not feeling well.  I told her she most likely got the flu from me.  She goes to the doctor, tested for flu and strep, but negative.  This got me worried.  She was sick for about 2-3 weeks.  Complained that it was the worst she thinks she had been sick.  Now I couldn't help but fear, what if I gave her HIV because I used the home tests and they had false negatives.  So I took another one, and it was again negative.

Needless to say, because my of my horrid fear that I might have passed on HIV to a girl who is innocent and does not need to know of my sexual encounter with a man, I just can't shake the feeling the Oraquick tests me be giving false negative results.

I finally broke down and bought the Home Access HIV test which uses a blood sample in order to confirm my negative status.  I have taken it and sent it in, but have not called to find out my results yet.

I am just looking for some comfort.  What are the chances of the Oraquick showing false negatives after 4 times up to 7 months after high-risk exposure?  I doubt of not knowing for sure is killing me, but the thought of a positive test result would devastate me.

I have read all the posts on this form and know there are a ton or irrational hypochondriacs who freak out because the fingered a stripper once and think they have AIDS.  This in not me.  I know the chances are high that I am negative, but I am just looking for a little reassurance before call in for my results.

Along with any comfort you can provide to assure me I am negative, please provide details to support why I should expect a negative result.  I really appreciate support from everyone on the forums.

Offline Jeff G

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  • How am I doing Beren ?
Re: Need confidence in Oraquick Oral HIV Test
« Reply #1 on: March 05, 2014, 10:39:53 pm »
You are HIV negative . 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. If you were HIV positive you would have known by 3 months .

The test you fear gave you false negatives are reliable and you can trust them and there have been so many negative results so remember that they do not give false negatives but do have a low rate of false POSITIVES . You do not have HIV .

I couldn't tell from your post but if you are having unprotected sex with your GF that in itself is a risk if you are not in a mutually exclusive relationship where you both have tested negative together after 3 months of monogamy .

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 did not have a risk and do not need to test for this specific 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. 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!
HIV 101 - Basics
HIV 101
You can read more about Transmission and Risks here:
HIV Transmission and Risks
You can read more about Testing here:
HIV Testing
You can read more about Treatment-as-Prevention (TasP) here:
HIV TasP
You can read more about HIV prevention here:
HIV prevention
You can read more about PEP and PrEP here
PEP and PrEP

Offline needconfidence

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Re: Need confidence in Oraquick Oral HIV Test
« Reply #2 on: March 05, 2014, 11:23:49 pm »
Yes, my GF and I are having unprotected sex.  I know that is a risk as well, but I know the chances of me getting HIV from girl is extremely slim.

I can't call tonight for my results, but I will call tomorrow and us my 3rd free post to share the final results.

Thanks again.

Offline Jeff G

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  • How am I doing Beren ?
Re: Need confidence in Oraquick Oral HIV Test
« Reply #3 on: March 05, 2014, 11:41:05 pm »
Yes, my GF and I are having unprotected sex.  I know that is a risk as well, but I know the chances of me getting HIV from girl is extremely slim.

I can't call tonight for my results, but I will call tomorrow and us my 3rd free post to share the final results.

Thanks again.

The majority of HIV cases in the world are in the heterosexual community and you are dead wrong to think that the risk is extremely slim of contracting HIV from a woman, notice I didn't use the word girl ... That myth is in part what fuels the epidemic .

Please do save your post to come back with the good news .
HIV 101 - Basics
HIV 101
You can read more about Transmission and Risks here:
HIV Transmission and Risks
You can read more about Testing here:
HIV Testing
You can read more about Treatment-as-Prevention (TasP) here:
HIV TasP
You can read more about HIV prevention here:
HIV prevention
You can read more about PEP and PrEP here
PEP and PrEP

Offline needconfidence

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Re: Need confidence in Oraquick Oral HIV Test
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2014, 04:05:36 pm »
Confirmed negative.  I am ready to let it go.

Thank you for the support.   I would just like to say, this sight has been useful and beneficial.  I have learned a lot over the last few months reading about peoples stories.  I think what you all are doing is wonderful.  You have my support!

 


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