Can I stop testing?

[scared4months]

Well  here is my story and questions... I will try and keep it as short as possible but it has been a long 5 months.

I am a relatively healthy 30 year old heterosexual male who has been married and faithful for 9 years.  However back in February I had to travel for work.  During that time I met a coworker at a meeting, one thing led to another and we ended up having vaginal intercourse several times over the course of two weeks.  The second or third time the condom broke and we just kept going.  The last time (February 24) she stated that she was using birth control and we didn't use a condom at all. 

Once I got home regret set in and I started to worry.  I knew nothing about this girl and I started freaking out about symptoms.  I had a sore throat, pains in the right side of my groin (lymph node area no lumps or swelling just pain), slight fever (99-99.9), pains in my neck and armpit (couldn't feel any nodes though), and nausea almost everytime I would eat but no vomiting or weight loss.   I went to the local health department and had a complete STI screening on March 15.  Everything came back negative.  I then went to my Dr. and was told that I had sinus infection.  A few days later my symptoms seemed to subside a little but I continued to read about HIV and continued to have symptoms.  I decided to go back on April 14, the seven week mark, to have another HIV test since I had read Dr. HH's opinion on 6 week tests.  This test again came back negative (Clearview rapid test).  At this point I had some reassurance but my symptoms remained, mainly the pain in the right side of my groin and neck.  I also had numbness and tingling of my hands and feet.  About three weeks later I started to feel sick again and went to the local urgent care clinic and again was diagnosed with a sinus infection.  The following week my paranoia got the best of me and I went and bought a home access test.  That test provided a negative result at the 10 week mark.  Three weeks later I started getting pea to marble size lumps in my armpits (about 5 of them just on the right side).  I again went to the urgent care center.  The Dr.  there said she didn't think that it was my lymph nodes and felt deep inside my armpit to feel for nodes.  She diagnosed it as a skin infection and gave me an antibiotic.  After about three days of antibiotics they went away but I still believe they were nodes.  I think she did too after I questioned her diagnosis because when she came in with the antibiotics she had a sheet mapping armpit nodes on my chart that she had printed out and then stated that I should follow up in three days with my PCP.  At this point I was at the thirteen week mark and went to a local non profit place that does free HIV testing.  The place is an old house and in no way a clinical setting.  Once there I was taken upstairs into a bedroom converted into an office and the testing supplies including a lancet were already laying out on the desk.  There were about 5 people walking around the house and I got super nervous about the cleanliness of the testing materials.  I was polite and didn't say anything since they were after all providing me a service.  After being tested via a finger prick by the lancet that was laying out and a oraquick rapid test I received another negative test.  Then to also help my fears I contacted the coworker and asked her if she had been tested for STDs recently at which point she told me yes and that she was fine.  I didn't specify HIV but I'm assuming if she had been tested that would have been part of her tests.   Three weeks later on June 23 (four months total) I couldn't get over the fact the fact that the lancet was laying out on the desk and the cleanliness of the clinic so I took another home access test and again I got a negative result.  Now at this point almost five months later I now have another sinus infection, mild fever, sore throat, pain in my neck and armpits and just need some advice about whether another test is warranted or at this point do I just need counseling to get over my fears.  There is so much different information out there on testing timelines and symptoms that it is literally driving me crazy. 

Thanks for reading and thanks for your advice

[RapidRod]

You don't have HIV.

[Andy Velez]

You have definitely reliably tested negative for HIV. You ARE HIV negative. Period. End of story and no further testing is necessary.

However, you do need to learn a lesson from this experience. You may not be planning to stray again. But, if you do you need to remember to use a condom everytime for vaginal or anal intercourse. No exceptions. Period.

Your symptoms have nothing to do with HIV. If they persist you should discuss them with yoru doctor. Happily you scooted by safely this time.

Cheers.

[scared4months]

Well I have pea to marble size lumps all through both of my armpits again.  This is the second time in a month.  I have read that there are some people who may never seroconvert, is there any truth to this?  Does this mean that some people could never test positive to an antibody test even though they are? 

If someone would have tampered with that lancet that was used to prick my finger how long could the virus live on the lancet?

[Andy Velez]

You're mixing a lot of nonsense into a fear stew and unnecessarily scaring yourself. Whatever is going on with you physically is something to discuss with your doctor.

You have reliably tested negative. You ARE HIV negative. Period. End of story.

As a footnote I will mention that often when someone has strayed from a relationship they hold on to unwarranted fears about their status. You did what you did and you can't undo it. Fortunately, as far as HIV is concerned you don't have anything to worry about.

[scared4months]

Well I talked to my Dr again on the 16th and she confirmed that the lumps in my armpits are lymph nodes.  She said they are typically larger and not painful with HIV infection but I still couldn't take the news that they were nodes and I got tested again.  It was another negative result but I'm still feeling like crap.  Mild fever on and off, sick to my stomach everytime I eat, pains in my neck even though I feel no lumps, and I am always sweating.  When I was younger I was diagnosed with psoriasis, I have only ever had one outbreak but considering this is an autoimmune disease could it be delaying seroconversion?  Also I am still freaked out about the risk of the lancet being contaminated.  If it had been contaminated is this a risk?

[Ann]

scared,

Autoimmune diseases do not cause delayed seroconversion - on the contrary, they can cause false positive results so be thankful you haven't had one of those with all that unnecessary testing you're doing.

You need to go back to your doctor to find out what is going on with you. Whatever it is, it is NOT hiv as you have conclusively ruled hiv out as a cause. If you were tested for cancer and the result was negative, you'd believe that, wouldn't you? There's no reason to not believe your negative hiv test results either.

You do NOT have hiv.

Ann

[scared4months]

Well for the last 5 or 6 days my temperature has been 99-100 every afternoon and I still have tenderness in my neck.  My Dr. can't find anything wrong with me.  Could this just be stress?  I just don't understand my face burns everyday, my normal temp is low 98 or high 97s.  I still haven't gotten an answer about the lancet risk could someone please answer?  I feel like I need to start the window period over.

Also I have only had protected sex with my wife but one time after finishing it appeared that some semen had leaked from the base of the condom, it didn't break and I pulled out right away but it looked like semen at the base of my penis.  Did I put her at risk?

[RapidRod]

You didn't have an exposure from a lancet.

   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.

[scared4months]

I know this maybe considered excessive posting but I just can't imagine that all of these symptoms are just coincidence.  My wife has also had random symptoms since the our incident of semen around the base of the condom including hives, back pain, and groin pain.  Did I put her at risk?  Or am I just losing my mind?  I spoke with another clinic who is still saying tests are not conclusive until 6 months?  Why is there so much misinformation out there?  Thank you all for taking the time to answer me and give me some peace of mind.

[Andy Velez]

Neither your "symptoms" nor those of your wife have anything to do with HIV. HIV has been conclusively ruled out as an issue for you.

What you do have is from my experience what I call "post-straying syndrome." Lots of guilt and anxiety that shows up in not being able to believe you're not infected and watching for every symptom in yourself and your partner to confirm your worst fears. All to no good purpose of course and without a shred of basis in HIV science.

As for the 6 months testing date, that is just so much twaddle. And if you continue to surf the net you will definitely find more nonsense to feed your worst fears.

As Ann has told you, whatever is causing your symptoms has nothing to do with HIV. You need to work with your doctor to find out the real cause(s). Ditto for your wife.

And I will tell you that if you continue to return here with more buts and what ifs about your situation, you're going to quickly find yourself getting a Time Out from this site. HIV is not your problem. Period.

[jkinatl2]

The CDC and the WHO have used the 3 month/12 week standard for almost a decade now. The only people who require a six month test are cancer patients receiving chemotherapy (which destroys the immune system), organ transplant recipients who take similar medication, and chronic long-term IV drug users, whose immune systems are similarly depleted.

I am sorry that some sites, even some physicians and clinics, fail to keep up with evolving science. I am sure they feel that they would rather be "safe than sorry," but ignorance is never safe. A nurse practitioner once informed me that she was told to use a six month window because people forget when their last unprotected encounter was, much of the time (especially those under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol). Therefore that clinic "tacked on" an extra buffer, just in case.

I found that extremely disrespectful to the process, the patient, and the science.  You are HIV negative. And this site has ample  tools to help you stay that way.

[scared4months]

Well I am still having unexplained symptoms I have been to 5 different Drs and none of them can explain whats going on with me.  I tested again last Monday with a Home Access test, and the results were negative again.  I just don't understand what is going on with me.  I am two weeks away from the six month mark (if I didn't have a chance of exposure from the lancet) and I just feel like I need a different form of testing.  All of my tests have either been rapid tests or home access tests.  Can I really feel completely confident in those results and move on with my life even though I keep having unexplained symptoms.  During my last Drs visit last week they did a blood panel and my lymphocytes were high (54, normal is 20-45), my SEG was low (36, normal is 45-75) and my RBC was a little low (4.28, normal is 4.3-5.9), the Dr said that's normally a sign of a viral infection!!!  Could that be due to ARS? 

As for the lancet if someone would have put a drop of blood on it two or three minutes before I was poked with it could this have infected me?  If there was enough infected blood on it would my test have been positive?

[Andy Velez]

Simply because none of your doctors have come up with a credible diagnosis for your symptoms does not by default mean HIV is the problem. Because it isn't. You have reliably tested negative for HIV. So whatever is going on has nothing to do with the virus.

And now throwing more what ifs about a lancet and blood -- frankly, it's just ridiculous. HIV is not your problem. Period.

Work with your doctors to find out what the real cause is of your symptoms. There's really nothing more we can do for you here in this setting.

[scared4months]

Well I haven't tested since the first week in August and I thought I was doing well... even had unprotected sex with my wife.  But now I am having another spout of symptoms and my wife is still having unexplained issues including irregular cycles.  Another issue I have been having through all this is pain in my right testicle and the right side of my groin.  I have been to a urologist even had an ultrasound and xray, all negative.  What could be causing all this?  I know what the answer is going to be but I have been to the Dr. 6 of them now.  None of them can give me an answer.  If you all were in my position would you really just let HIV go and not consider it as part of what could be wrong with me?

[Andy Velez]

Want to waste some money and resources and get tested for HIV? Is a negative result the only thing that MIGHT convince you that HIV is not the issue causing your symptoms? Then get tested and collect a negative result.

As has been said before, there's really nothing more we can for you in this setting. HIV is not your problem even though you don't believe that to be so.

[Ann]

scared,

Testicular pain is not a symptom of hiv. However, it may be a symptom of chlamydia or gonorrhea. Have you been tested for those?

Whatever is going on with you has nothing to do with hiv. How on earth could it? You don't HAVE hiv. Your test results have proven that conclusively.

If you read the Welcome Thread before posting like you're supposed to, you will have read the following posting guideline:

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.

Please consider yourself warned!

Ann

[scared4months]

Well I took another test at 8 months and it was also negative, so I am doing a little better but I do have one last question.  I read on webmd.com that alcohol can affect hiv tests.  Is there any truth to this?  I have been drinking pretty heavily throughout all of this.  Probably like 4-5 drinks a night.  Could this have prevented my body from producing antibodies?

<http://www.webmd.com/hiv-aids/human-immunodeficiency-virus-hiv-test?page=3>

[Ann]

scared,

We've told you repeatedly that you are conclusively hiv negative.

And no, alcohol is not going to have any effect on an hiv antibody test. I don't know why that other website would say such a thing.

If you continue to post about your conclusive hiv negative status, you will be given that time out you've been warned about. THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING!!!

Ann