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Author Topic: Very Anxious  (Read 5349 times)

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Offline Just worried

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Very Anxious
« on: January 05, 2025, 10:50:23 pm »
After high risk exposure. I had a 4th gen combo and RNA at 14 days both negative.  Then a rapid Insti test and rapid Alere Determine after 12 weeks. Can I fully trust the rapid results. I went to another lab and had a rapid Stat Pak and RNA after two years. Also two rapid Insti test. How I can bring myself to believe the negative result.

Offline Jim

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    • Bluesky
Re: Very Anxious
« Reply #1 on: January 05, 2025, 11:45:14 pm »
Hiya.

Understand this was more than two years ago.

What was the original exposure? Since then have you been sexually active with anyone or been sharing syringes?
« Last Edit: January 06, 2025, 12:05:54 am by Jim Allen »
HIV 101 - Everything you need to know
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HIV prevention
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Bluesky

Offline Just worried

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Re: Very Anxious
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2025, 08:15:20 am »
It was unprotected anal with a CSW. First time and only time. I’m married and have only been with with my spouse since and no drug use. I just read so much about the accuracy of rapid test and my anxiety is through the  one incident has ruined my life and I can’t go a day without thinking about it.

Offline Jim

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Re: Very Anxious
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2025, 08:20:50 am »
So insertive anal sex, it was just a risk and you have tested, you did not acquire HIV from the incident some 2+ years ago.

As for your spouse, I'll mention the same thing I always do when someone says they are in a relationship;

If you engage in condomless sex with your spouse, you are obviously at risk of acquiring HIV. In relationships, condomless sex is often based on trust or past test results; however, this does not prevent HIV, so if condomless sex does occur, you should consider testing more frequently & PrEP.

Here's what you need to know to reduce your HIV risks:
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse correctly and consistently, with no exceptions. Consider talking to your healthcare provider about PrEP as an additional layer of protection against HIV and get vaccinated against HPV, Hepatitis A & B.

Keep in mind that some sexual practices described as safe in terms of acquiring HIV still pose a risk for other easier-acquired STIs. So please do get tested at least yearly for STIs, including but not limited to HIV, and more frequently if condomless intercourse occurs.

Also, note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms; testing is the only way to know.

Kind regards

Jim

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« Last Edit: January 06, 2025, 08:23:39 am by Jim Allen »
HIV 101 - Everything you need to know
HIV 101
Read more about Testing here:
HIV Testing
Read about Treatment-as-Prevention (TasP) here:
HIV TasP
You can read about HIV prevention here:
HIV prevention
Read about PEP and PrEP here
PEP and PrEP

Bluesky

Offline Jim

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Re: Very Anxious
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2025, 08:26:35 am »
Quote
How I can bring myself to believe the negative result.

Well, the first two tests were pretty pointless those 2+ years ago but the rest of the tests have confirmed you did not acquire HIV from the sex worker. If you can't move on with your life, then go and get a blood-draw (laboratory) HIV antibody test but the results will not change unless you acquired HIV from a more recent exposure. Also, please consider speaking to a therapist about this.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2025, 08:53:36 am by Jim Allen »
HIV 101 - Everything you need to know
HIV 101
Read more about Testing here:
HIV Testing
Read about Treatment-as-Prevention (TasP) here:
HIV TasP
You can read about HIV prevention here:
HIV prevention
Read about PEP and PrEP here
PEP and PrEP

Bluesky

Offline Just worried

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Re: Very Anxious
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2025, 10:40:49 am »
I have not had any other exposure, this was a one time act and I’ve been paying for it for years, mentally. I do have one final question though. Why is there so much information on the reliability of rapid test? I’ve had seven all after the window period but some say they can still be fake negative. And I do want to say thank you for taking time out of your day to respond to me. It really means a lot.

Offline Jim

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Re: Very Anxious
« Reply #6 on: January 06, 2025, 11:10:46 am »
Hiya,

Quote
Why is there so much information on the reliability of rapid test?

Well, the rapid tests are hardly new, so, of course, there is loads of information online, some of it always was irrelevant information for the end-user and I've seen some unqualified people misunderstand the data and repeat stuff out of context, also some older peer-reviewed studies are of course now outdated as newer products were released and technology changed but those older studies remain published.

The regulations when it comes to HIV tests used within the EU, Canadian or US markets mean that before these products were released manufacturers had to prove that they work, and if you are testing correctly and outside of the window period it is as near perfect as it will ever get and you have tested at least 7 times. False reactive results remain a real ongoing pain, but outside of resource-poor nations, rapid tests are only used to screen out HIV-negative results and are thankfully not used for HIV diagnosis.

Quote
I’ve had seven all after the window period but some say they can still be fake negative.

Some people are full of shit and I've already addressed this, the first two tests were pretty pointless those 2+ years ago but the rest of the tests have confirmed you did not acquire HIV from the sex worker.

However, If you can't move on with your life, then go and get a blood-draw (laboratory) HIV antibody test and stop messing about with rapid tests as it's not helping you but the results will not change unless you acquired HIV from a more recent exposure, like from your spouse.

Quote
I’ve been paying for it for years, mentally.
Quote
one incident has ruined my life and I can’t go a day without thinking about it.

We are talking about HIV, not Smallpox, Ebola or TB and end of the day you had sex, it's okay, it's perfectly normal, there are approximately 100 million acts of sexual intercourse each day worldwide. 

I am guessing the real issue is you cheated or have some other moral issue with what you did and hence jumped onto the HIV panic and merry-go-round of pointless testing as the stigma still is that HIV is from immoral acts etc.

Anyhow, this and whatever else is keeping you from moving on with your life is something to discuss with a psychiatrist. You don't need a risk assessment or more rapid testing. I wish you well and hope you can find the support you need to get back to living your life.
« Last Edit: January 06, 2025, 11:25:27 am by Jim Allen »
HIV 101 - Everything you need to know
HIV 101
Read more about Testing here:
HIV Testing
Read about Treatment-as-Prevention (TasP) here:
HIV TasP
You can read about HIV prevention here:
HIV prevention
Read about PEP and PrEP here
PEP and PrEP

Bluesky

 


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