POZ Community Forums

HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: QuestionPerson on October 13, 2006, 10:44:54 pm

Title: 6 months valid enough?
Post by: QuestionPerson on October 13, 2006, 10:44:54 pm

Hello,

I have been told that being tested negative at 6 months is very much sufficient enough.  However, I just read a lesson about after 6 months, that it is best to get tested at 12 months.  I am confused.

Title: Re: 6 months valid enough?
Post by: Darkfiber on October 14, 2006, 03:14:07 am

question

3 months from you last potential exposure is considered conclusive.

Regards

Darkfiber

Title: Re: 6 months valid enough?
Post by: Andy Velez on October 14, 2006, 09:07:26 am

I don't know where you are reading such "lessons," but they're wrong.

The CDC is conservative in relation to this matter, (as well as others), and has for sometime endorsed 13 weeks as a reliable testing point for HIV. The exceptions for which they recommend 6 months testing are for anyone who is an IV drug user or who has a severely depleted immune system due to cancer treatment or such. And before you begin speculating about what's a severely depleted immune system, let me say it's not a subtle situation when that happens and one is very much aware of it.

So 13 weeks after the most recent possible risk is for the general population quite sufficient for a reliable HIV test result. 

Cheers,