POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: Andy64 on June 26, 2011, 10:15:36 am
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Ok guys, here's the deal. I had a brief unprotected, insertive, anal encounter with another guy exactly 11 weeks and 4 days ago. I tested negative at 10 weeks but I'm unclear on what is a conclusive test, is it 12 or 13 weeks? Everyone seems to be saying something different. Thanks
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That's a happy result of course. To remove any doubts we recommend getting tested at 3 months. The strong likelihood is that you will continue to test negative since the average time to seroconversion is 22 days. All but the very few will continue to test negative after 6 weeks.
You can avoid this kind of risk in the future by always without exceptions making sure the insertive partner is wearing a condom. They really do the job and provide very effective protection.
Good luck with your test result which I expect will be a happy one.
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So is 12 weeks good enough?
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I just want to feel better about this and get past it. And go this Wednesday if I can. Ann what's your opinion?
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Andy,
Twelve weeks is conclusive.
Ann
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Thanks dear, take care.
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Well the day has come, I'm on my way to my 12 week test right now. Wish me luck!
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Still expecting another negative result for you.
Cheers.
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Negative!!! But the lady said to come back at 6 months....is that really necessary?
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Negative!!! But the lady said to come back at 6 months....is that really necessary?
Andy,
No, it is absolutely NOT necessary. The window period has been at three months for years now - nearly a decade if I'm not mistaken. Even the older generations of tests will detect hiv infection by three months. Unfortunately, not all health care providers have kept up on the advances in our knowledge concerning all things hiv.
The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six WEEKS, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days. The window period remains at three months to catch the relatively rare person who takes a little longer than six WEEKS to seroconvert. I fully expect the window period to be reduced to six WEEKS sometime in the next few years.
You are conclusively hiv negative. You do not need further testing over this specific incident.
Here's what you need to know in order to protect your hiv negative status going forward:
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.
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.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!
Ann