I'm still paranoid

[Paranoid32]

I had a risk event about 6 years ago. I was new to sex, barely knowing the mechanics. All that I knew about STDs was what I'd been told in school or what I'd seen on TV. So when I started internet dating, I was hoping that I'd find true love. Long story short, I didn't. I didn't even realize that I was part of a sex matching service, where you only found people to have sex with until it was too late. I had penetrative vaginal sex (I am female) with a married man twice. I don't believe he ever ejaculated in me but I'm not sure. I had penetrative vaginal sex with a second man that I do believe ejaculated in me. The third encounter was a blow job and I did get his semen in my mouth. I never had the men wear condoms which is something that I regret to this day.

Shortly after I swore off sex forever, I had seen an episode of a crime drama that dealt with HIV transmission and the symptoms of ARS. I got very paranoid and spoke to my mother about it. She helped me relieve my concerns and out of fear, I never got tested, because the three guys told me that they were HIV negative.

5 years past and up until last December (2012) I had never been worried again. Then after seeing too many ER reruns and watching a show online and on demand that had ads for an HIV testing center, I had a dream about someone coming in and telling me that I was positive. I began to get paranoid. I started scouring the internet and so on. I semi put my fears to rest, but a few days ago, I had a bout with what I would call extreme paranoia, I got to the point that I couldn't eat, sleep and I wound up in the ER with a severe migraine and panic attack.

So, I bought the Oraquick in home HIV testing kit. When I got home, I went into my room and closed the door. I waited for a while to calm down and I read the instructions carefully. I even waited an additional 30 minutes because I couldn't remember if I'd taken a sip of water when I got home. After my 30 minutes, I started reading the steps and I followed them to the letter. Making sure that I did everything just as the instructions told me to. After my surprisingly calm 20 minute wait, I read my results, they were negative. I even double checked the booklet and I compared, and they were negative. After it was over, I began to wonder if I could be a false negative. I've been reading the stuff on the internet and I'm terrified that when I hit that 10 year mark or more that I will suddenly be on my deathbed with full blown AIDS or not find out until it's too late.

So, can I count on my results from the Oraquick test to be negative?

[Jeff G]

The test you took is an accurate one that you can count on , you are HIV negative . 

Now that you are sexually active you must correctly and consistently use condoms for vaginal and anal sex , if you do this you will avoid HIV . Never trust a person who tells you they are HIV negative because a persons HIV status is only reliable from the last time they tested as far as you know .

 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.

ALTHOUGH YOU DO NOT NEED FURTHER HIV TESTING AT THIS TIME FOR THIS 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!
 

[Paranoid32]

I thank you so much for your reply. I can finally calm down and put that horrible past behind me, where it belongs.

I am planning to talk to my doctor and having my sexual health checkup yearly. My lesson has been learned. If I ever do decide to have sex again, I will make sure that proper protection is used. This has taught me a very valuable lesson.

Thank you all again, so much.

[Jeff G]

You are welcome Paranoid . Using condoms correctly and consistently will take the stress and worry out of enjoying one of life's simple pleasures , a healthy satisfying sex life .   

[Paranoid32]

I actually have one more question. And this is just to kind of make sure that I did indeed do everything right when I took the test. I remember swabbing right to left, instead of left to right. And I didn't take the swab out of my mouth when I swabbed my lower gum. Can the swab touching another part of your mouth besides just the gum make the test come out a false negative? Other than that one thing, I can't think of any other reason why the test wouldn't be correct. But that one thing is kind of creeping in on me.

[Jeff G]

You did the test correctly from what you shared . It wouldn't matter how you swabbed as long as you swabbed the gums , so you can rely on your test and put this behind you .

If you cant accept the test as conclusive you can have it done at a testing center but the result isn't going to change , you are HIV negative .