Does NALTREXONE affect HIV test accuracy?

[CharlieBrown]

Hello - please would you help me?

In March 2012 I had a condom break on me, I was the receptive party and the guy ejaculated inside me.  The guy talked dirty when he was doing this to me, making me think he liked the bareback, and this horrified me.  Prior to that I always practise safe sex relgiously and it horrify to think of any other way.

So I took PEP within 15 hours, completed the regimen.

Five months later, I took HIV test, and it was negative to my absolute surprise, this a fingerprick test and also they sent blood away to laboratory, that negative too.  I cannot tell you the fear and self-hatred I felt for this incident and what I had put myself through.

But I've been taking the drug Naltrexone Hydrochloride to treat alcohol abuse and borderline personality disorder, as well as Sertraline (an SSRI anti-depressant).  I've been taking more of Naltrexone than I should (up to 100mg a day).

I took another HIV test on 1 Feb 2013 (this is 11 months after the high risk encounter) and that was negative too.

But today I have horrible symptoms all too indicative of HIV primary infection, such as swollen glands in the neck and arms, shiverring, nightmares, hallucinations, hearing voices, seeing my face change shape in the mirror, impulsivity, sex addiction and feelings of wanting to commit suicide.

What my question is:

1. Would taking Naltrexone Hydrochloride affect the accuracy of the HIV test, and could this drug in my system present as a false negative HIV test result, when in fact I am HIV positive?  I visit my doctor and he perform a Liver Function Test and he say that my liver enzymes are abnormally raised.  I Googled this and it say "possible HIV infection" causes this.

2. Should I stop taking Naltrexone and re-test then for a more accurate HIV test result?

3. Is an HIV test at 11 months conclusive for the risk I took?

4. Do any of the other medications (Sertraline, an SSRI anti-depressant) and Propranolol (anti-anxiety) delay seroconversion or make it possible for an HIV test result to be negative when it really should be positive?

5. I am a sex addict and I visit saunas and cruising grounds almost every day, I feel compulsed to go and do not want to be having sex with strangers, but I do so nonetheless.  Some people I meet like to talk dirty and try and force me to do bareback sex, this is something I always refuse, but it makes me feel sick and dirty.  What should I do to keep practising safer sex?  I always use condoms but am fearful they will break again.

thank you for your help

[Ann]

Charlie,

You do NOT have hiv. You are conclusively hiv negative.

1. NO.

2. NO.

3. YES. Three months post-PEP is conclusive.

4. NO.

5. This is something to talk with your therapist about. It's outside the scope of these forums.

Again, you are conclusively hiv negative.

You DO NOT have hiv.

Ann

[CharlieBrown]

Dear Annette,

Thank you for your response to me, which was detailed.

My only question to you is this.  I have been reading that sometimes HIV came become latent within the body.  I do not know what this means.  They describe it on the Wikipedia article for HIV.

What I would like to ask you, please, is it possible that I might have been infected after what I told you in my first posting, and that the HIV has become latent inside my body, ie it is still there but cannot be detected because it is hiding there.

Does this happen? 

So is that why my HIV tests keep coming back negative?

Please can you explain what is meant by HIV becoming latent in the body and if this happens to people a lot, and what I should do to determine my true HIV status.

Thank you for the advice you have provided me with.  It is so nice to chat to someone like you.

x

[Andy Velez]

You are mixing things up about HIV. As Ann has pointed out to you, you have absolutely and reliably tested negative for HIV. You ARE HIV negative.

The "latency" you are referring to is when someone HIV positive has been taking medications which have resulted in their becoming undetectable as far a a viral load. But even someone who is undetectable would continue to test positive for an HIV test. So what you are talking about has nothing to do with getting a false negative test.

Your test result was valid. Get on with your life and make sure in the future to use condoms everytime you are having anal intercourse, whether you are receptive or insertive. That way you will be well protected and won't have to worry about becoming infected. Remember, the pleasure of barebacking is a fleeting one, but HIV is forever. 

[CharlieBrown]

Hi there,

thank you very much for both your replies.

Something happened yesterday that really worried me that I might have contracted HIV.

I went to a gay sauna and hooked up with this guy.  We went into a private room and we started masturbating.  He licked his fingers, there was a lot of saliva and he put his hand all over my penis.

I don't think it went near the head of my penis but I'm not sure.  I know you have said in other postings that saliva is not contagious but what if he had touched his own penis just before and there had been pre-cum on his own penis and he had transferred it onto my penis, mixed all up with the saliva.

Anyway, I urinated and washed myself intimately several times afterwards (within 5 mins) under the shower with hot water and soap.

I have not been able to stop thinking about this incident and wonder if there is a risk if someone touched their own penis, and touched some pre-cum or semen from their own penis, and then touched someone else's penis.  Can you catch HIV like this?

Did I take a risk?

Do I need to do anything?

What is your advice, please?

When I'm with a guy, I'm really very anxious about any form of bodily fluid and it touching me.  Am I right to worry?

thank you very much for your support.

Charlie x

[Jeff G]

Hi Charlie x ... masturbation and the incident as you described it is not a risk for HIV and you are worrying needlessly over this , no one has ever been infected by HIV in this manner and you will not be the first . Hope this eases you mind .

HIV is a fragile, difficult to transmit virus that is primarily transmitted INSIDE the human body, as in unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse where the virus never leaves the confines of the two bodies.

Once outside the body, small changes in temperature, and pH and moisture levels all quickly damage the virus and render it unable to infect. For this reason, bodily fluids outside the body do not pose a risk and that means masturbation is not a risk for HIV infection.

[CharlieBrown]

does sertraline alter the accuracy of hiv test?  I take Sertraline for Borderline Personality disorder and I have the hiv test and it is negative but i dun know if it accurate

[Jeff G]

Hi Charlie . I moved your post back into your thread here in Am I .

With the exception of the AM I Infected?” and “Off Topic” Forums, the AIDSmeds.com Forums are intended for people who have been diagnosed with HIV (or their loved ones/caregivers).  If you are questioning or unaware of your HIV status, please refrain from posting messages or questions in the Forums intended for HIV-positive people.

If you are having trouble finding your thread look at your profile page and select show own post and it will take you to your thread . Failure to do so could result in a time out or ban . Thanks .

Taking Sertraline will not effect your HIV test accuracy .