scared 3 years after testing.

[-odds-]

Hi all.  This is my first post here.  I figured is come here to try and ease my mind a little bit.  I'll start off by laying out my situation.  In September of 08 I decided to have a hiv test at the local health department just to know my status.  I went in and took a rapid test, fully expecting it to come back negative.  Not so.  The nurse came back and told me that test section came back with a faint line therefore I was preliminary positive.  We would have to do further testing.  So also counseled me and told me she has seen this happen before and felt strongly it would come back negative on a full blood test.  It eased my mind a little but at that point i had never been so scared in my life.  I asked to do another rapid and so we did.  Well this time it still hit.  Only this time the line was barely visable.  So after this I'm thinking I'm totally screwed.  Even in writing this I feel like I may have an anxiety attack as I'm reliving this all over again.  So they collected blood and sent it off telling me it would be a few days and that they would call me. One thing I will never forget though is the girl that took my blood also told me not to worry as she's seen it happen before as well. So I anxiously waited it out.  Finally the call came.  I answered and they said it was the doctors office calling and asked to speak to me.  Said the test results were in and it was NEGATIVE!  I had never been so elated.   I Hung up the phone,told my girlfriend the good news.  I had all but put it out of my mind and was confident about my status until recently.   I began to question things due to the fact that I never actually got to see the results and also realizing that these results are supposed to.be delivered on the phone.  A lot of what its are going thru my head right now from what if they didn't actually test ke for hiv to what if they got the name wrong etc. since I never went in and saw anything.  I got caught up in the moment of being told I am negative that I never questioned anything.  I brought these concerns up to my girlfriend of over 4 years now and she is not at all worried about  the validity of the final results.  I have thought about getting another test to ease my mind but my experience from the last time makes me extremely hesitant.  I don't know what to do at this point as I can't bring myself to be retested but I feel I'm slipping further into depression by compulsively thinking about this day in and out.  I apologise for being so long winded but i needed get it all off my chest.

[Andy Velez]

You can stop with the what ifs and drama right now. Indeterminate test results happen frequently. The important fact in your story is that you ultimately tested negative. False negatives don't happen as long as the test is done at 3 months or more after the most recent risk.

You are worrying needlessly. Let it go and get on with your life.

[BB48]

Hi,

I am actually going through this same experience right now. I received a negative result from a blood test 10 weeks after my last encounter but 4 + months ago after a number of partners which would seem to be an adequate amount of time. But... THIS WAS THREE YEARS AGO! and I am having horrible anxiety because i never saw anything on paper! I have called the office back twice to have them tell me the results but for some reason and am still so worried! I have made an appointment to get tested again in a few weeks just to put this behind me but I am deathly afraid to go through it all over again. I don't know what to do but trust my negative result.

I just want you to know I understand what you're going through!

[Andy Velez]

BB, the rule of the site as stated in the opening thread of this section is that only those who are authorized to do so may write in threads other than their own. However well intentioned your comment maybe, you do not have that authorization. Please don't do it again or you will get a Time Out.

Thanks for your cooperation.

[BB48]

Oops! I'm sorry about that, won't do that again!

[Andy Velez]

OK. Thanks.

[-odds-]

Andy,thank you for you reply.  I don't want to be a bother but I had said in my previous post that they were supposed to tell me on the phone.  What I meant was they were not but did anyways.  I also never got a confirmation number or anything.  Is this any cause for concern?

[Andy Velez]

I don't see any valid reason to doubt the reliability of the negative result message which you received on the phone.

If you are going to worry and wonder there is a simple solution. Get tested again. Anyone who is sexually active ought to at least annually have a full STD panel done so maybe this is your opportunity to do that and set your mind to rest.

[-odds-]

Hey all, just had a question or two about testing with oraquick.  I havent had any major causes for concern nor am I very promiscuous, but I ordered this kit as more of a check up.  Now, I ordered this test kit thru amazon and it clearly gets shipped home.  However its really cold here in chicago and I noticed the instructions stating not to use if stored below 36* for more than 3 hours.  Well who knows how long it was sitting in my mail box for.  So, logically would you say this whole kit needs to be thrown away and I purchase a new one?  Im terribly anxious about getting a false positive, as i went through a debacle 7 years ago with a rapid(different type) which eventually came back negative.  What would you experts suggest? 

[Jeff G]

I think you should ask your question directly to oraquick as I am not sure how long the test can be subjected to the elements . This is another reason why I am not a fan of home testing, among many . The test are accurate when used corectly .

Please only post in this one thread no matter how long between visits or the subject matter . You can find this thread by going to your profile and selecting show own post and it will take you here . It helps us to help you when you keep all your thoughts or questions in one thread and it helps other readers to follow the discussion. Additional threads will be merged.