POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: JustWondering on May 27, 2011, 03:10:18 pm
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Hi I am a 23 year old male who had unprotected sex with a female I do not know too well (stupid I know) but I got tested at approximately 10 weeks after the incident. (within a couple days) and it came back negative. The only reason I was really worried is because shortly after we had sex probably a couple weeks i developed jock itch and a couple weeks after that a stubborn cough that was bad for a few weeks and some minor sinus problems (stuffed up nose) .. (i go to the gym very frequently and work outside so this probably isn't helping the jock itch which has subsided some, but not entirely with medication.) I haven't experienced a fever, lymph nodes, weight loss, lethargy or any other symptoms that i am aware of (I know symptoms do not tell the whole story) and was basically wondering how accurate the approx 9.5 -10 week test would be? I am away on work for the next 2-3 weeks so cannot test and am just wondering? Also are what I mentioned common ars related symptoms? and if they were due to a possible infection would i not have tested positive?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Other than the jock itch and slight cough I feel great, Just a little worried. I am worried because I read people with comprimised immune systems can have a hard time getting rid of jock itch.. Thanks for your time.
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Nothing you are reporting symptomatically is in anyway HIV specific.
The average time to seroconversion is 22 days after a risk. All but the smallest number of those who will seroconvert will do so within 4-6 weeks after an exposure.
With your negative test result at 10 weeks, I certainly expect you to test negative again when you re-test.
Discuss your symptoms with your doctor if they persist. I don't see them as having anything to do with HIV.
Learn from this experience and stop having unprotected intercourse. You can have it with anyone you want to. Just do it the safer way and always, without exception, use a condom. They provide very effective protection.
I expect you to come out of this ok.
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Thank you very much for your reply Andy.. Is jock itch a typical ars symptom anyways? I heard it was more common in later stages of HIV but I never heard of it for early onset. Also, if my symptoms were related to HIV wouldn't a test at 9.5 - 10 weeks be positive? Thanks a lot for the help, I appreciate it. I am just worried that I will be a late converter even though I know it is unlikely (not sure how unlikely exactly but still)
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You're not going to be a late converter.
Jock itch is absolutely not in anyway HIV-related.
You've got a few weeks to get through before you collect what I certainly expect will be a negative result.
Meanwhile you need to focus on other things in your life because it will make the time pass more easily than you may imagine is possible. Don't bother saying you are too worried to do that because I can tell you that response will not fly here. Just do it.
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last question to anyone and i will let it rest until after i can get tested in a few weeks. typically if you were experiencing symptoms that were actually ars related, wouldn't you test positive shortly after if they were because of an hiv infection?
and how often do you see someone who tests negative at the 9-10 week point, test positive at a later date?
thanks anyone for your time, i will not continue on after this one.
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No that is not necessarily true. It can take several months for there to be enough antibodies to be produced to be detected by the tests.
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okay thanks rod, my doctor told me that my results were highly unlikely to change after 9.5 weeks, but i will test in a few weeks for peace of mind. I wasn't sure if she was just saying that to try and ease my stress or what.. So I guess I was just wondering for some other input because i have read these forums and they are very helpful.
Thank you for your time
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It would very, very unlikely for a negative at 9.5 weeks to become a positive at 3 months. I expect you to continue to test negative.
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Just,
I agree with Andy. I do not expect your result to change.
Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:
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
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Thank you all for the words of wisdom, i really do appreciate it. I really hope I continue to test negative I just wasn't sure because my doctor didn't seem convinced about a 9-10 week test so I began to worry, especially with the jock itch and cough I had. I didn't know how likely it was to change after a few more weeks.. But I was also checked for all other stis and I will be far more cautious in the future.
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so Ann, you do not see or hear very often someone seroconverting and testing positive after the 9-10 week mark? I am gone for a few weeks so im just trying to get a little bit of peace of mind. Thanks for all the info guys
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It is highly unlikely that you will test positive after a negative at 9-10 weeks.
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Ok thank you from you knowledge is jock itch a typical ars?
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It absolutely is NOT a typical symtom of ARS.
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to ann or andy- i cannot test for another week due to my work schedule, but i was curious ann in particular, i saw on another thread you wrote if symptoms were indeed related to hiv a test shortly after would likely be positive or at least indeterminate? i am feeling pretty good about my 9.5 week test, trying not to stress out, my jock itch (which arrived approx 2 weeks or so after my encounter (although it could have been there longer as i have itched after the gym and what not) is getting a lot better and my cough and sinus problems is almost gone.
just one last question then i will leave it alone (sorry not trying to bother anyone) but my cough probably developed 4-5 weeks after the one time unprotected sex and was pretty whooping with some chest congestion and eventually a runny/stuffed nose which lasted several weeks.. i have heard mixed things about a cough related to ars but i did not have a noticeable fever, rash, lack of energy, no overly swollen lymph nodes, weight loss or anything else. i know symptoms vary and aren't necessarily indicative but just from your knowledge i was wondering. so is a cough alone a typical symptom??
Thanks for your time, it is a great service you guys provide here and I will leave you all alone after this haha
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And all of the so-called symptoms you are worrying about are in no way whatsoever HIV specific.
You have a little bit of waiting time left to test and I continue to expect you to test negative.
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okay i was just curious over whether a bad cough and sinus issues were related with hiv ars without the presence of any other typical symptoms
also the doctor who saw my jock itch viewed it very quickly, never scraped it or looked at it under a microscope so i wonder if it is a male yeast infection- and if a myi is a primary sign of ars? it originally started under my scrotum but is on my scrotum and even my penis a bit although not on the head like penile yeast infections typically are and only itches under my scrotum (sorry too much info) ..
and i was curious as to what anne said about symptoms being related to hiv a test shortly after would likely to be positive or at least indeterminate
either way i am still stressing as you can see and worry about my 66-70ish day result
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Fortunately fears aren't facts. And I continue to expect you to test negative.
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ok i just read that a male yeast infection can be related to hiv or a weakened immune system and my "jock itch" or whatever it is is still present so i was wondering if that was typical with primary infection or occured later throughout the stages.. and some sites say jock itch cannot affect the penis or scrotum while others say it can, and my doctor believed it could so i really don't know what to believe, especially when the medication she prescribed only helped a little bit..but your advice has been very encouraging andy so thank you..
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...And while waiting to test you need to make a real effort to focus on other matters in your life. Really. You will find waiting time much easier to get through if you do that.
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thanks andy, another thing in my favour is that i asked my friend when the party happened as that was the night when it happened and it was a week earlier than what i had thought, so i am at 10.5 weeks not 9.5 as when i had previously thought.. takes another slight load off my mind even though 12 is conclusive that makes me feel a bit better still. but thanks for all the advice either way, you have been a real help and your website is a great resource.
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If you get a negative at 10.5 weeks then a negative at 3 months is going to be a slam dunk.
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I couldn't agree more andy
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Good. Then we're in sync on that one.
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Hi Ann I was here a while ago, had a 9 week negative. I have worried over this, put it behind me, worried again. Had unprotected sex with a female two times, last being 9 weeks before test. Finally went for a confirmation test, its now over 4 months after the incident.
Any words of encouragement?
How often does a 9 week negative turn positive?
It is out of my hands now, I hope it will not have changed.
My symptoms started a couple weeks after the encounter, mainly just male yeast in groin or "jock itch" followed several weeks later by bad whooping cough, similar to bronchitis. No real fever, rash etc.
Anything that is in my favor I would love to hear, I am so nervous and won't hear back for a few days to a week
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i just don't understand the yeast problem which started about 1-2 weeks after the intercourse, however i did use a n-9 condom one time which could have a role maybe. I don't know i'm scared it is due to my weakened immune system
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First of all, I have merged your threads here. Please follow our rule in the future and keep all entries in this same thread.
None of the symptoms you are worrying about are in anyway HIV-specific.
As you have been told before, with a negative at 9 weeks it is very likely that you are going to test negative again. You just have to wait now and at the end I expect a happy result for you.
Your symptoms are something you should be addressing with your doctor. They are not about HIV.
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the only reason i originally said 10 plus week neg, then 9 was because i thought we wore a condom the second time, now i am not sure, mind is doubting me.. sorry to ramble i am just so nervous
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how can you be sure they are not about hiv andy? i saw ann say something about symptoms due to hiv are not due to the virus, but due to a reaction of seroconverting or something? does my test which occured weeks after all symptoms prove my symptoms were not hiv?
-do you know any reasons why a person could have a male candida problem and not due to weakened immunity? i did not take antibiotics right before hand either and did a cbc and diabetes test, all normal.
finally, have you seen a nine week change very often? some of the doctors on medhelp believed 8 weeks was definitive.
sorry to bother you, but thanks for the support.
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any advice please help me , this waiting game is awful
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Just,
The fungus that causes thrush lives on the bodies of every single person living on the planet. Friendly bacteria normally keeps it in check, but plenty of things can throw the balance out and cause people to have thrush infections. It has nothing to do with hiv.
I have never once seen a nine week negative result to change at the three month point. Stop stressing out already.
Ann
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Well Ann I will ask a couple final questions with the hope that I am not a huge idiot with regards to my situation. I originally put my test behind me as I believed the result and met a girl and was dating her. We have had protected sex a few times, always. We have each gave each other unprotected oral once and a few days ago she began getting sick with some minor chills, body aches and a sore throat. I hung out with her and my throat began getting a bit sore. I am scared to death I did not retest and could have passed something on, even though I had a fairly good test time and I always tried to be safe.
Also I saw you say " If all the symptoms you list had anything to do with hiv seroconversion, you will have created enough antibodies by now. Seroconversion illness is not a reaction to the virus itself, it's a reaction to the process the body goes through while creating antibodies" So this basically proves my symptoms which began anywhere from 4-7 weeks before my test were not due to HIV? I saw Dr. Handsfield and Hook say antibody tests are always positive within 1-2 weeks of symptoms? Any comments Please
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Sorry to be so stressed Ann, I have never felt this way before. So you are saying my yeast groin problem, which is now entirely gone has nothing to do with HIV? Could I have acquired a yeast infection from this girl as I have seen some sources say they can be transferred.
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Just,
Ever hear of jock itch? Well, guess what, it's a yeast infection of the groin that men tend to get. Particularly in hot, humid weather or if you're into sports and sweat a lot as a result. Wear cotton underwear, change them every day and wash yourself every day and use an over-the-counter jock itch remedy. Simple as that.
It's nothing to do with hiv.
Ann
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Yes i have but jock itch generally doesnt affect the genitals and this did making it more like candida which worries me. Does my test which happened prob 7 weeks after prove its not due to hiv? Sor
ry ann im just so atressed
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I read that candida affects genitals and can reflect a weakenes immune system. It was also difficult to get rid off creams did little it took an oral tablet to fully go away
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First of all, I have merged your threads here. Please follow our rule in the future and keep all entries in this same thread.
None of the symptoms you are worrying about are in anyway HIV-specific.
As you have been told before, with a negative at 9 weeks it is very likely that you are going to test negative again. You just have to wait now and at the end I expect a happy result for you.
Your symptoms are something you should be addressing with your doctor. They are not about HIV.
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Ann is it true that symptoms are not from hiv but from the bodys reaction to it? I have seen you say something along those lines, and if so wouldn't that indicate my "symptoms" yeast, cough, sinus, sore throat only for a day or two were not due to hiv? i am just trying to understand
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Just,
The illness that some people experience is the body's reaction to the process and chemicals it produces while creating antibodies.
If the symptoms you had before your approx 9.5 -10 week test had anything to do with hiv, you would have tested positive on that test.
From what you have written, you went either yesterday or the day before for your confirmation test. You're just going to have to sit tight while you wait to receive your NEGATIVE result. That is what we are fully expecting for you and have been repeatedly telling you.
Instead of asking the same questions over and over, re-read your entire thread. If you insist on continuing with this excessive posting, I'm going to give you a Time Out. Enough is enough already.
Ann
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hi ann me again, its been about two weeks and still no result yet, i am not nearly as nervous as i was before, just really want that damn test back. i was just wondering though- it seems a lot of people on here have a bad illness ("seroconversion") yet still test negative a month or two after and it confuses me.
but i guess my only question is have you ever seen a 9+ week test turn positive at the end of the window period? thanks
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Just,
I already answered that question. Re-read your entire thread before posting again. We've got better things to do with our Saturdays than to answer the same question over and over again from the same person.
Ann
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hi guys just wanted to report i received a 16 week negative. i didn't hear back from the clinic where i had the blood taken i guess they haven't received my result yet but my family doctor called the lab and had the result faxed to him personally. so i guess i can put this behind me then, as there is no need for further testing?
either way thank you guys so much, sorry for being such a pain.
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"... so i guess i can put this behind me then, as there is no need for further testing?"
You GUESS you can put this behind you and put a question mark about further testing!
Man, you just don't seem to want to let go of this, although you are clearly and conclusively HIV negative.
You need to let go and get on with your life is what you need to do. Really.
And if you can't do that, then get yourself some professional help. We can't provide that in this setting. But you are definitely DONE here.
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i agree i am done here. thanks andy
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You're welcome. Goodbye.
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sorry to ask but one final thing- there is no need fora final test in two months time at 6 months is there? my nurse seemed to insist on it.
and labs never mix up or wrongly interrupt results for a person do they? like if one was outside the window period and receives a negative they never mess up in the labs do they?
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Just,
How many times do you have to be told?
Pay attention!
YOU. DO. NOT. NEED. FURTHER. TESTING.
YOU. DO. NOT. HAVE. HIV!!!!
I'm giving you that time out you've been warned about. Do not attempt to create a new account to get around your time out because if you do, you will be permanently banned.
Ann