POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: worriedextreme on June 18, 2013, 11:24:00 pm
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Dears
I am a South Asian Male working in Philippines. I had a relationship with a girl on dating website from 29th Jan to 18th Feb 2013. In between we had to to three time unprotected sex (Vaginal and Anal). Later I called this girl who confirmed me via Phone Call that she dont have HIV. I never had before any unprotected sex except this one as big stupidity.
Later I had sex with another dating Girl on 15 March 2013 with protected vaginal and Anal (But my anxiety make my memory loss and tending to convence me may be what if it is unprotected). After that my wife joined me in the end of March and I did not thought about any HIV till May.
In May first week a vengeance started when HIV jumps out in my mind. After one week of anxiety I started testing and below is the summary of my two tests which was done a private recognized laboratory with Abbott Antibody Rapid HIV 1 and 2 tests and the nurse drawn blood both time from my vien.
1st Test: 7th May. Non Reactive (11.5 Week from last exposure with 1st girl and 7.4 week from exposure with second girl)
2nd Test: 15th March Non Reactive (4 months from last exposure with 1st girl and 3 months mark from exposure with second girl)
Reading too much on the internet of the conflicted information and the extra conservative window period of 6 months in Philippine (recognized by AIDs Act 1998 by Government) I am paranoid and cannot focus on my office work and anxiety is killing me I am tending to do a suicide. In month or a half I am afraid I will be kicked out of my office due to not focusing on my work. I cannot feel any happiness and cannot enjoy with my 8 months cute baby boy and wife thinking what I am still positive after 3 months negative test and they will be also infected from me.
Above all I need to mention that I did not feel any of the symptom from the last exposure till now. No fever, no extended flu, no pains and no sore throat. I am a healthy person and did not easily caught by other infectious diseases like cough and flu etc and do not think I have any immune disorder problem.
Now please please help me to answer my below anxiety driven questions based on the above long discussions (Sorry for too long)..
1. Are the blood tested Rapid Test from Abbott Laboratories for HIV 1 and 2 negative test is conclusive at 3 months mark even my 8th week test was also negative?
2. Do you think the Abbott lab test in Philippines will be of low standard than other countries that will not pick antibodies at three months even.
3. Why these guys in the Philippines has 6 months window period since 1998 AIDs act while the CDC, FDA, UNAID, AIDsMED and the reputed experts i.e. Dr Bob, Drs at the boy.com, Ann from Poz, Dr Hook and Dr HHH even agree for 6-8 week almost 100%) from medhelp ( all agree as the conservative window of 3 months is conclusive and test taken on 3 months mark are full and final.
4. Do any person has a proof of any case who is reported positive after 3 months and 8 week negative results.
5. In CDC in some place they say 97 % of people seroconvert in 3 months so how they measured it because I am afraid I am falling in the remaining 3 %.
6. If this is the paranoia disorder or anxiety problem in me then how to deal with it otherwise I am sure I cannot wait for 6 month test nor I want to do test again because I am sure I will die with heart attack before the 6 months arrives.
Please Please help me answer my question and dont be angry for my so long post. I hope you all can consider my situation.
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Hi Extreme , Your test from Abbott is accurate and conclusive , you do not have HIV and you do not need further testing for this particular incident . The testing guidelines are 6 weeks past exposure and again at 3 months . The information that you got saying you need to test at 6 months is years out of date and incorrect .
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!
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Thanks Jeff
You are great and you people are providing the best advises to the more worried people on this earth who are confused by conflicted information on internet.
Can you please specifically answer my questions just for my ease and assurance (Please dont be angry) I shall be thankful for this act of kindness. The questions are below.
1. Are the blood tested Rapid Test from Abbott Laboratories for HIV 1 and 2 negative test is conclusive at 3 months mark even my 8th week test was also negative?
2. Do you think the Abbott lab test in Philippines will be of low standard than other countries that will not pick antibodies at three months even.
3. Why these guys in the Philippines has 6 months window period since 1998 AIDs act while the CDC, FDA, UNAID, AIDsMED and the reputed experts i.e. Dr Bob, Drs at the boy.com, Ann from Poz, Dr Hook and Dr HHH even agree for 6-8 week almost 100%) from medhelp ( all agree as the conservative window of 3 months is conclusive and test taken on 3 months mark are full and final.
4. Do any person has a proof of any case who is reported positive after 3 months and 8 week negative results.
5. In CDC in some place they say 97 % of people seroconvert in 3 months so how they measured it because I am afraid I am falling in the remaining 3 %.
6. If this is the paranoia disorder or anxiety problem in me then how to deal with it otherwise I am sure I cannot wait for 6 month test nor I want to do test again because I am sure I will die with heart attack before the 6 months arrives.
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I answered your questions YOU ARE HIV NEGATVE . Your test from Abbott is accurate and conclusive period , it doesn't matter what country you test in .
The testing guideline is 3 months and you do not have HIV . Its a good thing .
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worried,
1. The only risk you had was the unprotected intercourse. You have tested out to four months and you conclusively do not have hiv.
2. No. Abbott isn't going to risk their international reputation by selling some countries dodgy tests. The same tests are used around the world and they're all accurate.
3. You'll have to ask "these guys in the Philippines" yourself why they cling to woefully outdated hiv testing protocol. I haven't a clue why they do it - there is no reason for them to do it other than wilful ignorance.
4. No. I've been answering questions in this forum since 2001 and I've never seen a six week negative go on to test positive. I doubt you'll be the first.
5. That's another one where you'll have to go to the source for answers. I don't know why the CDC says half the things they do about hiv - they're reliable with their information on most other illnesses, but they seem to let their own personal paranoia get in the way of reporting the science of hiv.
6. Whatever is going on with you has nothing to do with hiv.
You do NOT have hiv.
You do NOT need further testing over the incidents you're worried about.
If you cannot accept the fact that you do NOT have hiv, seek out counselling. We cannot help you with that here.
Ann
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Ann
You are great. Thank you. Just one last query on this thread.
Now for last two days I have a small cold sore on lower lip inside which is about finishing now and not feeling painful. Is it the sign for me that now I am late seroconverting for HIV Virus or in other words is it the symptom of HIV infection even after 8 week and 3 months rapid blood test negative.
I know I am a bit stupid in my question but please bear with me and accept my apology in advance for answering this last question.
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As you were advised in another forum. No. You do not have HIV.