POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: katlync on June 01, 2009, 03:02:33 pm
-
I was raped in October, he went in me, then tryed again and masterbated all over me. I have had severe vaginal problems ever since, swelling, burning, severe pain, ect. An hpv wart which i never had before, along with cysts. A few weeks after I had bloody stools, diarreah, severe headaches, passed out several times. I was hospitalized once for passing out and the next time for bad abcess in rear. My eyes constantly hurt, are blurry sometimes and swell. I was in perfect health before all of this. I have been to tons of doctors, none who know what is wrong. The gynos all say must e vulvodynia.and insisting it was herpes which it is not. I also used to have a very high sex drive, now nothing at all. My underarms, feet and hands hurt. I was tested for all Stds which are all negative, including Elisa tests at 3 and 6 months. I am very scared, should I have additional HIv tests done?
-
It's terrible to read what you've been through. But one thing I can tell you with certainty is that your negative test results for HIV are absolutely conclusive. You are without a doubt HIV negative. No further testing is necessary.
Whatever problems are going on with you physically have nothing to do with HIV. Your doctors need to diagnose and treat the physical symptoms. I also hope you are getting counseling to deal with the very real trauma you've experienced. That's as real a need as anything physical and the two often interact in ways that need to be respected.
We only deal with HIV here and happily that is not your problem. Good luck in getting things sorted out and getting past this difficult time in your life.
Cheers.
-
Thank You for your response. However, I have been really sick for all of thse months with no other explanation. Does the Elisa test for all strains? Also, are the other available tests more accurate? Could seroconversion take longer then 6 months? I am unable to function.
-
No matter what your head is telling you to the contrary, HIV is absolutely not your issue. You have happily tested negative for HIV. No, seroconversion cannot take longer than three months and yes, your test covered all possible strains.
Whatever is going on with you has nothing to do with HIV. When you say there can't be any other explanation that's YOUR OPINION. It is not a medically-based evaluation and diagnosis. You need to pursue the matter with your doctor. As I suggested previously I also recommend getting support from a therapist.
Again, without any doubts I can say this is NOT an HIV situation. Period.
-
Thank you again for your kind response. However, this is now going on month 8 where I don't feel well. My vaginal problems have not subsided, and I used to have a very high sex drive and now nothing. My eyes are also in such pain. If this jerk does have it, then do the cards change as far as testing? If it means anything as far as testing, I live in New York. Thank You.
-
No the cards don't change. You are conclusively negative.
-
Just because you haven't been able to determine medically what is going on does not by default invalidate your negative test results.
You are HIV negative. Period. End of story. You have to look for an explanation of your problem elsewhere.
-
One last question, is the window period the same for hiv-2?
-
Also, does the hiv-1/hiv-2 test detect hiv-2 as accurately as hiv-1?
-
I am very sorry to have read about your situation. Being raped just messes you up - emotionally and physically.
The HIV test does pick up all strains of HIV - and you have tested beyond what is reasonable - 12 weeks. This isn't a case of you having HIV and the test not being able to pick it up - you are not the first to ask that question when you have symptoms you can't explain - and you won't be the last.
I would talk to your doctor if you are not feeling well still, as you don't want to miss anything that might be unrelated to this incident as you hunt for a phantom HIV infection.
R
-
Kat,
It's not unusual for a woman who has been raped to go through all sorts of physical ailments afterwards. The high level of stress involved can do all sorts of things to your body. I strongly suggest you continue working with your medical doctor, and importantly, I suggest you seek out rape counseling. You don't have to be alone in this - there are people who can help you, and many of the women who do rape counseling have been there themselves.
However, unfortunately, we cannot allow you to use this forum to constantly question your CONCLUSIVE negative hiv results. You do NOT have hiv.
I wish you peace and the ability to put this terrible incident behind you. And please, get counseling. It WILL help - and yes, I've been there and I empathise with you.
Ann
-
Ann,
Thank you for your reply. However, being that you are a girl, if i was tested for all other stds, what could this be. A few weeks after the rape my whole vagina and clitoris swelled, and the labia was splitting, it all felt like someone was taking a blowtorch and lighting it on fire. I also have no good feeling there anymore and am very dry, used to always be the opposite. The person that raped me taunted me like he has this so i am just so scared. I saw that u didnt know until 18 months later, so how is the window period 3 months? Only the last test tested for hiv-2, the 1st was only for 1. I cant wear pants b/c it makes the pain worse which is always there. I also now have severe eye problems and tingly feet and hands as well as panins under my arms. I am also very dizzy all the time. I live in New York, was only tested using elisa. I'm sorry to bother you but please help me. Thnk you.
-
Also, I heard there are things that can affect the elisa test results. When i was in the hospital my lymphocytes were really low.
-
If you are not on chemo, not taking antirejection drugs for a transplant or a chronic IV drug abuser then you don't have anything to be concerned about you are conclusively negative.
-
No none of that, never did a drug in my life. I heard cortiosteroids can affect the results, and i used that on my vaginal area for the inflammation. Is that true? is the hiv 1/2 test just as reliable in picking up hiv-2?
-
No cortiosteroids will not affect your test. Yes your HIV 1/2 test will detect HIV type 2 reason for the test stating HIV 1/2.
-
Kat,
I was actually infected four years before I was diagnosed and it has NOTHING to do with the three month window period. I never tested in my life until the test where I was diagnosed. I'm the poster-girl for what can happen if a person is sexually active but neglects regular testing. After diagnosis I knew, with hindsight, when I was infected, but had NO idea at the time.
Are you aware that stress can cause vaginal dryness? Especially following sexual trauma. As for your other genital symptoms, it sounds like primary herpes, but I CANNOT and AM NOT diagnosing you. I'm only offering a suggestion.
The bottom line here is whatever else may be going on with you, you do NOT have hiv. That's cause for celebration!
Get yourself into therapy and keep working with your doctor. There are hundreds of other illnesses out there, so stop chasing the one you KNOW you do NOT have.
If you insist on using this forum to question your CONCLUSIVE negative hiv test results, I will have no choice but to give you a time out. If you read the Welcome Thread (http://forums.poz.com/index.php?topic=220.0) before posting like you're supposed to, you will have read the following posting guideline:
Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.
Please consider yourself warned.
Ann
-
Ann,
Thank you for your response. Most doctors thought that it was herpes also but i tested negative for herpes, that is why i am so scared. I saw that if you have herpes ulcers which are not herpes, is a manifitation of hiv, that is why i am so scared. Is this true? I got ur warning and i wont bother anyone on here anymore. So of you dont want to answer my question i understand. I just have to get tested again.
Thank you also to Andy for your kind responses.
-
Anyone who continues to post excessively, questioning a conclusive negative result or no-risk situation, will be subject to a four week Time Out (a temporary ban from the Forums). If you continue to post excessively after one Time Out, you may be given a second Time Out which will last eight weeks. There is no third Time Out - it is a permanent ban. The purpose of a Time Out is to encourage you to seek the face-to-face help we cannot provide on this forum.