Positive or false positive? Worried!

[lokyup]

Hi there people!

Today I got scared and I hope that there is nothing wrong, here is my "drama".
I'm 18 years old and I never had sexual relationships, sexual contact, no drugs, no exchanged needles, nothing like that. I'm a blood donor and I went to the hospital at the first week of January to give blood and yesterday I received two letters to go to the hospital as soon as possible to do some new blood tests because they needed to be sure about something.
So, I went there today and the doctor said that I tested positive for the virus HIV type 1, he explained to me that it could be a false positive because I have another value not normal but I was so in shock that I didn't paid that many attention. He said to picture a lock and that there is one key that opens the lock but there could be others that we can put it in the lock but the door does not open, and that could be my case. But he wasn't sure of anything therefore they retested me today, again.
I did the test late last year, early December and I was negative to both types of HIV and the Cytomegalovirus blood test as well.

I'm really scared, I was always healthy, and I wasn't in touch with any of that main ways of transmission. So is there any possibility to actually be positive or I shouldn't worry about it?

Thanks for all your help.
Regards,
lokyup

[Andy Velez]

Lock, schmock and all of that stuff. If you are reporting accurately about your personal history then I think yours was a false positive result. False positives do happen -- more often than we'd like to think.

And a positive is always checked by the more sensitive and accurate western blot. My guess is you will come out of this ok but it's  very understandable that this has rocked you.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[lokyup]

I'm really being honest about my personal history, that's why this is a bit confusing to me. Although I am scared I know I need to keep calm, because this is not a death sentence. The results will only come out 30 days from today and I just really want to believe that this is false positive, I mean I need to believe in it. I'll try to take it easy and not get all worried about it, it's not going to be easy but I still believe.

Andy, thank you for your words!
I'll sure keep you posted.

Regards,
lokyup.

[Andy Velez]

It's too bad you have to wait so long for what I expect is going to be a negative result. Did you look into getting tested elsewhere and perhaps someplace where you could get a faster result? Isn't the Rapid Test available anywhere in your area?

Wishing you the best.

Cheers.

[lokyup]

I don't live in America, I'm currently living in Portugal and around here HIV still is a huge taboo and we don't have that many ways to do the quick test or to talk about the virus.
 I've researching and I'll probably go to a center wich helps people infected and they can do the quick test there. They say that the test is only reliable if I wait 3 months since the risky behaviour, but I didn't have a risky behaviour. I guess I'll just go and get the results (that I hope is negative) and get over it because this is really freaking me out!

Regards,
lokyup.

[RapidRod]

I don't live in America, I'm currently living in Portugal and around here HIV still is a huge taboo and we don't have that many ways to do the quick test or to talk about the virus.
 I've researching and I'll probably go to a center wich helps people infected and they can do the quick test there. They say that the test is only reliable if I wait 3 months since the risky behaviour, but I didn't have a risky behaviour. I guess I'll just go and get the results (that I hope is negative) and get over it because this is really freaking me out!

Regards,
lokyup.

What was your possible exposure?

[jkinatl2]

If you havent had any risky behavior then why in the world would you suspect HIV?

Do you think you were born with it, and your parents did not tell you?

[lokyup]

What was your possible exposure?

I really don't know, I didn't have unprotected sex, I haven't had sex at all, I don't do any kind of drugs (so I don't share needles), never had a blood transfusion (but I am a blood donor), never had a surgery. The only thing that could explain this is that in 2009 I went to Guinea Bissau on a voluntary mission, to help poor kids and their families.
But, as I said on the first post, I did the test on December 2011 and it was negative.

If you havent had any risky behavior then why in the world would you suspect HIV?

Do you think you were born with it, and your parents did not tell you?

The main reason why the doctors suspect HIV it's because I tested positive on a test (HIV type 1), I did this blood test on the first week of January to see if I still meet the requirements to be a blood donor, and they detected this positive result. I did the test on december and it was negative. Yesterday I gave a new blood sample and they are going to check those results.

I couldn't be born with it because if I was the blood tests that I did previously would have detected the virus, I guess.

[RapidRod]

You don't have an HIV concern.

[Ann]

Lokyup,

we don't have that many ways to do the quick test or to talk about the virus.
 I've researching and I'll probably go to a center wich helps people infected and they can do the quick test there.

You can find a testing center near you by using the database at aidsmap.com.

As you have already been told, false positive results can happen for all sorts of reasons. You need to retest to show that you've had a false positive.

And yes, I do think that is what you've had. A false positive. With your history and the previous negative result, a false positive is pretty much a given in your situation.

The only thing that could explain this is that in 2009 I went to Guinea Bissau on a voluntary mission, to help poor kids and their families.

Um, no, not unless you were having unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse with those poor kids and their families. Hiv is not transmitted during everyday, casual contact. You say you have not yet had sex and I believe you.

However, it's possible that you've picked up some tropical infection from your travels that is triggering the false positive. Autoimmune disease can also trigger false positives, as can pregnancy.

If you do get another positive result, you must have a Western Blot test run. The WB is the test that will show whether or not you are dealing with a false positive. And I'm betting the farm that is exactly what you're dealing with - a false positive.

Ann