POZ Community Forums

HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: Plotino84 on July 23, 2013, 10:21:43 am

Title: Condom broke with prostitute
Post by: Plotino84 on July 23, 2013, 10:21:43 am
Dear All
 
First of all I would like to thank you for the great effort you all do in favor of this cause.  I ve been reading this forum in several opportunities looking for some way to calm my anxiety.
 
My story: On May 2nd 2013, I had a vaginal intercourse with a prostitute in Costa Rica. First time and last time ever. During the encounter the condom broke and I believe the exposure was between 5 seconds and 30 seconds. As soon as I noticed this I immediately stopped and finished the encounter. My first thing to do was to ask the lady and the owner of the place how frequent she tested and answered me that every three months, being HIV negative the only way in which she was able to work in this place.  Thanks to information you kindly provided in several other posts I was able to go through this difficult situation.
 
After going through terrible moments of anxiety and several visits to the doctor, I tested at 9 weeks from the incident for HIV and remaining STDs, being the results NEGATIVE. I would really appreciate your comments on this matter, as I am getting close to week 13 and I am still going through anxiety and depression moments. I know I have to test again but just wanted to know your comments about my situation.
 
Many thanks in advance for your kind help.
 
With kind regards
Plotino
Title: Re: Condom broke with prostitute
Post by: Ann on July 23, 2013, 10:48:27 am
Plotino,

The vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days.

A six week (or more) negative result is highly unlikely to change, but must be confirmed at the three month point.

I do not expect your nine week hiv negative result to change, but make sure you confirm at three months. Twelve weeks will do - no need to wait the extra week.

Ann
Title: Re: Condom broke with prostitute
Post by: Plotino84 on July 23, 2013, 12:09:48 pm
Dear Ann

Many thanks for taking the time of answering my concerns and worries.
According to what I read in the forum can i consider my risk as very low and the nine week negative result as encouraging?

I am sorry for the question but i just need to have the strenght to go a test again.

Once again thanks for your comments.

Best Regards
Title: Re: Condom broke with prostitute
Post by: Ann on July 23, 2013, 04:43:14 pm
Plotino,

Yes, your risk was on the low side.

Your nine week negative is highly unlikely to change even if you had a high risk incident. Just confirm that result at three months.

Make sure you read through the condom and lube links in my signature line. A correctly used condom rarely breaks.

Ann
Title: Re: Condom broke with prostitute
Post by: Plotino84 on August 06, 2013, 06:54:07 pm
Dear Ann or Andy

I am still waiting to restest. Unfortunately i am extremely scared. I made some misscalculation about the incident and it was not nine weeks, but seven. To be more precise, 51 days after the incident.

According to your comments and what i ve read in the forum, it is highly unlikely to change, but still do you think  this is a situation in which i can be the exceedingly rare person who takes slightly longer than six weeks to produce enough antibodies to be detected on the tests.

I keep reading related post, and encourages me to know that of many cases none of the insertive partner ended up positive after a condom break but I am really scared.....

Many thanks in advance for the great help you guys do here....
Title: Re: Condom broke with prostitute
Post by: Andy Velez on August 06, 2013, 07:08:01 pm
A negative test result at 6 weeks or more, in your case 7 weeks, is highly unlikely to change when you re-test at 3 months.

Fortunately your fears aren't facts and I am expecting you to continue to test negative. Meantime you just have to wait. While doing so I suggest you make a for real effort to focus on other things in your life. Don't bother saying you're too worried to do it. Just do it and you will find the waiting time can pass more easily than you may imagine is possible. Really.
Title: Re: Condom broke with prostitute
Post by: Plotino84 on August 06, 2013, 08:34:25 pm
Thank you Andy.

I totally agree with you and that was what i did during this time. The thing here is that i am at day 89, so i could be testing, but I am terrified that the results may have changed since the 7 week test.

I am trying to find the courage to go an test trying to read the answers you and Ann gave in these cases...

I am sorry for being so insistent but as you said this is a difficult situation.

Thanks again for all the help you guys give here
Title: Re: Condom broke with prostitute
Post by: Plotino84 on August 08, 2013, 04:44:50 pm
Dear All

Finally I got tested today at twelve weeks from the incidente with an ELISA Test 4th Generation.

Confirmed to be NEGATIVE.

Thanks to you all for the great help and hope you give us with your great knowledge.

This has definetly been a tough situation in my life, but I ve learned a lot and will continue using my condoms properly.
God bless you all.
Title: Re: Condom broke with prostitute
Post by: Andy Velez on August 08, 2013, 05:01:43 pm
Well done, Plotino. It's always great to get that result even when it is expected.

Good luck to you now as you get on with your life.