POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: September18 on September 19, 2012, 09:11:18 am
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Hello, thanks for you time. In June I had a condom break with a CSW in Thailand. After returning to the states, I tested twice at planned parenthood, once at 8 weeks and once at 11 weeks. Both times they administered two tests (at my request), an oral quick test and a blood test (not sure which type). Also tested negative for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis. I suspect my questions are a little paranoid, but I vow not to continually pester the forum. After the 11 week test, I felt very confident, but this week (week 12) I have developed a sore under the tongue, feel dizzy, and have a lump behind my right jawline.
1. After 2 years of sobriety, I have been drinking 6-12 beers a night for the past year...every night without exception. I also take 100mg of seroquel nightly as a sleepaid. Yes...I pretty much pass out each night. Does this level of alcoholism, in combination with the medication, raise any concerns of delayed seroconversion?
2. Why do some Dr's say HCV coinfection delays seroconversion, and others say no way? Is it possible to have gone through acute HCV w/o noticing? The CSW from the incident was slightly bleeding (which I noticed afterwards, not sure the cause). I have read responses on this forum and others, but never seen the explanation as to why opinions differ.
3. Although this forum is specific to HIV, just wanted to check one more thing. Is the 8 week test late enough to be outside the window periods for the chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis...and thus a reliable result?
4. In view of the above, is there any concern raised over the accuracy of the negative HIV test at 11 weeks?
Thanks, and as I said, promise no follow up pestering.
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Sept,
1. Absolutely NOT. The only people who might take a little longer than three months to seroconvert and test positive are those on chemotherapy for cancer, on anti-rejection drugs following organ transplant, or those who have been injecting street drugs, every day, for years. Even these people will normally test positive by six weeks and certainly by three months.
2. The only confirmed cases of delayed hiv seroconversion in the presence of hep C have been documented in people who were engaging in long-term injecting drug misuse. There have only been a handful of such documented cases in over thirty years of the hiv pandemic.
3. Syphilis shares a three month testing window with hiv for a conclusive negative result, although also like hiv, syphilis infection will normally be picked up within four to six weeks.
Most other STIs can be tested for at around ten days to two weeks following a possible exposure, or sooner if obvious symptoms like a penile discharge develops. It is possible to have NO symptoms to any of the STIs while still being infected. The timing of your tests for chlamydia etc is fine. You don't have those infections.
4. No. 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. You only tested one week shy of three months, so don't worry about it. You were highly unlikely to end up positive as the insertive partner following a condom break anyway, but you were wise to get checked out.
You don't have hiv.
Keep using condoms and you'll continue to avoid hiv infection. Read through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use them correctly and with confidence. A correctly used condom rarely breaks. It really is that simple!!!
Ann