Desperate for help-Long term ongoing symptoms and unsure of accuracy of my tests

[Scared16]

I am in desperate need for help regarding ongoing severe hiv symptoms for over 4 months. I had a possible exposure that consisted of unprotected heterosexual intercourse and I'm female. This was over 26 weeks ago and i started developing symptoms 6 weeks afterwards that I still have today. I started feeling very fatigued, bed ridden, complete loss of appetite with weight loss and abdominal pain, night sweats, muscle & joint pain, severe oily scalp & face with cystic acne, severely dry hair that's falling out bad, feeling unable to think clearly, & red spots on arms. At 12 weeks I developed what I know is thrush because bitter taste with loss of taste and white tongue with white spots on gums, checks & also developed yeast infection a week later that will not go away with medicine. I went to er around 16 weeks and they just did basic lab work & said they didn't suspect hiv. My symptoms still consisted so I went to another er 2 weeks later that didn't suspect hiv and all basic labs normal. So I finally went to get my own Elisa 4th generation duo test at a lab at 20 weeks which was negative. But at 21 weeks I developed severe cluster headache that wouldn't resolve with medicine for a week and developed painful swollen lymph nodes behind both ears and neck with more severe night sweats. I also developed these small red spots on hands that turned brown but eventually faded away. Went to er they said my wbc was high & I had uti & gave me antibiotics that didn't really help but most of the swelling went down about a week & 1/2 later. I started having severe hot flashes that I am still having now that my body stays overly heated & my palms stay sweaty all the time. Have developed blurry vision & getting new brown looking freckle marks I never had all over my body with a sore lymp node swelling under armpit & sore groin area. I went back to er again about 2 weeks ago & they said my basic labs were normal and didn't suspect hiv. I went to a internal medicine doctor yesterday & he said he doesn't suspect hiv & wouldn't run another test. I also have gotten deeply vertical ridges in my fingernails and all my symptoms from the beginning are still with me, including the thrush which is driving me crazy. So I went & got a oraquick last night that was negative at almost 27 weeks. Do you feel there's a possibility of me not serconverting until around 22 weeks when the appearance of swollen lymph nodes appeared and severe headaches for 2 weeks and that my Elisa 4th generation duo test at almost 21 weeks could have been false negative due to late serconversion ? Also do you feel that a negative oraquick test at home at almost 27 weeks could be a false negative? It's just hard for me to believe I'm negative with all these severe ongoing symptoms. I'm just so tired of feeling I'll ever day, I want my life back. Any advice or help would be appreciated.

[Jim Allen]

Hi

Firstly you symptoms have nothing to do with HIV, I mean it H|IV does not cause the lists of concerns you have, if you are still sick please see a doctor so they can treat whatever is making you ill.

Post the unprotected intercourse you tested a number of times and well beyond any possible window period. Its simple a negative HIV test at 13 weeks past any possible exposure is conclusive, so you do not have HIV from the incident.

Remember to use condoms and as routine test for STI's including but not limited to HIV at least yearly

Here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, every time, no exceptions.

Keep in mind that some sexual practices which may be described as ‘safe’ in terms of HIV transmission might still pose a risk for transmission of other STI's, so please do get fully tested regularly and at least yearly for all STI's including but not limited to HIV and test more frequently if unprotected intercourse occurs

Also note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms and the only way of knowing is by testing.

More information on HIV Basics, PEP, TaSP and Transmission can be found through the links in my signature to our POZ pages, this includes information on HIV Testing

Kind regards

Jim

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[Scared16]

What about the accuracy of my 2 tests i had just to ease my mind please? Do you feel there's a possibility of me not serconverting until around 22 weeks when the appearance of swollen lymph nodes appeared and severe headaches for 2 weeks and that my Elisa 4th generation duo test at almost 21 weeks could have been false negative due to late serconversion ? Also do you feel that a negative oraquick test at home at almost 27 weeks could be a false negative?

[Ptrk3]

Jim has accurately assessed your situation.  You have conclusively tested negative:  don't ruminate or overthink things.  Move on with your life.

[Scared16]

I went today to a clinic at 26 weeks and had the rapid insti hiv 1/2 done that was negative. Are these tests just as accurate as the elisa?

[Jim Allen]

Jim has accurately assessed your situation.  You have conclusively tested negative:  don't ruminate or overthink things.  Move on with your life.

Move on with your life, you don't have HIV and we can not help you.

Jim