POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: diamond.lights on November 25, 2007, 02:46:58 pm
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Hi guys, I took kaletra and combivir for 28 days after a potential exposure. I have tested negative at 17 weeks (12.5 weeks post pep) using a rapid test. I had a negative duo at 14 weeks (10 post pep). Also an undetectable viral load by rna pcr at 9 weeks (5 post); and not detected qualitive proviral dna pcrs at 7 and 14 (10 post pep) weeks.
Despite these results I'm freaking out because I have palpuble glands in my neck and groin. I know that a couple in my neck have come up in the last few months. What do you reckon? Should I continue to test?
???
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You haven't indicated what the risk was that caused you to test in the first place. However, since have more than reliably tested negative at 13 weeks and beyond, the risk factor is moot at this point. You are HIV negative. Period. End of story.
As for you troubling symptoms, that's something to discuss with your doctor. What you have described does not in any way invalidate your negative test result. You're STILL HIV negative. Whatever is going on has nothing to do with HIV.
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Thanks for the reply Andy!!
I live in the UK where they don't dish out pep for nothing, although they were reluctant to give me anything. I was active and so potentially exposed.
What bugs me is pep and potentially delayed seroconversion and the extent to which this may occur. Then I look at my PCRs and think they are either false negatives, or that pep left me with only a very low reservoir of hiv and it is still struggling to become systemic. Do you think I am being totally irrational? I keep setting myself points at which I will be satisfied but it keeps slipping... I'm creeping towards 6 months which is not good...
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Actually PCR testing in HIV negative people such as yourself tends to produce false positive results.
I agree with Andy here, you do not have HIV and as such PEP was not needed. By insisting on PEP you only added fuel to the fire of your baseless fears, but you exposed yourself unnecessarily to potentially dangerous side effects from the potent drug cocktail.
I can see where you're headed and rather than indulging yourself in pointless rounds of HIV testing, you would be wiser to invest your time and efforts in getting some counseling to help you deal with your fears and insecurities about HIV.
MtD
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By active I am reading that to mean you were the insertive partner in unprotected intercourse.
Assuming that is correct then you did need to get tested. However, even allowing for needing to be tested at 13 weeks after the completion of PEP for a reliable result, you have done that.
So no matter what twists and turns your head is coming up with you, you are HIV negative. Period. End of story. Really.
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you read correctly.
I can see where I'm going too. I've had a little councelling. Finding valium, and others, much more helpful but they don't stop me thinking about it every minute of the day.
Thanks for the reassurance, I have been told the same thing by several doctors since a test at 12 weeks and even since 9 week viral load. So on one hand I have test results and on the other I have my glands. I really was not worried that much until a week after PEP when I had a sore throat and noticed a gland in my groin and every since then I have been obsessed. Anyway I think at some point soon I should start to get back to normal.
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diamond,
Glands can and do swell for a huge variety of reasons, not just because of hiv. Also, constantly touching and feeling them to find out if they're swollen can make them swell and keep them swollen. Keep your hands off! Show them to your doctor as well - very often people think their glands are swollen just because they can feel them, which isn't necessarily the case. Let your doctor evaluate yours.
You have reliably and conclusively tested hiv negative. You ARE hiv negative.
You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL sexually transmitted infections together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with an STI. Sex with a condom lasts only a matter of minutes, but hiv is forever.
Have a look through all three condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.
Although you do NOT need further testing over this incident, anyone who is sexually active should be having a full sexual health care check-up, including but not limited to hiv testing, at least once a year and more often if unprotected intercourse occurs.
If you aren't already having regular, routine check-ups, now is the time to start. As long as you make sure condoms are being used for intercourse, you can fully expect your routine hiv tests to return with negative results. Don't forget to always get checked for all the other sexually transmitted infections as well, because they are MUCH easier to transmit than hiv.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will continue to avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!
Ann
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I have had a doctor examine my glands thats why they decided to do a viral load (nhs). however if I read my testing history for anyone else I would call them negtive, just this goes out the window for me...
thanks for the help!
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okay sorry to be back so soon, just today I discovered a new gland in my neck which means its panic time again. this really was by chance im really trying not to hunt them out.
with regards to my window period is this 3 month post pep thing set in stone. ive been reading online that uk guidelines stress 6 months (although i've been told I don't really need this), as does the cdc. also I read that in monkeys seroconversion takes 2 weeks, but when they have a month of pep it takes 16 (rather than 4 + 2 = 6), ie a non-linear relationship. fyi i am not a monkey, but it adds to my uncertainty. please shoot me down now...
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You're negative. You can run things through your head all you want but it's not going to change the fact that you are negative. It would pay you to read the "Welcome" thread the "posting guidelines" before you find yourself with a time out.
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Glands, shmands. You are HIV negative no matter what your mind says to the contrary and no matter what swollen glands or any other symptoms you have. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor. They have nothing to do with HIV.
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diamond,
One thing you need to keep in mind is that you were unlikely to become infected through a one-time unprotected insertive intercourse encounter anyway. I imagine that is the reason the clinic was reluctant to give you PEP. I'm also in the UK and I do know that they are happy to prescribe PEP when there has been a serious risk - such as unprotected receptive intercourse with a person known to have hiv.
So, put all the facts together. You were not likely to have become infected from this one time, PEP or no PEP. You DID do PEP and your test results reliably show you to be hiv negative.
You ARE hiv negative. We're in the middle of cold and flu season. Sometimes glands will swell up a little when we're fighting off a cold that we don't even know we're getting and NEVER know, because our bodies - and glands - did their work and got rid of the cold bug before it caused problems.
If your glands continue to bother you, see your doctor. Whatever is going on, it is NOT hiv related. You do NOT have hiv.
Use condoms in future and you won't get hiv either.
Ann
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ok thanks guys