POZ Community Forums
HIV Prevention and Testing => Do I Have HIV? => Topic started by: freakedout83 on August 09, 2013, 08:09:10 pm
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Hello
I had a risky encounter with a girl 7 weeks back. The situation was that the condom broke during vaginal sex. It took me about 25 secs to realize. After the intercourse..I washed my penis thouroughly but ofcourse the damage could have been done. After this incident I asked the girl about her hiv status for which she took a test and reported negative. I myself have taken a test at 32 days (elisa 1&2) and it was negative. But having read so many things about window period and all..am really freaked out. Recently I am having lightheadedness and am not able to sleep well. Am not sure if it a symptom or anxiety. I did not have any ars like symptoms but have a bit of cold (mucous in nose) and mucous cough. Can someone please comment wat r my odds
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Hi out . You already know you had a risk so I do not have to tell you that so I will just go over the testing guidelines again you are asking about . You should have a HIV test no earlier that 6 weeks past an exposure and then you can confirm the results at 3 months .
Your risk was on the low end so I suggest you simply wait and test again at 3 months to be done with it and get your results confirmed once and all . If you want you can test again at a full 6 weeks but you must test again at 3 months anyway .
The average time to seroconversion is 22 days. Most who are infected will test positive by 6 weeks. For various reasons a small number will take longer and that is why we follow the CDC recommendation to test at 3 months for a conclusive negative result.
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. Some of the other STIs can be present with no obvious symptoms, so the only way to know for sure is to test.
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, and you will avoid hiv infection. It really is that simple!
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Thanks Jeff for your kind reply. I am in canada now and plan to do a 8 weeks test once I am back. I just wonder why am I feeling so lightheaded and nauseous. My hands are also trembling. Can u please tell me if these are symptoms of early hiv infection and also how reliable is a 4 week elisa test ?
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Thanks Jeff for your kind reply. I am in canada now and plan to do a 8 weeks test once I am back. I just wonder why am I feeling so lightheaded and nauseous. My hands are also trembling. Can u please tell me if these are symptoms of early hiv infection and also how reliable is a 4 week elisa test ?
Your symptoms are not specific to HIV and the only way to know is to test . It would be rare for you to test positive for a condom break with a short period f unprotected sex . Its my experience that you are going to come out of this just fine .
In the mean time if you are sick , see a doctor because its unlikely its HIV . I'm only guessing but it sounds like you are suffering from anxiety .
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Thanks Jeff for your reply. Its amazing work you guys are doing because I cannot talk to anybody about this and getting freaked out to death..am at my wits end. Am just freaked out to even go for a test. Even though the girl is negetive and I had a 4weeks elisa as non reactive. I cannot understand y am I getting so worked up. Everyday morning I scan my body for rashes.. look at my tongue for whiteness.. look up in internet for possible symptoms. And now with this head spinning situation.. I cant even concentrate at work :-(
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Fortunately doubts and fears and head spinning are not proof of HIV. Like Jeff I expect you to come out of this ok.
Good luck with your test.