Need qualified advice

[Serge1975]

I have been feeling sick for the last 13 months with no interruption after unprotected sex with my would-be wife. Symptoms started 2 weeks after and include general weakness, blurred vision, slightly enlarged lymph nodes, dizziness, loss of hair, dry skin, yellow tongue coating, pharyngitis, folliculitis, etc. No fever though, reduced muscle mass though overal weight OK.

I have done serial antibody/antigen testing at 2, 3, 5, 11 months (Murex Ag/Ab, Vironostika Ag/Ab II). All tests came back negative. PCR not generally available in my country.

The question: is it possible in this situation to test both HIV antibody and antigen negative up to 11 months and still be HIV infected? What else can possibly be the cause of this nightmare (results of other tests: HCV, HBV, CMV, Toxopalsmosis, other STDs - minus, HSV-1 IgM, IgG - plus, EBV - not tested)?

Thank you very much.

[Ann]

Serge,

Whatever is going on with you has nothing to do with hiv. You ARE hiv negative.

No, it is not possible to have hiv and test negative out to eleven months. You are conclusively hiv negative.

Along with reading our Welcome Thread and following the links to the Lessons, here's what you need to know in order to avoid hiv infection:

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 STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection. 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.

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.


You ARE  hiv negative, without doubt. Please keep working with your doctor to find out what is really going on. It has nothing to do with hiv.

Ann

[Serge1975]

Thanks a lot for your quick reply, Ann. As for condoms, I am an EXTREMELY HIV/STD aware kind of guy. It was the only unprotected episode in my entire life which happened just because we had made marriage plans. So I just thought ... well, I'll have to take my chances. I think this situation rather goes on to highlight the importance of mutual premarital HIV/STD testing, which is the order of the day but still quite difficult pschycologically for people like myself.

Thanks again!

[Serge1975]

Just wonder what Andy's opinion is on this?

[Matty the Damned]

I doubt Andy's opinion is going to differ from that which Ann has given you. In fact all of us are going to agree with Ann here.

You are HIV negative, champion.

MtD

[Serge1975]

Thanks, Matt. All the best.