HIV test question?!
Question:
HIV test question?
I had an HIV test four months and one week after I slept with someone I wasn't sure about. It's now been about 7 months, and I'm feeling sick, have swollen glands, sinusitis symptoms, etc.. Would the test at four months be reliable?
I had the doctor do another test, so I'm waiting for results now. Am I being scared for no reason?
Answers:
The HIV test can be considered reliable at 12-13 weeks after a possible exposure.
75% of people will test positive at 17-20days
95% " " 8 weeks
99% "" 12-13 weeks.
The only people who may not test positive within 3 months are those who have an already compromised immune system (undergoing chemo/radiation, large doses of steroids (eg. transplant recipients).
People who contract HIV and before they actually test positive (seroconvert) may experience acute retroviral syndrome. These symptoms generally appear 2-4 weeks after infection but are often non-specific or mild. Symptoms may include mono-like illness, swollen lymph nodes (lymphadenopathy) fever, skin rash and less commonly pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (formerly p carinii) or oralesophageal candidiasis.
7 months after infection a person who is HIV+ would be in the asymptomatic phase (No symptoms), though generalized lymphadenopathy is frequently present and thrombocytopenia may be present.
So, bottom line, the original test can be considered reliable, unless you fall into the aforementioned conditions. However, you are not alone in being worried or anxious. I always recommend if someone is nervous, or doesn't believe a test result to get tested again. I have clients who have had multiple tests because they could not believe the results (positive and negative). HIV is a heavily feared and stigmatized disease and there is so much misinformation on the internet.
Hope this helps