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Accuracy of tests.
Almost six years ago I had an affair with another married man. He had been married for 15 years when he moved out. I saw him maybe three or four times at most once he was separated. We both live in small rural towns where hiv is virtually unheard of. Recently I had a pap done and was found to have the hpv virus. This set in motion an internet quest that caused me to believe that I had HIV. For the last six months I have been living under a considerable amount of stress to say the least. I have become immobilized with fear. I have not been able to live my life. I went online to stdexpress.com and ordered an HIV-antibody test with came back negative. Again because I have spent several months convincing myself that I have Hiv I was sure this was a mistake and went back for retest - again negative. My question is that Can I rest easy with this test that I do not have it?
HIV-1 Antibody Test with Reflex to Western Blot Confirmation <1.00 <1.00 Negative 04/28/2010 04/29/2010
HIV 1/O/2 Abs, Qual HIV 1/O/2 Abs, Qual Non Reactive Non Reactive Negative 04/28/2010 04/29/2010
Test (Req #3682104) Value Range Result Test Date Results Date
HIV-1 Antibody Test with Reflex to Western Blot Confirmation <1.00 / Non Reactive <1.00 / Non Reactive Negative 04/26/2010 04/27/2010
My worry is that I did not go through a Dr. but went through a website. They use Labcorp as their lab.
HIV-1 Antibody Test with Reflex to Western Blot Confirmation <1.00 <1.00 Negative 04/28/2010 04/29/2010
HIV 1/O/2 Abs, Qual HIV 1/O/2 Abs, Qual Non Reactive Non Reactive Negative 04/28/2010 04/29/2010
Test (Req #3682104) Value Range Result Test Date Results Date
HIV-1 Antibody Test with Reflex to Western Blot Confirmation <1.00 / Non Reactive <1.00 / Non Reactive Negative 04/26/2010 04/27/2010
My worry is that I did not go through a Dr. but went through a website. They use Labcorp as their lab.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This is clearly not an HIV problem, which is the only topic of this forum; and also almost certainly not an STD, but a yeast infection, so no point in posting in the STD forum. Perhaps you have read that yeast infections are more common in HIV infected people, but it remains true that the vast majority of women with recurrent yeast infections do not have HIV -- and your tests prove you do not.
That you "can't get HIV out of my head" reflects a need for psycholgoical support, not further information from me about your symptoms. I suggest you address your fears directly and frankly with the Dr. and/or nurse you have been seeing. If they suggest professional counseling, do it. Whatever else you do, I strongly recommend you stop trying to find reassuring answers on line, either in this forum or anywhere else. It won't work.
That will have to be all for this thread. Take care.
That you "can't get HIV out of my head" reflects a need for psycholgoical support, not further information from me about your symptoms. I suggest you address your fears directly and frankly with the Dr. and/or nurse you have been seeing. If they suggest professional counseling, do it. Whatever else you do, I strongly recommend you stop trying to find reassuring answers on line, either in this forum or anywhere else. It won't work.
That will have to be all for this thread. Take care.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Symptoms are pretty much useless in judging whether or not someone has HIV. We have said this innumerable times on this forum, but it bears repeating for all users.
It happens that the symptoms of HIV are very nonspecific. In scientific terms, that means that the same symptom is caused by many things. Every common symptom of a new HIV infection -- i.e. those that dominate lists on websites (fever, sore throat, skin rask, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, headache [i.e. "flu-like" symptoms]), coated tongue, and a number of others -- also occur, individually or together, in a wide variety of other medical conditions, almost all of which are much more common than HIV. And generally the same is true for symptoms of advanced HIV disease. For example, the symptoms are the same for garden-variety pneumonia and for Pneumocystis pneumonia, a common opportunistic infection in AIDS. When you combine both a low risk exposure, like you describe, plus nonspecificity of symptoms, the vast majority of people with "typical" HIV/AIDS symptoms in fact don't have it.
Anyway, I do hope this helps you to move on without fear of HIV. Best wishes.
It happens that the symptoms of HIV are very nonspecific. In scientific terms, that means that the same symptom is caused by many things. Every common symptom of a new HIV infection -- i.e. those that dominate lists on websites (fever, sore throat, skin rask, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, headache [i.e. "flu-like" symptoms]), coated tongue, and a number of others -- also occur, individually or together, in a wide variety of other medical conditions, almost all of which are much more common than HIV. And generally the same is true for symptoms of advanced HIV disease. For example, the symptoms are the same for garden-variety pneumonia and for Pneumocystis pneumonia, a common opportunistic infection in AIDS. When you combine both a low risk exposure, like you describe, plus nonspecificity of symptoms, the vast majority of people with "typical" HIV/AIDS symptoms in fact don't have it.
Anyway, I do hope this helps you to move on without fear of HIV. Best wishes.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the HIV forum. I'll try to help. You don't have HIV.
Before we discuss the test results, let's analyze why there is virtually no chance you have HIV, even without testing. First, you describe a very low risk situation with respect to HIV; if your affair partner was not at especially high risk for HIV (had sex with men, injection drug use, past imprisonment, from Africa, etc), the chance he had HIV is virtually zero. Heterosexually transmitted HIV is more rare than you might think. Second, although many STDs are linked with elevated HIV risk, HPV is not. The frequency of HIV is no higher or lower in people with or without genital HPV. Third, it is uncommon to have HIV for 6 years and not be sick. If you were infected that long, probably you would have had symptoms that would have alerted you and your doctor to the possibility of a serious illness.
Now to the test results. They are 100% reliable. It is not possible to have HIV for more than a few weeks and not show up positive on the tests you had. The tests done through various websites are the exact same tests done through doctors' offices -- and Labcorp is a highly respected national laboratory. They do not use inferior tests.
Your question has earmarks of a lot of psychological distress. It is likely your thinking is not objective about all this; i.e. I suspect you know in your mind, if not your heart, that you don't have HIV. I have to wonder about possible underlying stress, despression, anxiety, or conflict over your sexual history. If this strikes a chord, I hope you will discuss it with your primary care provider. It is possible that counseling would help. I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.
Whatever you do, put HIV out of your mind. You don't have it.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Before we discuss the test results, let's analyze why there is virtually no chance you have HIV, even without testing. First, you describe a very low risk situation with respect to HIV; if your affair partner was not at especially high risk for HIV (had sex with men, injection drug use, past imprisonment, from Africa, etc), the chance he had HIV is virtually zero. Heterosexually transmitted HIV is more rare than you might think. Second, although many STDs are linked with elevated HIV risk, HPV is not. The frequency of HIV is no higher or lower in people with or without genital HPV. Third, it is uncommon to have HIV for 6 years and not be sick. If you were infected that long, probably you would have had symptoms that would have alerted you and your doctor to the possibility of a serious illness.
Now to the test results. They are 100% reliable. It is not possible to have HIV for more than a few weeks and not show up positive on the tests you had. The tests done through various websites are the exact same tests done through doctors' offices -- and Labcorp is a highly respected national laboratory. They do not use inferior tests.
Your question has earmarks of a lot of psychological distress. It is likely your thinking is not objective about all this; i.e. I suspect you know in your mind, if not your heart, that you don't have HIV. I have to wonder about possible underlying stress, despression, anxiety, or conflict over your sexual history. If this strikes a chord, I hope you will discuss it with your primary care provider. It is possible that counseling would help. I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.
Whatever you do, put HIV out of your mind. You don't have it.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I don't know if I am entitled to another post. I will repost and pay if necessary. I am even afraid to write all this down. In December I had a colposcopy and biopsy everything was fine. In January after the brown material came out I burned and burned for two weeks. Chalked it up to healing and moved on. It went away. In February I had a weird discharge and more burning. I went to the Dr. and she said I had a yeast infection. Started on Monistat. The nurse called and she said I didn't. When I asked her if they did a yeast culture she said no but this test would tell. I stopped Monistat and symptoms went away. Now I have what I believe is a yeast infection (itching and discharge). Went back on Monistat. Then I developed a hemmoroid (which I know has nothing to do with HIV) but in the process I got what appeared to be some kind of fungal problem in my anal area. I used over the counter cream and it seems to have gone away. Now I have a rash on my forehead. In December or so I took an antibiotic called Bactim and after two doses I developed a reaction to it on my hand. This is why I can't let it go. I am not asking for a diagnosis I still can't get HIV out of my head. I won't post again I promise.
Thank you for your quick reply. I have contacted a therapist and am going to be working through issues. I just needed someone to say aloud to me that I didn't have it. This has been a secret with me for a long time. Also, by the way, when you go online and look up any symptom yot have it leads you to hiv in one way or another - then the stress causes you to have more problems. It is a viscous cycle.
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