INDETERMINATE HIV TEST .....HELP SCARED!!!

[frank7979]

I am a 24 year old hetro sexual male (tested negative 1 year ago). Let me first start off by saying I know that im a complete idiot for having unprotected sex, but somehow in both instances i was convinced I did not need a condom.  In the past 3 months or so i have been with 2 different women unprotected. The first was a short term girlfriend that did test negative in feb first encounter was 4/30 (relationship lasted a few weeks after that and she said in between that time she was with her previous bf a few times). The 2nd is my current girlfriend which the first encounter was 6/1 (was tested negative months ago and claimed was only with me since - had nausea a few weeks ago). 1st girl claims to have zero symptoms and feel fine. I started to get a wierd skin rash on my penis about a month ago. First went to the dr and he said it was not an std and gave me some antifungal cream. Its not an open sore....its flakey skin irrited skin at a bunch of different spots on my penis (tip, underneath the head, base....). I had a similar rash once before a few years ago which is strange. Also had a rash on my hands that was red bumps and i used the antifungal cream and it began to peal away (lasted 3 weeks). I also have had unexplained pain in my hip & knees for the past 6 months (comes and goes). I decided that there has to be something else wrong and requested a full test. Now I am COMPLETELY TERRIFIED after getting these INDETERMINATE results. Positive Elisa and Indeterminant Western Blot.

gp120 equivocal
p65 absent
p55 absent
p51 absent
gp41 absent
gp40 equivocal
p31 absent
p24 present
p18 absent

Elisa Reactive 1.3
WB Indeterminate


I know im not HIV positive for sure.....but I feel like I am and my life has been horrible ever since that day. They said I need to wait 4 weeks to take another test and I dont know if i can last that long. If I end of positive I dont think I will be able to deal with it. I need someone to talk to I am so scared....

[Thankful613]

Great news Frank!  Thanks for posting.
Congrats.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Glad to hear that your tests have come out to show that you do not have HIV.  I am sorry that you appear to be stuck with an indeterminant ELISA and I suspect, given the lack of change over the past 6 weeks that it is likely to stay that way.  So, what to do now.
1.  I would not try to figure out what is "causing" your FP test.  You could spend a lot of time and money without finding out.  Even if you did, what would you do about it.
2.  As you note -see a dermatologist.
3.  Move on and put thisbehind you

Again, I am pleased to hear of your result. this thread is now at its happy end.  EWH

[frank7979]

all other stds test negative. Auto immune test negative.

[frank7979]

*thanks so much for all your info & support

[frank7979]

PCR negative
CD4 674 / 42%

Elisa cam back reactive again and indeterminant western blot. (6 weeks after initial indeterminant test). I guess something else is cross reacting.....yet to figure that out. Thats so much for all your support & info. What should I do next?? Besides see the dermatolgist.

[frank7979]

so im guessing i have a yeast inefction on my genitals and my mouth (painless bumps on the side of my tounge) just tryin to figure this all out.......

[frank7979]

somehow labcorp/dr office managed to order the wrong test two times in a row. So I had to take it again today. I did however get some good news....both girls that i was with tested negative on their test. So Hopefully this will all be over next week and I can get some sleep : /



I have had a fungal skin rash or a yeast infection on my genitals now for about 2 months. I have tried 3 different presciption creams from the doctor and 2 presciption in pill form.....nothing has worked. I also had a few bumps on the side of my tounge. I just recently tried list last cream from my primary care dr....im waiting for the referral to go through for the derm ....waiting ***** :(. Which is why i think that its something else thats throwing off the test.......i have no idea what though. I have another appt with the infectious disease specialist again on the 19th. Last time i saw him he also had me try a 10 day supply of valtrex which did nothing (doesnt make to much sense since i tested negative for every other std but i thought I would try it anyways)

[frank7979]

still waiting....first time i took it with the cd4 somehow the pcr was left out. Had to get blood taken again awaiting results its been 4 days. Pray for me...i'll keep you updated. Oh also my current partner just took a oral test yesterday and that came back negative (was first with her 2 months ago) so that was a good sign along with my cd4 count being normal.

[frank7979]

Thank you very much for your insight and advice so far. I am seeing an ID specialist tommorow. Hopefully I can get some more answers with the PCR test.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

If you had early infection your CD4 count would be low however this is quite variable.  

I appreciate the anxiety that this result is causing you but there is little to be done at this time until more teting is done. It is time to stop the "could it" and "what if" questions.  You need to deal with this with your doctor.  Consider and discuss the PCR test and the timing of the repeat antibody test.  The exchance over the past week has really not done much to help you.  I am going to step back until we hear further test results.  No more comments till then please.  EWH

[frank7979]

My apologies if the other question was innapropraite.

[frank7979]

Would my cd4 count be abnormal if I was infected?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, it is another good sign.

As to musing about my expertise, I have already told you the issues relating to the probability of being infected.  If you wish to analyze the relative frequency of the myriad bands which can cause false positve results, you will need to talk with an HIV molecular biologist and I am not one.  If you want to know if there can be false positves due to a single p24 band, the answer is yes..  EWH

[frank7979]

well so far so good i guess. CD4 count was completely normal. I guess still waiting on the viral load. Is this a good sign?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Sorry, this is getting beyond my realm of expertise.  Your are trying to address your anxiety with "what if" questions when unfortunaltely what you need to do is wait this out.  Sorry, you are asking probablistic questions that I cannot answer. .  EWH

[frank7979]

I know you said you have experience with indeterminate tests before, but have you seen results simlar to mine? Isnt it supposed to be very bad to havfe the p24 present? Sorry for all the questions, just trying to ease my anxiety.  Thanks in advance

[Edward W Hook, MD]

The PCR test will be the more helpful of the two tests your doctor has ordered.

Most indeterminant tests turn out to be indeterminant, not early HIV.

And yes, your problems could reflect autoimmune diseases.  Let us know what the PCR shows please.  EWH

[frank7979]

It was before I was with her, so im definitly not outta the woods unfortunately .  Im gonna try but its almost impossible to keep mymind off of it.

[frank7979]

Thanks for the hope I can use all I can get...

[frank7979]

Not sure which type of elisa....it was labcorp.  Already informed my ex and current gf (both said they were testing with the last 6 months). Ex said she was with her previous bf and current gf hasnt been with anyone.

[buckeye7]

what type of elisa test did you have

[frank7979]

Im not sure....she said we would get a better idea if you were positive or negative without waiting the extra couple weeks. Is that right?

[BlackGold]

CD 4 / CD 8 should tell if you indeed have HIV. Low Cd 4 and HIgh Cd 8 with inversion is 1 big indication of HIV infection.

[frank7979]

I returned to my dr yesterday and he wanted me to take a viral load and cd4 test. I also requested to check for autoimmune diseases (ra) since i have had that unexplained hip and knee pain for the past 5 months. Could these rashes be associated with that?

Is you experience what have the majority of the inderterminate test turned out to be?