Negative Duo test at 29 Days

[extremeanxiety871]

Hi,

Many thanks for the great job you guys are doing.

I have been reading alot on the forum but i dont know how my case relates.

I had a negative duo test at 29 days post exposure and it was negative. I had many symptoms at the time, a soar throat, abdominal pain, headache, muscle aches and was on alot of medication from antibiotics to advil sinus and cold, and anti - inflamatories. Had several shots of voltarin for the muscle aches

I currently have for the past 3 weeks the same soar throat, with lesions now in my mouth for the past 3 days, dry tounge, and white  gums at the root of the teeth. I also have a lymph node on my waist line close to the groin area which is painful, on the left side and a lymph node on my neck which is really painful, right hand side.

I am worried of being a statistic of that .11% from an unprotected vaginal risk encounter.

Could the symptoms or medications overshadowed the test results??
Why am i hypersensitive to every feeling in my body?
The doctor told me here in the middle east (althought it was a combi test) said it was only conclusive after 6 months (i know u think that is garbage).
Please tell me what to do to move on.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I do not know what your exposure was but it sounds to me as though you have had a variety of symptoms over the past 4 months which cause you to worry about HIV.  It is important for me to point out to you that there are NO symptoms which are unique to HIV and that is much for true for the symptoms of early HIV than for more longstanding, chronic infection.  Thus the symptoms of the ARS can be caused by influenza, other non-STI community acquired viral infection, other non-infectious illnesses, medication reactions, etc.  That is the reason we have tests.  The tests help us to differentiate which symptoms might be due to one cause or another.  In the case of HIV, currently available HIV tests are among the best performing tests that have ever been available to health care providers and are exceedingly accurate.  The data which allow us to say that a 28 day Combo test is definitive are VERY, VERY strong and should be believed.  On very,. very rare cases specimens get mixed up, there are errors in the lab, or the tests do not perform as shown in studies but again, I emphasize that this is quite rare and if a person has two negative tests taken at different, appropriate times, the results need to be believed.  

At this time your symptoms have lasted longer than is typical for the ARS and you have a negative tests.  i would urge you to believe the results.  If you need to test again, doing so once might be conclusive.  Instead, I suggest that you consider whether perhaps your own anxiety might be making your symptoms seem worse that they would be otherwise (this is relatively common) or, possibly, something else is going on.  If something else might be going on, you need to work with your doctor to sort out what might be happening.  I would not worry about HIV however.  EWH

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You have been tested for HIV and do not have it.  the reason to see a doctor is NOT because of HIV but to look for what is causing your symptoms that is not HIV.

It is time for this thread to end.  EWH

[extremeanxiety871]

Its just the symptoms like neuropathy, the lymph nodes, the rash on my the side of my back and legs, the oral thrush, abdominal pains, soar throat, just hate myslf right now...too much going on.. i never got these in my life....

tell me what to do since im in a country which will not help me, i cannot go to a doctor here and tell him/her this

[Edward W Hook, MD]

A rash localized to your thighs does not suggest recent HIV infection.  EWH

[extremeanxiety871]

Thanks doctor, i feel much better now with your comments and advice. Their is this rash now ( a collection of red spots on my inner thighs), should that be alarming? Its just the symptoms which i never had before make me worry more.

[extremeanxiety871]

Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

This is a repetitive question.  You have had two tests which give the same answer- they are negative.  The medications youmention would have no effect on your test results.  You did not get HIV and do not need further testing.  EWH

[extremeanxiety871]

Doctor please your advice.

[extremeanxiety871]

The 2 tests i have done are at 24 and 29 days

[extremeanxiety871]

Sorry i dont think i follow..
So i should retest again?
Could the symptoms or medications overshadowed the test results?
If i retest again, can it be positive?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, with your second negative test at this time you can be confident that your symptoms are not due to HIV and should not let those concerns keep you from sleeping unprotected with your wife.  eWH

[extremeanxiety871]

I got the lymph node on the neck today, 39 days after exposure . This was my second negative test, i had the first on 24 days and negative also.

Can i sleep with my wife unprotected? Can the test result be positive later?