Final answer. Your anxiety is causing you to read things into my reply that are not there. What part of "It is now time to accept that your ill-advised PCR test was falsely positive and move forward. There is no reason for further testing." in my original answer was unclear. You do not have HIV.
EWH
Sorry, also does the PCR test concern you/cause doubt in your mind as on some queries you and Dr. Handsfield seem to be more definitive about some people being non-infected than others?
I am seeking your medical advice - if you really feel I should be tested further please let me know as I will definitely do so.
Yes, I mis-spoke, I meant false positive
Your repeateD questions are repetitive and while I understand that you are anxious, to think that repeating the questions will change the answer is not reasonable. Breif answers to your repetitive questions:
1. Would you suggest that I test to a year or more to be overly-cautious?/Have you ever heard of people needing to test to a year or more?
There is no medical or scientific reason for further testing, at 1 month, 1 year or beyond, related to your past exposures.
2. Does the lack of antibodies at 6 months and 10 days mean no infection occurred?
Yes.
EWH
Sorry Dr. Hook but did you mean that my ill-advised test was falsely positive? Because you said "falsely negative"?
I suppose my final questions are:
1. Would you suggest that I test to a year or more to be overly-cautious?/Have you ever heard of people needing to test to a year or more?
2. Does the lack of antibodies at 6 months and 10 days mean no infection occurred?
I don't mean to over-post I'm just scared to let something like this go unmonitored as I am sure you understand its seriousness.
1. Could I possibly be an elite controller?
No, they have positve tests.
2. Is there anything (including medications) that could cause the delay of antibodies beyond 6 months? I do not have an immunodeficiency disorder and am not on chemotherapy.
No
3. Is there any basis for testing out to a year or more?/Why do some doctors recommend this?
Those doctors are being overly cautious
4. I know that you said ‘almost certainly’ - what sort of test can I do to rule out .
There are no other tests to be done. My answer reflects scientific reality. We VERY frequently get questions asking if different types of exposures or prevention measures are 100% effective or if we can be 100% sure someone is not infected. The answer to that is that this is scientifically impossible. For a variety of mathematical reasons far too complex to go into here, all one can do with well conducted scientific studies is estimate probabilities. By definition, any estimate, cannot ever be 100% certain because of the incredibly low possibility that someone will get HIV through a previously undescribed mechanism tomorrow. On the other hand, when Dr. Handsfield or I say that something is almost certain, virtually zero, very close to no risk, or of minimal risk, or use any other term to indicate a very small risk, that means "close to zero" in a world where zero cannot be attained. You could be struck by a meteorite from space while reading this but I am almost certain that this will not happen.
I repeat, my advice is for you to accept that your ill-advised test was falsely negative, stay off the internet, and move forward from here. EWH
Hello Dr. Hook -
Thank you for response. I had a few more questions:
1. Could I possibly be an elite controller?
2. Is there anything (including medications) that could cause the delay of antibodies beyond 6 months? I do not have an immunodeficiency disorder and am not on chemotherapy.
3. Is there any basis for testing out to a year or more?/Why do some doctors recommend this?
4. I know that you said ‘almost certainly’ - what sort of test can I do to rule out any possibility for infection?
Welcome to the Forum. I'll try to help. Your detailed history provides information that your HIV is almost certainly falsely positive. False positve reactions are, unfortunately far more common with PCR tests than false positives are with the recommended tests. Your experience of increased anxiety following the test is, similarly also common following a false positve reaction. If you had been infected, your antibody tests would have been positive some time ago. It is now time to accept that your ill-advised PCR test was falsely positive and move forward. There is no reason for further testing.
I hope this comment is helpful. EWH