Aa
question re testing and reliability
Hello doctors. I am a 32 yr old married white male. I made a horrible mistake on September 13th 2008 with a prostitute in las vegas. I was way too drunk and blacked out, so I am not sure exactly what happened.
- I took a 7 panel std test (including hiv) through www.tstd.org on Oct 7th 2008 (3 weeks + 2 days) They used Quest Diagnostics and all of the results were negative.
- I took another 7 panel std test through www.tstd.org on Dec 9th 2008. (12 weeks + 3 days). They used Labcorp this time and all of the tests were negative again.
- I took a HIV Oraquick Advance Rapid Test at a Planned Parenthood on March 3rd 2009. (24 weeks + 2 days). The results for all are negative.
Here are my questions:
1. I am having some discomfort when urinating. This started about 6 months after the incident. The pain comes and goes. When I drink alot of water the pain goes away but it is stronger if I hold my urine or do not drink water. It is possible that all 3 tests were wrong? I am concerned that urinated too much into the cup and the sample was diluted. Also concerned bc they told me to not urinate for 1 hour before the test, but I read online that you should wait for 2 hours. Does it make that much of a difference. Have you heard of this false negative happening?
2. How reliable are these testing sites re HIV testing? Is there a chance that they made a mistake with my tests and either performed them incorrectly or mixed my results with someone else's?
3. Have you ever heard of any horror stories about mixed results at a planned parenthood? The woman left the test unattended in another room, am concerned that she picked up someone else's test. Is that a realistic concern?
3. The prostitutes came from biggest agency, listed in the phone book, and they were expensive. Does that matter? What are the chances their girls would have hiv? chances they wouldnt use a condom? Why would any prostitute not use condoms?
- I took a 7 panel std test (including hiv) through www.tstd.org on Oct 7th 2008 (3 weeks + 2 days) They used Quest Diagnostics and all of the results were negative.
- I took another 7 panel std test through www.tstd.org on Dec 9th 2008. (12 weeks + 3 days). They used Labcorp this time and all of the tests were negative again.
- I took a HIV Oraquick Advance Rapid Test at a Planned Parenthood on March 3rd 2009. (24 weeks + 2 days). The results for all are negative.
Here are my questions:
1. I am having some discomfort when urinating. This started about 6 months after the incident. The pain comes and goes. When I drink alot of water the pain goes away but it is stronger if I hold my urine or do not drink water. It is possible that all 3 tests were wrong? I am concerned that urinated too much into the cup and the sample was diluted. Also concerned bc they told me to not urinate for 1 hour before the test, but I read online that you should wait for 2 hours. Does it make that much of a difference. Have you heard of this false negative happening?
2. How reliable are these testing sites re HIV testing? Is there a chance that they made a mistake with my tests and either performed them incorrectly or mixed my results with someone else's?
3. Have you ever heard of any horror stories about mixed results at a planned parenthood? The woman left the test unattended in another room, am concerned that she picked up someone else's test. Is that a realistic concern?
3. The prostitutes came from biggest agency, listed in the phone book, and they were expensive. Does that matter? What are the chances their girls would have hiv? chances they wouldnt use a condom? Why would any prostitute not use condoms?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum. I'll try to help. The bottom line is that you should be having no STD worries from you Las Vegas adventure a year ago.
I'm not sure what tests are included in the "7 test" panels offered by Quest or tstd.org, but it really doesn't matter. With all those tests negative twice, the second time around 3 months after exposure, the results are completely reliable and you can be sure that you were not infected with any of those STDs. The negative HIV test is 100% reliable as well.
1) Therefore, whatever the cause of your symptoms, it cannot possibly be an STD acquired last September. Conceivably you could have a non-STD urinary tract infection, but UTIs are rare in healthy men -- and this also is very unlikely to cause more or less continuing symptoms for months on end. (That's true for STDs as well.) The increased discomfort with reduced fluid intake suggests you are simply feeling the effects of more concentrated urine -- i.e. your anxiety about STD is making you perceive more discomfort than would otherwise be the case. In other words, my best guess is that you have no urinary tract infection of any kind. However, the only way to be certain is to see a health care provider for a urinalysis and perhaps culture for UTI bacteria.
2) Quest and LabCorp are highly reliable and there is no realistic chance they mixed up your specimens with someone else's -- and certainly not more than once! That is a completely unrealistic fear.
3) HIV is rare in commercial sex workers throughout the US (fewer than 1 in 1000 are infected), and even rarer in Las Vegas. There is no realistic concern for HIV, and even if there were, a negative test result more than 3 months after exposure is 100% proof you were not infected.
Finally, most CSWs do use condoms consistently. After all, they are at greater risk from their customers than the other way around -- those who insist on condom use by their customers generally know they don't have HIV and intend to stay that way.
Please accept the proved reality you don't have any STD, including HIV. See a health care provider if you remain concerned by your symptoms. But I'm going to ask that there not be additional "yes but" or "what if" questions. It is very unlikely you could provide any additional information that would change my opinions or advice.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I'm not sure what tests are included in the "7 test" panels offered by Quest or tstd.org, but it really doesn't matter. With all those tests negative twice, the second time around 3 months after exposure, the results are completely reliable and you can be sure that you were not infected with any of those STDs. The negative HIV test is 100% reliable as well.
1) Therefore, whatever the cause of your symptoms, it cannot possibly be an STD acquired last September. Conceivably you could have a non-STD urinary tract infection, but UTIs are rare in healthy men -- and this also is very unlikely to cause more or less continuing symptoms for months on end. (That's true for STDs as well.) The increased discomfort with reduced fluid intake suggests you are simply feeling the effects of more concentrated urine -- i.e. your anxiety about STD is making you perceive more discomfort than would otherwise be the case. In other words, my best guess is that you have no urinary tract infection of any kind. However, the only way to be certain is to see a health care provider for a urinalysis and perhaps culture for UTI bacteria.
2) Quest and LabCorp are highly reliable and there is no realistic chance they mixed up your specimens with someone else's -- and certainly not more than once! That is a completely unrealistic fear.
3) HIV is rare in commercial sex workers throughout the US (fewer than 1 in 1000 are infected), and even rarer in Las Vegas. There is no realistic concern for HIV, and even if there were, a negative test result more than 3 months after exposure is 100% proof you were not infected.
Finally, most CSWs do use condoms consistently. After all, they are at greater risk from their customers than the other way around -- those who insist on condom use by their customers generally know they don't have HIV and intend to stay that way.
Please accept the proved reality you don't have any STD, including HIV. See a health care provider if you remain concerned by your symptoms. But I'm going to ask that there not be additional "yes but" or "what if" questions. It is very unlikely you could provide any additional information that would change my opinions or advice.
Best wishes-- HHH, MD
per my last post, does anyone have any thoughts regarding my situation and questions to doctor HHH, not if you think I am a good family guy!! :-)
Thank you for your quick reply and thoughtful encouragement. As you can tell, I am a worrier and have serious anxiety about the test results and overall guilt about the whole situtaion. I know from my post that is wouldnt seem like it, but I am a very good and loving family man that made a very very bad mistake.
If anyone else is reading, any thoughts?
Also, have you ever used tstd.org and what has been your experience. Heard any stories? Is there anywhere that I could do research for future reference? They seem very professional and reliabel but you never know.
If anyone else is reading, any thoughts?
Also, have you ever used tstd.org and what has been your experience. Heard any stories? Is there anywhere that I could do research for future reference? They seem very professional and reliabel but you never know.
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