Evaluate my risk, please.

Okay, I started typing up my question, and decided it was TOO LENGTHY. So I am going to try to condense it to just the facts, and a timeline. I fear it will still be lengthy. Please bear with me and try to help me.

I am Male, 20 years old, and gay. I have only had ONE sexual partner in my life, with whom I had sex < 20 times, though unprotected.

Early-July 2006: Last sexual Intercourse, relationship ended due to me learning my boyfriend cheated on my with 3 others from my highschool. I am pretty sure, the situation boils down to virgins screwing virgins (small town + being gay = shallow pool to fish from)... but I still worry about possible risks here.
Late-July 2006: Ex-boyfriend got tested for STDs. I contacted him, he informed me all tests were negative.
August 2006: Diagnosed w/ mono (blood work taken), was a rather mild case. I didn't even know I had it. Though I had a lot of mouth sores.
October 2008: Got a tattoo the night before a road trip, started feeling a cold directly after. My tattooist was actually a certified nurse that tattooed as a hobby. She was wearing scrubs actually! Haha.
October 2008-June 2009: I obsess over possibility of Hep C exposure (and HIV). Develop abdominal pains and frequent nausea, as well as irregular bowel patterns. Tested for Hep C with a Home Access kit. Results are negative.
August 2009: General blood work (CBC) and abdominal sonogram showed good liver function, normal blood cell counts and no gallstones. Back to square one.
August 2009-November 2009: Abdominal pains continue... I start to obsess over the possibility of HIV (either from intercourse 4 years ago, or the tattoo).
November 2009: Test for HIV with Home Access kit. Result is Negative.
October 2009-Present: Still facing nausea, RUQ pain and loose stools. New to the symptom-party since October has been a mild sore throat that comes and goes on a weekly basis.

I have become so preoccupied with the risk I put myself at 5 years ago, and I wonder every day if there is something I am missing here. I have been informed that my ex has tested negative for HIV again about a year ago. Though I have not spoken to him directly, nor do I think I would believe anything he had to say. I have also been able to track down the HIV status of 2 of the 3 men he cheated on me with, they have both tested negative for HIV multiple times over the past couple of years. The status of the 3rd man is unknown. As I stated, I tested negative for both Hep C and HIV using Home Access Home Collection Kits. The Hep C test was about 6 months after possible exposure (tattoo), and the HIV test was over three years after possible exposure (unprotected intercourse), therefore both tests SHOULD BE CONCLUSIVE.

It is just so convenient that shortly after my first sexual encounter I developed mono, which has all the same symptoms/timeframe as HIV. What scares me most is that I had many mouth sores w/ my mono, which aren't officially associated with mono, but I have read are sometimes associated with HIV. I have googled the issue, and found that others do experience mouth sores during mono.

FINALLY, my official question is:
Are the results from Home Access tests reliable and conclusive given my history that I have given? Or should I seek further testing? I chose Home Access tests because they were anonymous and FDA approved.

At this point, I am starting to believe that I am a major hypochondriac, and that all of my symptoms are a result of extreme stress (my doctor attributed my abdominal pains to stress, and my sore throat to changing weather/lack of water). Unfortunately, pretty much ALL of my current symptoms could be attributed to stress and fatigue (college student). I google symptoms daily, and frequently have extreme cases of anxiety over this issue. Sometimes I have good weeks where I am symptom-free and therefore do not think of it as much. Most other times, I am thinking about it on an hourly basis, and reading forums such as these for at least an hour or two a day.

Any answers and suggestions that you may have for any issues I have outlined above would be greatly appreciated!

[me21ddd]

Home Access HIV-1 Test System is FDA approved and therefore its result is VERY RELIABLE. Your last HIV test result shows you weren't infected at the time you took the test.

You may consider yourself very lucky for not contracting HIV from unprotected anal sex. Condom for anal sex is a MUST. Keep practicing bare sex and you'll see how soon you'll end up HIV positive.


Here's an article of FDA about approved home HIV tests, please follow:
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/HIVHomeTestKits/ucm126460.htm

Here's a complete list of approved HIV tests, please follow:
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/BloodBloodProducts/ApprovedProducts/LicensedProductsBLAs/BloodDonorScreening/InfectiousDisease/ucm080466.htm

[LIZZIE LOU]

geeeeeeeez...and THIS is the short version?

you might want to check out the ocd and anxiety forums here at medhelp to get some help with your health phobias.

[daretobe]

Thank you for the responses. I have clearly entertained the idea of anxiety/OCD, as I stated that I have also come to find that many of my symptoms are also related to general stress.

I know that the Home Access kit is FDA approved, but I think I read that it was a first generation test. Are the newer generations only superior at detecting HIV SOONER that older generations? i.e. Would a first gen test taken at 3 years after possible exposure be just as reliable as a fourth generation taken at 3 years?

Sorry for the questions... but as you can see, I have thought about this stuff over and over again. Even fearing things such as Home Access mixing up my results with someone else's. ><

[me21ddd]

Yes, you received a conclusive and reliable test result. You weren't infected with HIV at the time you had the test.

[daretobe]

Okay. Thank you for taking the time to read my situation and respond twice. I suppose I will have to search for other causes of my symptoms... I am hoping once I graduate in a month from college that my stresses will be gone and the symptoms will leave with them.

Thank you again!