First post - worried

[Nycworried]

Hello - I viewed the docs forum several years ago and it was very helpful at easing my anxieties. Unfortunately those anxieties are back.  Almost exactly 8 years ago I had unprotected vaginal sex. I was very drunk and left an NYC strip club with a dancer. She was from Brazil and several years older than me. 3-4 weeks later I developed one of the worst flus I've ever experienced. Nausea vomiting diarreah night sweats but I don't believe I had a fever. I've had a few pea sized lymph nodes in my neck ever since. (I got an MRI and doc said not to worry about the nodes) I went to a clinic once I felt a little better and got a rapid blood test. Negative at 4 weeks. I then went again at 8 weeks and did the rapid oral test which was negative. I remember my mouth being extremely dry (not sure if that could cause a false negative). The reason I'm back to the forum is b/c I began dating a girl shortly after this time. We began having unprotected sex and there are no risk factors since then. She had to have a large lymph node removed from her neck a few days ago. Her doctor had previously asked her about her HIV risk factors bc her blood work was a little off. After explaining that she had no real risks the doc brushed off the abnormal blood tests and they decided to remove the node for precautionary reasons. After reading the forum 8 years ago I thought I did the right thing but now I'm worried b/c  I didn't test out again at 3 months. After 8 years is it safe to say my anxieties are a waste of time? I've had a normal physical every year since then and nothing major has come up. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

[firefly1987]

And again, very good results at week 8. However, 12 weeks is considered definitive.

[Nycworried]

I am back after being diagnosed with seborrheac dermatitis. My wife was as well. I have read this is a common skin condition but also very common in late stages of HIV. I never went through with the test after 12 weeks. I recently bought a home kit and tested negative. I know I should have went to a doctor but went this route instead. This long down the road (10 years) is it too late to consider this testing method accurate? Thank you advance.

[malbat]

If you took a test which is FDA approved and tested negative, you are fine. If a blood-drawn lab test would appease your anxiety, then please do so. Its better to rule our hiv once and for all than to live in uncertainty and fear. Get help for your dermatitis. You are correct, it is common and it is not hiv specific.

[Teak]

Get your conclusive test result.

[Nycworried]

I did. At 4 and 8 weeks

[Vance2335]

Yes they would but if you want to know your status then test.

[Nycworried]

Thanks I appreciate the response. I remember reading at the time that the rapid tests were 99 percent accurate in the 6-8 weeks timeframe. But I recently saw the oral rapid test isn't useful until 3 months? If a person has ars symptoms at the 3-4 week mark wouldn't the antibodies show up in a test very soon after? This is probably a dumb question but would the type of transmission come into play? In this case female to male

[firefly1987]

It is true that your HIV test 8 years ago was not conclusive because it was not at three months. Nevertheless I doubt that your 8 weeks test would have changed. You should have tested before engaging in unprotected sex. It might be wise to take a rapid test now.