HIV Scared and Window Period

I am very scared that I have HIV.  I had drunk unprotected sex with a guy (I am female) mid May of this year, he said that he did ejaculated inside me.  I had a lot of symptoms 18 days later - Fever (for 1 night,) slight sore throat with fever, which developed into a dry cough at night and morning and I coughed a lot of phlegm, I could not sleep for 2 weeks as I had severe anxiety and depression.  I had many body aches.  I got tested with the Orasure (Mouth Swab) at 32 days negative, I had a Oraquick (finger prick) at 37 days negative, I had another Oraquick at 68 days negative.  I am having blood drawn tomorrow 75 days - but I will not know the results for over a week.  I have asked the guy numerous times if he is positive and he says, I am fine that he is not positive.  I do not know that guy as it was a one night stand.  I do not trust him because I do not know him.  However, I cannot get HIV out of my mind.  How re - assuring are my tests?  

Thank you in advance.

[avonelle38]

Hi there. I'm sorry to hear about all the stress you've been under.

A negative test result at nearly 10 weeks is VERY reassuring. It is extremely unlikely to change when you go for your conclusive 3 month test.

Remember from hear on out to always use condoms and protect yourself. I wish you the best of luck.

[mb200]

avonelle38 -

Thank you very much for the response.  I am just so scared.  I have a boyfriend that I love very much and I don't want to lose him because I made one horrible mistake.  I don't even remember having sex.  I have asked this guy numerous times if he is positive and he tells me "No" but I just don't believe him as I don't know him and he lives states away.  I really do not want to go back for my 3 month as I am so scared it will turn positive.

Thanks for your response though.  I have done A LOT of research about the "window period"  I can't stand that there is this 3 month "window period" as I am sure many other people out there do as well.  Has anyone else out there had a test turn positive after there almost nearly 10 week negative?

Thanks in advance.

[mb200]

Can anyone else please give me some insight.  I know I am a horrible person for doing what I have done.  It is killing me everyday.  I feel like I do not deserve anything good in my life.  This whole thing is scaring me so much. Has anyone had a near 10 week negative and then received a positive?  Please anything to help me is much, much appreciated.  Thank you all!

[bablu27]

mb200 <  you do not need to worry at all. You do not have HIV. The new testing shows antibody HIV within 6 weeks. The average days that it takes a person to develope hiv antibody is 26 for some it only takes 20. You are way over that. We worry so much about hiv because when we think about hiv we think about dying which is not the case. I have gone through what you are going through right now. I am 110% sure that you do not have HIV. your 75 days is conclusive enough. you just need to stay calm and stop feeling guilty what has happend just leave it in the past and stop worrying about hiv and move on with your life.

[mb200]

Thank you for your response.  I have not had a 75 day test yet.  I am going in tomorrow and I won't get results for over a week.  I had a 67 day test negative - very close to 10 weeks.  But thanks for your help.  I am just so worried.

[Teak]

3 months post exposure is when you can obtain your conclusive test result.

[mb200]

Thanks Teak.  I know 3 month is conclusive.  I just don't want to go back as the 3 month is nearing and I am so scared it is positive. Nothing is telling me different.  I appreciate your response though.  I HATE this 3 month window period.

[mb200]

Teak -

Is there anything you can tell me about this "3 month window period?"  Do you know anything about when people seroconvert?  This guy I slept with is a real jerk.  Everytime I try to talk to him about whether or not he is positive he is rude.  I don't think he understands the "3 month window period" I told him I was negative from the tests I have taken but they are not conclusive - which again I cannot not stand.

Thank you for all of your advice and help.

[avonelle38]

If someone is exposed to HIV, the body goes through a defense process and begins to make antibodies to fight off the virus. In the case of HIV, this can take (rarely) up to 3 months, so the CDC states that an HIV test is not conclusive until someone has tested negative at 3 months after the last exposure and has had no exposures since then.

The vast majority of people will seroconvert and have detectable antibodies by 4 weeks. The doctors on the expert forum both agree that virtually everyone will have antibodies by 8 weeks at the most. However, for a test result to be final and conclusive, you need to test at 3 months to rule out every small possibility of a false negative due to testing too early.

[mb200]

avinelle38 -

Thank you for your kind words.  I keep hoping that everything is going to be alright.  It's nice to talk to people like you and others.  I know that I am not conclusive and the 3 month mark just makes my anxiety and depression run high.  I hate this feeling all I want to do is cry and curl up and die.

[mb200]

Ok, I just went in for my 75 day HIV test.  They did the Orasure (mouth swab) test.  I have to call back in a week.  I am so so so scared.  She told me that most people will have antibodies by a month, but they recommend 3 months just because it can take longer.  I have had a 4 1/2 week, 5 1/2 week, nearly 10 week test now - they have all come back negative.  I had so many signs / symptoms of HIV that I just know it is positive and I hate myself and my body for not telling me sooner!  The guy that I slept with said he had not been tested in about a year in a half.  I am so dumb for making this mistake.  I hate myself for what I have done.  I feel lost and so alone.  I wish this feeling would just go away.  Thanks for all of your replies yesterday.  I wish they could help me with my anxiety and depression but they aren't because I know deep down that I am positive.

[Vance2335]

You need to see a therapist at this time because you are letting your mind take steps that it shouldn't.
Let us know your test result, but I find it odd that they told you to call back in 1 week for a result. Mouth swab I believe is a rapid test and results can be given in 20 minutes.

[mb200]

Where I live they do not have the rapid testing.  Maybe it wasn't the Orasure because that is the rapid test but it was a mouth swab and it has to be sent downstate.  Thanks for the advice.  I know I need to talk to someone - I worry to much and let negative thoughts take over my mind.  I'm just very scared and this is the only thing that is "somewhat" helping me right now.

[mb200]

Just called for my 75 day post exposure and they were negative. I feel better.

[mb200]

11 Week negative and I still cannot believe that I am negative.  I know 3 months, but why?  I feel I should've been positive by now if I had all the symptoms??

[Teak]

Seek professional mental health to deal with your anxieties.

[MiddleAgedMember]

The fact that you are so surprised is an indication that your anxieties are getting the better of you.  Think about this.   As noted by Teak an others, the 3 month test is conclusive and you are not that far away from that time.  In the meantime understand that a one time unprotected exposure is a very poor way to transmit HIV virus.  The odds are very much in your favor that your partner did not have it.  If you are in the US, he is not an IV drug user or bisexual the odds are about1 in 1000 that he has it.  If he did, the chances you caught it after only one time is about 1 in 1000.  That is about 1 in a million chance you caught it.  Pretty good odds.  The illness you are feeling is not from HIV or the test you have already had would be positive.  While you may be surprised you are negative, I would have been surprised if you were positive.  I have gone through almost exactually what you are going through now.  I hope you do no stress to much more as you a close to the end.  The three month negative will close this chapter out for you.  Be safe next time.  I pass no judgements on you and you should lightened up on yourself as well.  A lot of people have been where you are at.  Learn from it and put it behind you.

[mb200]

I understand that I have severe issues.  It just is mind "boggling" that I have had every symptom of HIV and I still was negative at 11 weeks.  It makes me not want to go back for my 12 / 13 week test.  I mean I had the worst sinusitis infection - I had a terrible cough at night/morning, my inner cheeks peeled, I could barely open my mouth because my maxillary sinuses were so swollen, I had a canker sore (I am prone to canker sores,) dry mouth, I then developed horrible body aches and tingling all over.  This all started about 18 days after this incident.  I must also say I know that symptoms alone cannot diagnose HIV.  Also, the sinus pressure came the day after I came home from Alabama (which was a Tuesday.)  I also quit smoking that day and was probably dehydrated. All of this just completely still boggles my mind!  Thanks for all of the responses though!

[avonelle38]

Every single person who believes they've been exposed to HIV comes on here with "mind boggling" symptoms that seem to directly coincide with ARS symptoms... it's a pretty mysterious thing. ;) And 99.9999999% of them end up being negative, and as soon as they get their negative results, the symptoms disappear! Relax, your negative result is EXTREMELY unlikely to change, and according to the doctors on the expert forum, they would say your results you already have PROVE you do not have HIV. Just wait for the 3 month mark so you can have that conclusive result!