Help?! Lymph node, conversion time, and very innacurate information from a clinic?!?!

Hello everyone,

I've posted before but I have a few more questions. Is a lymph node showing up the  morning after a one time potential exposure too soon? My exposure was unprotected vaginal with non drug using university female in Canada. The day after I woke up my groin node was swollen, not painful, non moveable. I've had this before on the other side and it was eventually removed and tested for cancer. Is this too soon? I did have a sore throat for about a week 8 days after, and a slight fever during this time for about 2 days.

Secondly I've already had negative 3 and 4 week tests. I only got a 4 week because I was out of the city for a long time and I would have gotten my results from the 4 week test sooner than I would have been able to get my 3 week results. From what I've read if I had symptoms 8 days after, getting tested 2 weeks after symptoms would have most likely given me an accurate result.

I went to the clinic yesterday to do a 9 week, and they did not want to test me. The nurse stated that only 50% of people seroconvert in under 3 months. That seems a little ridiculous to me only 50% of positive people are detected in 3 months???. She also stated that they use tests that aren't as good as elsewhere and dont detect antibodies for 6 months. Now this is a large city in Canada, so I have to assume that they are up to date on their testing. To be fair I'm not sure if she was actually the nurse, or just an assistant as she stated she doesn't do the tests (when I asked for one) and that she was just asked to give me my results because they were negative and it would be quick (they were fairly busy).

I know a 4 week is pretty reassuring for a one off exposure, but still stressed out.

Thanks ahead of time.

[stressssssed]

Forgot to mention, she had been in a long term relationship for a very long time, and told me I had nothing to worry about and had only ever had 3 partners. Just thought I'd toss that in there...

[Teak]

Everything that you have mentioned was to early, from your symptoms to your testing. You were given accurate information from the clinic. 3 months will give you a conclusive result. If your exposure was oral sex you had no risk.

[stressssssed]

Thanks Teak,

No it was not oral sex. Unprotected vaginal.

I understand that 3 months is 100% conclusive, but what she was saying is that 3 months is only 50% accurate. That is, only 50% of people seroconvert within 3 months, and that only 6 months is 100%.

[dumbo]

Listen, your nurse is wrong.  Canada is completely up to date with testing.  If you are where I think you are (west) then forget what they told you.  They are wrong.  If they will not test you at 9 weeks tell them you are incredibly anxious yadda yadda yadda and they will do it....they cannot turn you away even though they may spew their 6month window period jargon.

As well, have you checked in to the hiv rates in Canada?  next to nil unless you are in Toronto, Vancouver, or Montreal.....or live on or frequent Indian reserves or people from them.  Sad but true.  HIV in Canada is also more prevalent in transient population areas, such as at a skiing facility.  

4 weeks neg is very good.  A 6-8 week will be considered good enough if you get results from the right nurse at the clinic.  As well, if you get one of the nurses who have been around since the 80's they will tell you if this is your only risk to forget about it and move on.

I wouldnt even worry about your exposure though.  The chances she has hiv are next to zip.

[mike_no]

That is BS, 3 months conclusive, if you are not an IV drug user, not on chemo therapy, last stage of cancer, lalely got an organ transplanted 3 months conclusive.

[Teak]

Now that part is incorrect, 97% have seroconverted by 3 months.

[Teak]

There are no tests available or approved to give you a conclusive test at 8 weeks.

[stressssssed]

Hey everyone thanks for the replies, I have gotten retested and am waiting for the results (2 weeks!), (killing me) I'm very stressed about it.

So having symptoms at 8 days is generally too early? As for lymph nodes, do they swell when you are having symptoms and then return to normal or do they stay swollen for a long period. The swollen node in my groin is the main source of my stress. It appeared the day after my exposure and I realize that its probably not possible to have a node the day after that is caused by hiv.

I have found other swollen nodes, but they come and go, usually behind my ear generally quite small, I'm sure this has probably happened my whole life, and I'm just paying more attention now.

Do nodes keep swelling up to 3 months aftewards?


Anyways I'm just stressed waiting for the results and I am trying to keep myself calm. Thanks everyone.