Is 3 months enough or what!? PLEASE HELP

HI EVERYONE.

I had a one time exposure and tested NEGATIVE at 4 months. Online, there are so many people that say 3 months is conclusive and enough. But my doctor, and then Infectious Disease Doctor say that I still have to wait until 6 months after the exposure.

This is seriously giving me a lot of anxiety and worry. Someone please. Doesn't the CDC say that only 97 percent of people test conclusively at 3 months? What about the other 3? PLEASE HELP ME!

I'M DESPERATE

[nursegirl6572]

From the CDC:

Ninety-seven percent of persons will develop antibodies in the first 3 months following the time of their infection. In very rare cases, it can take up to 6 months to develop antibodies to HIV.

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/testing/resources/qa/index.htm


The "very rare" cases would be people who are severely immunocompromised.  Examples would be, advanced terminal cancer, chemo patients, people taking anti-rejection meds post an organ transplant, chronic IV drug abusers.

Even the people who fit into the above category almost always test positive within the 3 month window period.  The recommendation to test out to 6 months is a precaution due to their impaired immune system.

[RainLover71]

If an ID doctor is telling you to test at 6 months then they should go back to med school,it's WRONG. 3 months is fully conclusive and has been since 2004.You're safe.You don't have HIV.

[veryworriedguy309]

Woah since 2004!? The CDC says so?

That's a relief.. kind of. Haha .

[RainLover71]

Yes--since 2004 and the CDC says so.The FDA say so aswell.

[veryworriedguy309]

Do you have any links to the sites that say so? I'm a bit curious.

[nursegirl6572]

From the CDC:

Ninety-seven percent of persons will develop antibodies in the first 3 months following the time of their infection. In very rare cases, it can take up to 6 months to develop antibodies to HIV.

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/testing/resources/qa/index.htm


The "very rare" cases would be people who are severely immunocompromised.  Examples would be, advanced terminal cancer, chemo patients, people taking anti-rejection meds post an organ transplant, chronic IV drug abusers.

Even the people who fit into the above category almost always test positive within the 3 month window period.  The recommendation to test out to 6 months is a precaution due to their impaired immune system.

[veryworriedguy309]

So I don't need to test again?

[Teak]

No you do not need to test again, you have a conclusive test result.

[veryworriedguy309]

I emailed the CDC and they said yes, 97 percent will develop antibodies within 3 months. They said nothing about the other 3 percent being people that had transplants or had chemo.

[Teak]

Had you been one of the three % you would have known.

[RainLover71]

If studies show that 99% of people will seroconvert by 6 weeks then 3 months has to be 100% conclusive for all.

[veryworriedguy309]

Actually the CDC says 97 percent of people seroconvert at 3 months.

[Teak]

http://www.cdc.gov/globalaids/Resources/pmtct-care/docs/TM/Module_6TM.pdf
Page 11
#4
  In an adult, a positive HIV antibody test result means that the person is infected, a person with a negative or inconclusive result may be in the “window for 4 to 6 weeks but occasionally up to 3 months after HIV exposure. Persons at high risk who initially test negative should be retested 3 months after exposure to confirm results

[veryworriedguy309]

Okay. Guys, does the CDC say that people that take longer than 3 months are inconpromised?

[Teak]

People that may take longer are those that are on chemo, those that take antirejection drugs for organ transplants and chronic IV drug abusers.

[veryworriedguy309]

Is it possible for someone that has never done any of those things to seroconvert late?

[Teak]

No.

[nursegirl6572]

No.