Negative...but still not sure. Help!

I was the insertive partner (50+ times) of oral sex with a guy I am quite sure is HIV+.  He doesnt have great dental health and I am concerned that I may have the herpes 2 virus.  I have not had a noticeable outbreak in 10 years.  I couldnt see blood in his mouth during any of the exposures but it could have been there.

I tested negative on ELISA at 6 weeks last exposure.  However, I had what I considered to be ARS symptoms:  fever of 102 lasting few days, fatigue, tender lymph nodes, and weight loss of 10 LBS.

I also had an undetectable viral load, normal CBC count, and no other infections (HEP B or C) or syphilis.

He is the only exposure I have had and I have never done anything with him other than be the insertive oral partner.  I am worried that he might have had blood in his mouth which got into my penis (even though I couldnt see any sores, cuts or blood).

I have been told that given the type of exposure and the negative HIV Elisa and undetectable viral load I am probably fine.

Ive been exhausted, nautious, weak, and an all around nervous wreck for almost 3 months.  Please help.

[scareshitless]

being anxious can cause u to be tired and not able to eat. a test at 6 weeks is encouraging but if he is for sure positive and was bleeding, that would increase the chance of transmission, only sure way to find out is to get tested at the 3 month mark. Please put a rubber on the next time he suk u off

[Joan123]

West,
A 6 week negative result is very reassuring. Nearly a 100% of infected people would be positive by then. I see you are still very nervous about it. So, why don't you go for a rapid test? The results are ready in 20-40 minutes. After 3 months a negative result is conclusive. In the mean time, know that the odds are for sure in your favor.

[mike_no]

1. NEGATIVE at 6 weeks + UNDETECTABLE viral load = DEFINITELY HIV NEGATIVE

2. All your symptoms stands immaterial be it what ever

3. All your symptoms are imaginary / due to anxiety / due to other medical reasons, HIV is DEFINITELY NOT the problem here

Move on and be safe

Mike

[mike_no]

A viral load (RNA PCR)test looks for the virus directly in the body, these tests are very sensitive and could be accurate as early as 72 hours after the infection, a test done at 9 - 14 days is considered to be conclusive.

Though these tests are not diagnostic tests due to

a. Prone to false positives
b. very expensive

however, a NEGATIVE / UNDETECTABLE NAT test is undoubtedly negative and for confirmatory reasons it's backed up by a 6-8 week standard ELISA test.


Mike

[westdickens]

Thanks to all who posted so quickly.  

Even with the likelihood of my HIV negative test being accurate I keep going back in my mind to the 102 degree fever, 10 lb weight loss, and painful lymph nodes in my groin, neck and armpits that I initially experienced.  I have not been able to put the weight back on and I often still ahve the pain in my groin and experience daily fatigue/nausea that wont go away.  The weight loss seems most obvious on my temples and in my butt.

These symptoms all started at the same time and prior to any of my anxiety about HIV.  This is why I am so scared to go get the 3 month test.  I will do it though on May 1st.

I spoke with someone at an AIDS hotline in New York City who insisted that oral sex for the one being sucked is almost no risk; and for there to be an HIV transmission there would have had to have been lots of blood in his mouth and an open bleeding wound on my penis.

Questions:

1)   Are there many examples of 6 week ELISA tests going from negative to positive at 12 weeks?

2)   If the initial physical symptoms that I am so concerned about were indeed related to HIV wouldnt the 6 week test have been definitively positive for HIV (since they would have been associated with my seroconversion)?

3)   Would my viral load at 6 weeks have at least been somewhat detectable if I was HIV positive?

4)   Have there been definitive HIV transmissions to the one being sucked in oral sex?  What would be required for this type of transmission to occur?

Thank you!

[mike_no]

Answers:

1) NO, according to the Dr.HHH is conclusive

2) Symptoms mean nothing,they are not the indicator of HIV, if it was ARS, your 6th week would have been positive and way before that you viral load would have been detectable

3) Viral load at 6 weeks was negative for you ?
Congratulations, this is where it ends, you are HIV negative

a. Viral load tests directly look for the virus in the body

b. HIV replicates in MILLIONS every day

c. If the virus was really there in your body, your viral load would have been in 9-10 (millions) digits

4)I think answering this question is just not required any more