Question for those diagnosed with HIV

[morgan896]

Hi,

Did any of you have a high risk exposure which made you decide to get tested soon afterwards, and then discover you had indeed been infected by that incident? i.e able to pin point exactly when you were infected and when you tested positive?

I sometimes question the accuracy of data relating to window periods for tests. Given that say an average of only 0.01% of most developed countries populations has the disease, and of those as many as 75% were diagnosed late. That to me would seem like there can't be very many people who have been tested following a one off exposure that can be certain of exactly when their exposure was, to the date it happened. Knowing this and comparing it to when the person tests positive is surely necessary for gathering information on studies for window periods? This would surely make it very difficult to collect accurate data on window periods for tests and how long people generally take to develop detectable antibodies.

[jockojohnson]

a percentage of people still seroconvert to 6 months and someone makes up that percentage same thing with oral infection less risky but still possible

[morgan896]

...I suspect that in order to be as good as certain when your exposure was, it would have to be a one off sexual encounter (or other exposure such as needle prick), which was preceded by months of no other possible exposures. Someone who was in a relationship and was infected by a partner through having unprotected sex over a period of time can't be sure of the exact night they were infected.

The reason for this question is that I feel I am in a rather unique position. I recently had a high risk exposure (one off one night stand), which was followed by the onset of ARS specific symptoms. It was these symptoms which caused me to get tested at the following dates after the exposure:

Insti finger prick test at 25 days post exposure (pointless I know) - negative

HIV DUO test at 30 days post exposure - negative

Insti finger prick test at 8 weeks post exposure - negative.

This would lead many to believe that I am conclusively HIV negative, and I am not going to debate that on this thread as I know the doctors here will perceive my testing as conclusive at this point. However I will be continuing testing to the 3 month mark (at least)  or until these symptoms subside (most specific of which being persistent generalized lymphadenopathy lasting 2 months) and swollen tonsils and inflamed throat lasing 2 months with negative strep and mono tests.

Might I add that I had not had sex at all for 2 months prior to this one night stand. The fact that the recent testing I have done following this incident has been negative, confirms I was certainly not infected before this incident.

If I now go on to test positive, I hope my case will highlight the need to perhaps re-examine these recently reduced window periods of 28 days for duo tests and 8 weeks for modern antibody tests. I know the official window period is still 3 months, but doctors from all over the internet are constantly telling people this is ultraconservative, and 8 week negative rapid tests are as good as conclusive, as are 28 day duo tests - a fact which all the UK clinics who offer the duo test advertise as well.

I will keep this thread updated on the results of my testing. You can expect a conclusive answer after the results of my 3 month test come in (around 21st - 25th October 2014) Please note I do not wish this to cause anxiety to anyone who is trusting these windows. I am not a medical professional, just someone who is personally concerned and curious about the reliability and accuracy of some of the information out there.