No, I would not get re-tested. EWH
Thanks again very much and God Bless you Dr. EW Hook.
Yes, ov course you can trust these results. I told you that at the 8 week time point. No matter how much you re-test, the result will not change. You do not have HIV and need to move on from this. EWH
Dear Dr. EW Hook,
I just get tested again for HIV anti-bodies (1&2). This is approximately the 5 month mark. It all came back negative.
1. Is this conclusive and reliable enough?
2. Can I rest my case?
Thank you and please bear with me for bothering you again.
Thank you very much for your time.
Dear Dr. Hook,
Having said all that and lastly, if YOU were IN MY SITUATION, will you do a blood re-retest? Thank you.
This is my last question. God Bless.
The CDC is often questioned about their recommendation for a 6 month test. The vast majority of experts feel the recommendation is too conservative. I am confident that your 8 week result will be an accurate reflection of your status. EWH
Thank you.
I really hope I'm fine. Though, the CDC encourages 6 months post test, I hope my 8 weeks post test is enough. But then again, I may have to retest 6 months after my encounter.
Thanks again.
No change in my assessment of your risk - still very low and likely unrelated to your recurrent shingles, if indeed that is what it was. EWH
Doctor,
My apologies. The above information was address to you. I happen to mis-type Dr. Hansfield inadvertently. My mistake.
Anyways, either one of you great Doctors can answer. Please assess. Thank you.
God Bless.
Doctor,
1. There was no culture taken.
2. Yes I went to a doctor and the doctor told me to take acyclovir..
3. The doctor told me it was due to emotional upset and nothing else. I already told her my story.
4. I didn't take the medication the doctor prescribe me for my shingles.
5. The shingles just went away wiithout medication. Yes, my sons are vaccinated.
Please assess. Thank you.
Your only exposure to the commercial sex worker you mention was receipt of oral sex. The quoted figure for HIV risk, if one has oral sex from an infected partner (and chances are she was not HIV infected) is less than 1 in 10,000 and, in my estimation that is too high. Some experts state there is no risk at all from oral sex. Neither of us on this site have ever seen or reading the medical literature of a convincing instance in which HIV was passed by oral sex. You negative HIV test at 8 weeks post-exposure, at a time when the test would be expected to detect over 98% of HIV infections acquired 8 weeks earlier only confirms that you did not get HIV from your mis-step.
Before the event that you mention you had an episode of herpes zoster and now you have what you believe is a recurrence. I presume that both episodes have occurred on the same side of your body. With respect to what you state is recurrent zoster, with all due respect, I would question as to whether you are sure of this or not? Has your doctor taken a look? Are you on therapy? Was a culture taken? If the lesion is a single boil-like lesion it may or may not be zoster and before you get concerned, I urge you to make sure that it what it is. many things can cause boil-like rashes.
If it is a second episode of zoster, even then, this is not of major concern. Many people have more than one episode of zoster. There is NO reason to think that, if you have recurrent shingles, it is related to your encounter with the commercial sex worker. BTW, just to be sure, I do presume your children have received their varicella zoster vaccine - they have, haven't they.
Now, as for your questions:
1. No, there is no medical reason for a re-test based on your story. If you wish to do so for your own mental health, that is your call but I am confident the result will again be negative.
2. Yes
3. See above. there is no HIV risk. As for your zoster, not as long as they received the zoster vaccine recommended for all kids.
4. Of course there is
5. That is what I would encourage you to do. If the memory of your indiscretion is weighing on you heavily, then I would suggest you consider talking with a mental health counselor to help you work through things. This is not a sign of weakness but a way to help yourself and your family.
Hope this helps. EWH