Tested negative at 5 weeks...

I've been with a girl I met in class for about 2 months. We had sex about 6 times, it was all protected. The 1st we had sex, on Jan 18th 2007, it was unprotected for about 2 minutes, until I put protection on. That is what I'm most concerned about.

I was the 2nd guy she had sex with. This week, I found out she lost her virginity to a 25 year old man in the Army around Oct. 2006, they sex 3 times, she said it protected but at this point I don't really believe her. She copied and pasted her medspro test(she too is in the army), which she took an HIV test on Jan 27, 2007, still, I really don't believe that either. So I will only believe my own test I took on Feb 24th, 2007.

I tested negative at 5 weeks, with a blood test. I hear different window frames from different sources. After reading a few other of your answers, I see the window period is 4-6 weeks. Should I get tested again? After a 1 1/2 week from exposure, I did come down with a sore throat, with mild swollen lymph node glands around the right side of my neck.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Relax.  You describe a partner at low risk for HIV. I don't know why you are worried.  You already read that I always talk about 4-6 weeks as a reliable window period in low risk situation like you describe. Presumably you also have read that in low risk situations like you describe, symptoms are never a reliable indicator of new HIV infection.  Did you think I might have changed my mind?  Your negative 5 week test is plenty of evidence you don't have HIV.

You sound like a typical young person of today, with a greatly inflated view of the risks of HIV from heterosexual exposure in the US and other industrialized countries.  Your chances of winning the lottery, or of being killed by lightning, are a lot higher than your chance of getting HIV from this sort of exposure.  Start using condoms to be really safe, and have an HIV test once a year.  But do not go getting HIV tested every time you have sex with a new partner who has had other partners. It really isn't necessary.

HHH, MD

[CaliChrons]

Thanks Doc, I will most definitely take your advice for the rest of my lifetime.

I wasn't very educated on HIV before. All i knew was, if superstars like: Magic Johnson, Tommy Morrison, Eazy-E and a few other well-known people can get HIV from heterosexual encounters, than it certainly cant be too hard for the average joe to get HIV.

After reading a few dozen of your post, I am now much more educated on HIV. Thanks for all your work - you're the real deal!

[ricky135]

A related discussion, Ambigious about HIV after getting tested 4 times was started.