hiv test

[deptman]

hello doctor i am in a highly stressed state of mind,11 days ago i went to my county health building and had a radid hiv test that used a lancet to prick me and in 20 mins they told me i was 100 percent negative(the exposure i was worried about was a year prior)but 6 days after test i started to feel tenderness in armpit and a slight burning and it hasnt gone away and this is day 11...also my neck has been in pain not swollen but in pain since day 4 after test....my question is could i have been stuck with contaminated lancet and if thats the case could i have contracted hiv,and would my symptoms be in line with hiv exposure??i havent slept and this is all i can think about

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No, symptoms of recently acquired HIV typically start between 2 and 4 weeks following exposure.  EWH

[deptman]

thank you very much doctor,if i could have one follow up question please,would hiv symptoms show so soon?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  That you posted six times in less than an hour is evidence of your stress.  I hope you will find the fact that I agree with the messages that were provided to you on the HIV Prevention Community site helpful in reducing your stress.  

The lancets used for obtaining blood for rapid HIV tests are not reusable and in fact are designed so that they cannot be reused.  Further, even if they could be, the risk for HIV would be miniscule since the person tested before you would need to have HIV (unlikely), the virus would have to survive on the lancet (HIV dies quickly on exposure to air), and since the lancets are solid, not hollow point and therefore would not effectively transfer blood.  

Your negative test result is to be believed.  The rapid tests are very good.

As far as vague pains and tenderness you are experiencing, they are not due to HIV.  These are non-specific findings that could be due to many things including unchecked anxiety.  

I urge you to stop worrying and to believe your test results.  EWH