Eclipse period

[manyquestions360]

Has anyone ever heard of the eclipse period lasting longer than eight weeks? I know that RNA or DNA PCR cannot pick up the virus while it is in this period. I have only seen one documented case of this through the CDC.

Would a negative 10 week PCR and ELISA be considered "somewhat" conclusive?

I know the guidelines are three month ELISA for conclusive result, but I am curious

[nursegirl6572]

This is a risk assessment forum, if you look at the forum info on the front page, it will tell you that.  We are here to help people who thinks they may have had an exposure.  We don't get into lengthy discussions about all things HIV related.

[Vance2335]

Can't answer because I don't know the answer.

[manyquestions360]

In regards to my #1 question about the eclipse phase, your reply was "cant answer this"

Does this mean you are not familiar with the subject or you are choosing not to answer?

I am asking because there seems to be little knowledge about this time period and its length as well as the determining factors for variability in duration.

[manyquestions360]

Thanks for your response. As to your response to #4

I understand this is not a stand alone conclusive test and am not asking if this is conclusive. I am asking if this has ever been noted? I do understand the need to not cause any further anxiety for some readers/posters, but at the same time I believe it is a disservice to not divulge information with the worries of making someone anxious. To not inform or educate even with "personal knowledge", which seems to bee mainly what is given on this website, would appear in the long run to do more harm than good. Knowledge is helpful for everyone whether it may make some worry or not.

Again, thank you for your reply

[manyquestions360]

yes really. you are confused and not understanding my replies. I am not here to battle with you about this. Your time could be spent helping someone else instead of arguing with me. Just let someone else answer the questions which are :

I HAVE SAID OVER AND OVER I AM NOT ASKING FOR YOUR DETERMINATION OF WHETHER I AM POS OR NEG. I KNOW THIS ANSWER

So my questions are:
1. Have you ever seen the eclipse phase last 8-9 weeks?
2. Have you ever seen anyone test negative as long as I have and then test positive?
4. Have you ever seen a PCR miss the virus after 8-9 weeks?

(like I said above, disregard number three which I removed)

SIMPLE QUESTIONS, SIMPLE ANSWERS

[Vance2335]

This is a risk assestment forum, sometime giving more info causes more anxiety in the poster or other who may read the post so we tend not to go into dive into "personal knowledge" questions. And no reason to say anything bad about/to Lizzie. Also looking over your questions if you have accepted your negative status you would not be asking question #2 and #3 and probably #4.

1. Can't answer
2. Nothing recently (past 10 yrs)
3. NO
4. PCR is not an approved diagnostic test so we don't discuss that as a conclusive diagnostic test.

[LIZZIE LOU]

really?

your words:

"With these results, can I rest assured there is no way the virus was possibly missed in it's eclipse phase?

I have read of one CDC documented case where an adult film star tested negative with two different PCR's for up to two months and then tested positive after the two month period. This of course has me worried the more I read about the eclipse phase and how different it can be."

[manyquestions360]

"the fact is...you're still trying to connect your "symptoms" to hiv...something that you don't have."

This is not a fact, this is your opinion. Please don't get the two confused.  

[manyquestions360]

Of course you totally disagree, I wouldn't expect anything else at this point. Amazingly you have spent more time telling me why you are not goint to answer my questions. Did you miss the part of my reply that stated "I know I am negative and am not asking if I am positive".

I have accepted this, maybe you should accept the fact that people have general questions,  and this is a forum for such. If you do not like my questions, move on with your life and don't respond to my replies. I have been more than nice. You are not doing anyone service by replying in the manner that you have.

Again, I would ask that you move on and hopefully someone else will take the 30 seconds necessary to answer my quick questions instead of addressing their own agenda of telling someone they are negative.  I AM NOT ASKING ANYONE TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ON MY POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE STATUS.

simple questions, simple answers

[LIZZIE LOU]

i have to totally disagree.  the fact is...you're still trying to connect your "symptoms" to hiv...something that you don't have.

not sure why you're focused on the pcr...when in fact, you followed up with two tests that were CONCLUSIVELY NEGATIVE.

ACCEPT YOUR NEGATIVE STATUS

[manyquestions360]

I am asking for personal knowledge. I know I am negative at this point but it doesn't hurt to share knowledge on this site as that is what it is all about right?  The more people know about this issue the better we are. I appreciate what you do with this site but also find it interesting how quickly and rudely you can dismiss a persons questions with short replies and tell them to "move on". I understand you probably answer the same questions over and over which may become monotonous to you but the short answers provided by you and others can be very crass and frankly not very helpful.

So again, I would like to know if anyone else has a comment about the "eclipse phase" and how long that could possibly last as well as the answers to my other questions.

Lizzie Lou, again, appreciate what you do, but maybe you should not concern yourself with my questions and let someone else give a simple answer to them. You have seemed to spend more time telling me you are not going to answer my questions than you would have if you answered them to begin with.

Thanks to anyone who is willing to provide short, concise and courteous answers. (disregard question #3)

AGAIN, I AM NOT ASKING IF I AM HIV POSITIVE!!

[LIZZIE LOU]

something that you don't even need to concern yourself with...YOU DONT HAVE HIV...period !

use condoms and don't share iv drug works and you won't have to worry about hiv.

[manyquestions360]

Ok, sorry I didn't see your post at first. Would you be willing to answer my questions?

[LIZZIE LOU]

your MULTIPLE tests PROVE that you don't have hiv.  accept your negative status and move on with your life

[manyquestions360]

I know that RNA can pick up virus during the window period, but that is not the same as the eclipse phase of the virus. Have you ever heard of the eclipse phase lasting this long?

Have you ever heard of an eclipse period lasting longer than 8-9 weeks? I ask because after a possible sexual exposure, I began having severe prostatitis and epididymitis (which I know are both not typically ARS symptoms), but from what I have read, when the virus enters the body it goes directly to the closest lymph nodes (my groin). I have had these symptoms continuing now for about two months.

I have had an RNA PCR at seven weeks= none detected
          DNA and RNA at ten weeks  = none detected
Several ELISA and oraquick before 3 months = negative
        ELISA at 12 weeks (86 days  2 b exact) = negative
        Oraquick at 96 days        = negative

With these results, can I rest assured there is no way the virus was possibly missed in it's eclipse phase?

I have read of one CDC documented case where an adult film star tested negative with two different PCR's for up to two months and then tested positive after the two month period. This of course has me worried the more I read about the eclipse phase and how different it can be.

So my questions are:
1. Have you ever seen the eclipse phase last 8-9 weeks?
2. Have you ever seen anyone test negative as long as I have and then test positive?
3. If the virus were in my groin lymph nodes, would this be an explanation for my prostatitis and epidiymitis (by the way, I have tested negative for G n C several times now, and I am 31 yrs old-a little young for prostatitis)
4. Have you ever seen a PCR miss the virus after 8-9 weeks?

Thanks so much for your time and response as I will be making a donation to your cause.  

[RainLover71]

The RNA can pick up the virus during the window period and a 10 week negative result is excellent but not fully conclusive.It's highly unlikely to change at 12 weeks if thats what your asking.