serconversion period

I had a rapid blood test after five weeks from exposure to HIV.  Have you guys ever heard of anyone seroconvert after that?

Ta for your help guys

Jonesy

[Teak]

Yes, I've seen people seroconvert after 5 weeks. A conclusive HIV test is 3 months.

[jonesmaestro]

hey man are you a doctor?

you know a lot about this stuff?

[Teak]

No I'm not a doctor.

[jonesmaestro]

hey man do the know the precentage about that seroconversion stuff??  Is it like really rare??

have you got hiv?

[4and1/2mthsNeg]

So, if you have seen people seroconvert after 5 weeks, just out of curiosity, what's the latest you have seen someone seroconvert?  

I know you're not a doctor & I know everyone says my test @ 4 and 1/2 months is conclusive and I don't personally have to worry about HIV from that exposure. I'm just wondering what your personal experience w/ this has been.

Also, is seroconversion time and the time ARS symptoms show up always the same time or do the ARS symptoms appear 1st most of the time w/ seroconversion to follow?  I'm just asking that question because I've seen that ARS symptoms usually appear w/ in 30 days of exposure & obviously we know the seroconversion which will produce the positive test results often occurs later than that. Just figured you would know this one.

The one good thing about my experience and anxiety is that I have learned and am learning so much about HIV.  I will use my knowledge as you do to help inform others in the future.  Hope you're having a great day today!! Thx in advance for your response.

[Teak]

I don't play statistics or odds when it comes to HIV. If you want a conclusive result, test at 3 months. HIV is not a guessing game.

[Teak]

ARS comes first during infection. Seroconversion is when the body is going from negative to positive. I've seen a lot of people test negative longer than 5 weeks and turn positive in 8-10 weeks.

[peekawho]

Teak, unless you are living 24/7 with all those people you've seen convert with a neg at 5 weeks, they could have later risks and exposures than the one that prompted the test.  

It certainly does not happen often.  And even if someone swears they only had one exposure...people may not be truthful.

I can't tell you how many women I've seen who swear on a Bible they've NEVER done drugs when their drug screen is positive in labor.  You rarely see anyone admit overtly to drug use in pregnancy, but its a pervasive, increasing problem.  They'll swear they are clean while staring at the + for cocaine, meth, on the test result.  
They have millions of excuses and other explainations for why/how they are positive. But NEVER the truth.

[4and1/2mthsNeg]

THanks for the response. I appreciate you coming back to this thread to post.  :-)  

[monkeyflower]

Man, I'm with peek. And House--as he says, everyone lies. Everyone.

Dr. Handsfield has said that when this question was asked of an international gathering of 300+ HIV specialists, not one had seen a negative 6 week test turn positive later on. But I'm guessing that if you're anxious enough to disbelieve your negative 4.5 month results, then I'm quite sure you're not going to be comfortable with 6 weeks :-)