symptoms

[dav96]

11 months ago i gave unprotected oral sex to a female prostitute,ive had5 hiv tests all after the 3 month window period,all negative,with the last being 2 weeks ago.But for the last 6 months ive had throat problems,by that i mean the right hand side of my throat gets inflamed every so often and every day i have a sensation in my throat like i need to make myself cough as if theres something stuck,ive been to my gp,at first he said i have a virus and gave me antibiotics(didnt work),then went back again,he said try medicated lozengers(didnt work),then a swab in the hospital(came back all clear),then last week i had to back because it was really inflamed,plus sometimesi feel dizzy and lightheaded,he reccomended i go to my dentist because i have a bad tooth and he said this might be linked to my throat,as you can tell im obviously still worried about hiv,can u please ellay my fears and help me with my throat complaint as i feel like im cracking up

[Rowena Santos, MD]

Hi,
Most HIV tests are antibody tests that measure the antibodies produced by the body  against HIV. The “window period” can vary from one person to another. Around ninety seven percent will develop antibodies in the first 3 months following the time of their infection. If the initial negative HIV test was conducted within the first 3 months after possible exposure, repeat testing should be considered >3 months after the exposure to account for the possibility of a false-negative result. In your case, several tests showed negative results already long after the window period. This is a good sign. Have your throat evauated further to rule out any problems with it. Take care and do keep us posted.