HIV testing

[benkei]

I have used a dexamethasone base topical ointment from 1977 to 1992 on the back ,groin and upper inner thighs, had a risky hetero encounter(with condom intact) in dec 2001 and was tested negative for HIV three months later  I was tested negative again in a second test in FEB 2004.
At the time of the first test I was also a mild non insulin dependent diabetic with diabetes under control, at the time of the second test I believe my diabetes had been out of control for some months despite oral medication, since a month after the test I had oral cabndidasis which was attributed to my diabetes being out of control. I had also used prednisolone eye drops( no oral corticosteroids) about a month previous to the HIV test in Feb 2004 for 6 days since I had a keratoplasty  in one eye.
I was diagnosed with herpes simplex, which I can attribute to the one encounter.
Is it possible that my HIV test were skewered or gave false negatives because of previous topical steroid use, or the steroid eye drops or the diabetes, am very worried

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

I am unaware of any medications that make HIV test results falsely negative; affect the certainly topical and optical corticosteroid therpy do not do so.  You can rely 100% on your negative HIV tests.

Good luck-- HHH, MD

[Willl]

Hell no, the test was almost 3 years later.

[benkei]

Many thanks for your assurance, which help tremendouly but what about the uncontrolled diabetes mellitus masking the antibodies

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

No medication or medical condition masks HIV antibodies or otherwise interferes with testing, with the possible exception of very advanced (life threatening) immune suppression like toxic chemotherapy (and probably not even that).  HIV antibody tests always are valid if done at a sufficient interval after infecttion.

HHH, MD

[benkei]

thank you, it's obvious my worries are like medieval doctors bleeding the patients, extremely painful and debilitating and of no consequence.  they stop however with your last comment which put them in the right perspective.

[cjsmythers]

yes i recently had a scare. i had sex for my first time and i had done it a total of under ten times with this girl. I went in her unprotected for a short time but may have been long enough to prejaculate. Well about a month after the time with no condom i got the flu and i was like what if its aids so i look up facts on hiv and aids on the inet. It said a month to two months after wards you can get flu like symptoms. This was about a month ago. With the flu i lost about 10 lbs. It also said loss of weight was a sign. I then saw other symptoms and began having them but that may have been in my head. Ive been very stressed since theis time and had diarrhea off and on since this time. I also have a tight dry throat which i hope is also just stress and anxiety. She was tested and it came back negative. This was about 35 weeks after her last sexual encounter before me. Also the guy she had been with was tested too. came back negative as well. I didnt know if their tests were too early to tell. Can you please help me and how accurate are aids tests? thanks