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Worried about recent possible STD exposure
Dr. HHH,
Just over a month ago I had a drunk one night stand with a girl from work (unprotected vaginal). Worried I did ask if if I was going to get anything from her and she had told me no.
About 6 days later I ordered a full STD panel test. All results were negative. Just around the 4 week period I went back to re-test and again the results were negative.
I am still worried that I may have picked up an STD for some reason. The last month I have been very stressed out and anxiety has been killing me. I have read that the signs of herpes and genital warts may not show for years. I have also gone to my doctor to be looked at and he said there was nothing that shows signs of any STDs.
I guess my questions are as follows:
1) How accurate would the test results be around the 4 week period for a full panel screen. Below is a list of the tests that I did.
Chlamydia Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAA)
Gonorrhea Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAA)
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen with Confirmation by Neutralization
Hepatitis C Surface Antibody Test (Anti-HCV)
Herpes I Simplex Virus Type I IgG Tests (HerpeSelect (R))
Herpes II Simplex Virus Type II IgG Tests (HerpeSelect (R))
HIV-1 Antibody Test with Reflex to Western Blot Confirmation with HIV DNA PCR upgrade
Syphilis Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) Test with Reflex to Quantitative RPR and Confirmatory TP-PA
2) Do I need to re-test?
3) Is anxiety causing some of my problems (headache, neck and shoulder pain, sometimes feel like I must urinate even though I do not really have to go)?
4) Is it true that it may take years for some of these STDs to show up?
Just over a month ago I had a drunk one night stand with a girl from work (unprotected vaginal). Worried I did ask if if I was going to get anything from her and she had told me no.
About 6 days later I ordered a full STD panel test. All results were negative. Just around the 4 week period I went back to re-test and again the results were negative.
I am still worried that I may have picked up an STD for some reason. The last month I have been very stressed out and anxiety has been killing me. I have read that the signs of herpes and genital warts may not show for years. I have also gone to my doctor to be looked at and he said there was nothing that shows signs of any STDs.
I guess my questions are as follows:
1) How accurate would the test results be around the 4 week period for a full panel screen. Below is a list of the tests that I did.
Chlamydia Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAA)
Gonorrhea Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAA)
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen with Confirmation by Neutralization
Hepatitis C Surface Antibody Test (Anti-HCV)
Herpes I Simplex Virus Type I IgG Tests (HerpeSelect (R))
Herpes II Simplex Virus Type II IgG Tests (HerpeSelect (R))
HIV-1 Antibody Test with Reflex to Western Blot Confirmation with HIV DNA PCR upgrade
Syphilis Rapid Plasma Reagin (RPR) Test with Reflex to Quantitative RPR and Confirmatory TP-PA
2) Do I need to re-test?
3) Is anxiety causing some of my problems (headache, neck and shoulder pain, sometimes feel like I must urinate even though I do not really have to go)?
4) Is it true that it may take years for some of these STDs to show up?
Thank you much. Take care.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
If your HIV test was a PCR, it is 100% reliable; you don't need another test. There is no test for HPV; you'll just have to live with the slight risk of an HPV infection from this event.
That should end this thread. Take care.
That should end this thread. Take care.
Ok, so 6 weeks from the possible exposure test for HIV and Syphilis?
Does it make any difference that the HIV test was done with the PCR testing at 4 weeks?
Is there any test to do that would check for HPV or genital warts?
Does it make any difference that the HIV test was done with the PCR testing at 4 weeks?
Is there any test to do that would check for HPV or genital warts?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
This is a duplicate of question 3, answered above.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum. I'll try to help.
The tests you had are highly reliable if done after sufficient time has passed, but for some of them you were tested too early. For sure you did not catch gonorrhea or chlamydia, but all the blood tests were done too soon to be certain. It takes 6 week for reliably negative results on the blood tests you had, and 3 months for HSV.
The risks are very low after an exposure like this, with a partner who is very unlikely to have an STD, and I would have recommended against testing for most of these infections. If you decide to get another test at 6 weeks, I suggest you not repeat hepatitis B, C, or HSV. Syphilis testing makes sense, the test is very low cost; and HIV makes sense, despite its rarity in this situation, because nobody should take chances with such a serious, ultimately fatal condition. Hepatitis C isn't an STD, contrary to what you might believe from the media and online searching; there was no risk for that, so money spent on testing for it was wasted. Hep B and HSV are too unlikely after a single exposure like this to be worth the cost.
To your specific questions:
1) Your resutls are completely reliable for gonorrhea and chlamydia, around 90% reliable for HIV, syphilis, and hep B and C; and around 70-80% reliable for HSV.
2) The "need" for retesting isn't hard and fast. To be safe, I would suggest 6 week tests for HIV and syphilis. I wouldn't repeat any of the others.
3) Whenever someone suggest his or her own symptoms have an emotional or psychological origin, usually s/he is correct -- and certainly the symptoms you mention are typical for the physical manifestations of anxiety, depression, etc. They certainly do not suggest any STD, hepatitis, or HIV.
4) Symptoms may take years to show up, but not the test results. I gave you those figures above.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
The tests you had are highly reliable if done after sufficient time has passed, but for some of them you were tested too early. For sure you did not catch gonorrhea or chlamydia, but all the blood tests were done too soon to be certain. It takes 6 week for reliably negative results on the blood tests you had, and 3 months for HSV.
The risks are very low after an exposure like this, with a partner who is very unlikely to have an STD, and I would have recommended against testing for most of these infections. If you decide to get another test at 6 weeks, I suggest you not repeat hepatitis B, C, or HSV. Syphilis testing makes sense, the test is very low cost; and HIV makes sense, despite its rarity in this situation, because nobody should take chances with such a serious, ultimately fatal condition. Hepatitis C isn't an STD, contrary to what you might believe from the media and online searching; there was no risk for that, so money spent on testing for it was wasted. Hep B and HSV are too unlikely after a single exposure like this to be worth the cost.
To your specific questions:
1) Your resutls are completely reliable for gonorrhea and chlamydia, around 90% reliable for HIV, syphilis, and hep B and C; and around 70-80% reliable for HSV.
2) The "need" for retesting isn't hard and fast. To be safe, I would suggest 6 week tests for HIV and syphilis. I wouldn't repeat any of the others.
3) Whenever someone suggest his or her own symptoms have an emotional or psychological origin, usually s/he is correct -- and certainly the symptoms you mention are typical for the physical manifestations of anxiety, depression, etc. They certainly do not suggest any STD, hepatitis, or HIV.
4) Symptoms may take years to show up, but not the test results. I gave you those figures above.
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
I have also gone through periods of not feeling very well over the last few weeks (sick feeling). Hoping from the anxiety?
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
