Hi,
Are the percentage you posted strictly for latest ELIZA test only? I tested negative on the Amplicor HIV I/II at 7 weeks. Is that a good result? In my country (Indonesia), there is only Amplicor screening tests.
Hope you can advice,
Moon.
where someone go to get treated? how fast can you go with this illness? what type of treatments do they use in bangkok?
Hi,
You can find out some of these medical details by googling general medical information on AIDs. I'm not an MD, but I found these things online from medical studies:
*The course of the disease varies from person to person. Maybe Dr. H can answer the 4-year question better, but I think there's no steadfast rule.
*3-months after infection, just about everybody has antibodies to the virus. It's the first few weeks after being infected when the viral load shoots up, very high, and a person is extremely infectious. The body hasn't developed mechanisms to keep the virus in check yet. But then, by 1-2 months after the initial spike in the viral load, people usually have immune mechanisms that reduce the virus or keep it in check, which is why by 3 months, I think the virus exists in small amounts, compared to right after the infection.
Keep in mind, this is all just stuff I got from reading books and websites; I'm not a doctor.
J
by the way, If someone contracted hiv 4 years ago, would there be a change in the blood count today and how about three months after infection?
what is pep that you started right after?
This might help you?
I am currently on holiday in Thailand. A couple of weeks ago I had a moment of complete stupidity when drunk and had unprotected intercourse with a high-risk HIV candidate. I went to the best hospital in Bangkok (which wasn't cheap!!) and saw a specialist infection doctor there. I'm not sure if you are aware but in a lot of ways Thailand is ground zero for HIV prevention and treatment. There are specialists here that are supposed to be the closest in the world to developing an HIV vaccine believe it or not!!
Anyway, the specialist advised the following because I was freaking out with anxiety (as you can imagine).
(1) I began PEP some 40 hours after the incident (although it is best to do it ASAP, ie. within 1-2 hours, if not within the "golden period" which is 24 hours if possible. Even though I was 40 hours she did say it was likely to be effective!!)
(2) After a bit more than two weeks I had what is called a PCR test done. This identifies HIV DNA rather than your anti-body reaction which takes longer to be identified. Thankfully it came back negative. The PCR test is 97+ per cent accurate at this point.
(3) Following this negative result she advised I did not need to continue PEP at this point because the odds of contracting the virus were so miniscule. In fact, in her opinion, the PCR test at this point is odds on to be as accurate as the 6 week anti body test.
Also, she advised that there is a strong correlation between a high HIV viral load in a person (which dramatically increases the likelihood of them passing on infection) and their visible well being. This includes the "flu" like symptoms that can be suffered in the weeks following infection, and the poor health of someone who has been infected for a long time and it has developed into full blown AIDS. In other words, it would appear there is some truth to the so called "myth" that there is a significantly increased likelihood of someone who is physically unwell from HIV passing it on, as compred to someone who is not physically ill with the disease.
You mentioned the test now would be 90% reliable , when does start? 2 or 3 weeks?
Trichomoniasis often goes along with other STDs, especially gonorrhea and chlamydia. So you should be treated for trich and also tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia.
Swollen lymph nodes only in the groin is unlikely to be due to HIV, and your sore throat and fever are most likely due to some other virus as well (We all get colds and respiratory viruses all the time; onset of symptoms after a particular sexual exposure doesn't mean that's where you caught it.) That said, I can't prove you don't have HIV and gree you should be tested. You don't need to wait; if your HIV test is negative now, it's around 90% reliable, and a second negative test at 4-6 weeks would make it virtually 100%.
Inginal (groin) lymph node swelling can be a sign of herpes, but rarely in the absence of genital lesions. Syphilis is an even less likely possibilty, but you and your partner both should be tested for it.
You should 1) encourage your partner to have an HIV test, for both your piece of mind and hers. Everybody with an STD (trich) should be tested for HIV, and she and her doctor may change theirs mind if you tell her your concerns. 2) Ask if she has herpes. If not, it doesn't prove anything, but makes that infection less likely for you. 3) Also ask if she was tested for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. 4) As I said above, have those tests yourself.
Good luck-- HHH, MD