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College Student- worried, help appreciated
by logical_yet_worried, Feb 25, 2008 09:57PM
Hi,
I'm a college student who is going through a rough time similar to some of the other people here. I think there are some things about my case that would really help myself and others if they were clarified. Long story short, I had a sexual exposure to an asian CSW in Hong Kong on 1/18, about 37 days from today. she said that she has also worked in other places such as Malaysia. I fingered her with my unprotected finger and put on a condom before engaging in vaginal sex. However, during the middle, the condom was extremely dry so I took it off and put on a new one. Are there risks of transmission if my hand may have touched the inside of condom, thus exposing the urethra?
I flew back to the states 2 days later for school and was a complete mess. A week later I had the flu and had sore groin lymph nodes, and ever since I've had 2 more bouts of hte flu, always coming and going. I never had a fever though when I measured myself. I got checked via swab for Gonorea and Chlamydia and both came back negative. However, since my symptoms persisted, I got a RNA PCR test at 13-14 days at the Bellevue hospital with a program called First Call NYU. Their website is
http://www.hivinfosource.org/hivis/clinicaltrials/firstcall/
Funny thing is, they had a government grant to do RNA PCR testing and actually paid me for the test, about 14 dollars. A week later I got my results saying that hte viral load was undetectable. They told me that this result is conclusive and that it ruled out any infection after 1/25. This seemed really bold, but was from a reputable program so it made me really confused. What is your take on the conclusiveness of this result? I felt a lot more relieved after this, but was not completely sure, so I continued visiting the ER(about 2-3 more times) when my groin felt extremely sore. When I hit the 37 day mark, I got my blood drawn for an Oraquick Advance/Rapid HIV 1&2 Antibody Test. THe result came back negative(at 5 weeks and 2 days). I know the window period is longer than this, but combined with the 14 day RNA PCR result, would a 5 week and 2 days oraquick test be conclusive? (assuming that my risk WAS high, because I know you would probably say that I was low risk to begin with.) I'm just trying to trust my test results and move on, but everytime I feel like im going to get the flu I get quite scared. Would you recommend follow up testing?
Also, I know that some people seroconvert much later due to suppressed immune system. During the past 5 weeks or so, I"ve been extremely stressed, and fatigued, and its definately taken a toll on my body. Would this affect the window period and make my 5 week test less reliable? And Last question, I kept having this paranoia that by trying to get the process over with and visiting doctors and exposing my blood more and more, I was somehow resetting the window period and might have come in contact with the virus, either through gauzes applied after blood was drawn, or contact with the puncture wound. If you could please address these questions, I would greatly appreciate it. I am a college student with a bright future and I'm afraid that one mistake could ruin my life and put into jeopardy everything my parents have worked for. I really appreciate the work you do, and want to thank you in advance.
-Worried student
I'm a college student who is going through a rough time similar to some of the other people here. I think there are some things about my case that would really help myself and others if they were clarified. Long story short, I had a sexual exposure to an asian CSW in Hong Kong on 1/18, about 37 days from today. she said that she has also worked in other places such as Malaysia. I fingered her with my unprotected finger and put on a condom before engaging in vaginal sex. However, during the middle, the condom was extremely dry so I took it off and put on a new one. Are there risks of transmission if my hand may have touched the inside of condom, thus exposing the urethra?
I flew back to the states 2 days later for school and was a complete mess. A week later I had the flu and had sore groin lymph nodes, and ever since I've had 2 more bouts of hte flu, always coming and going. I never had a fever though when I measured myself. I got checked via swab for Gonorea and Chlamydia and both came back negative. However, since my symptoms persisted, I got a RNA PCR test at 13-14 days at the Bellevue hospital with a program called First Call NYU. Their website is
http://www.hivinfosource.org/hivis/clinicaltrials/firstcall/
Funny thing is, they had a government grant to do RNA PCR testing and actually paid me for the test, about 14 dollars. A week later I got my results saying that hte viral load was undetectable. They told me that this result is conclusive and that it ruled out any infection after 1/25. This seemed really bold, but was from a reputable program so it made me really confused. What is your take on the conclusiveness of this result? I felt a lot more relieved after this, but was not completely sure, so I continued visiting the ER(about 2-3 more times) when my groin felt extremely sore. When I hit the 37 day mark, I got my blood drawn for an Oraquick Advance/Rapid HIV 1&2 Antibody Test. THe result came back negative(at 5 weeks and 2 days). I know the window period is longer than this, but combined with the 14 day RNA PCR result, would a 5 week and 2 days oraquick test be conclusive? (assuming that my risk WAS high, because I know you would probably say that I was low risk to begin with.) I'm just trying to trust my test results and move on, but everytime I feel like im going to get the flu I get quite scared. Would you recommend follow up testing?
Also, I know that some people seroconvert much later due to suppressed immune system. During the past 5 weeks or so, I"ve been extremely stressed, and fatigued, and its definately taken a toll on my body. Would this affect the window period and make my 5 week test less reliable? And Last question, I kept having this paranoia that by trying to get the process over with and visiting doctors and exposing my blood more and more, I was somehow resetting the window period and might have come in contact with the virus, either through gauzes applied after blood was drawn, or contact with the puncture wound. If you could please address these questions, I would greatly appreciate it. I am a college student with a bright future and I'm afraid that one mistake could ruin my life and put into jeopardy everything my parents have worked for. I really appreciate the work you do, and want to thank you in advance.
-Worried student
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Dude, you don't even need to test.....I am sure your illness are not HIV related according to your "hands touching inside condom".
Also, for some one who had a real risk, the time frame for the RNA PCR that you have gotten was PERFECT backed up with an almost 6 week negative would rule our HIV.
But for you, the fact is you wasted time, money and energy, you didn't need to test. You didn't have a risk.
Consider using water-based lube in future liasons to stop things feeling dry.
this is easy for me to say now. however i had these similar symptoms plus more. always felt like my groin glands were sore. repeated testing to a ridiculous level and wasted so much time and money. your exposure is no risk and your symptoms are in your head. its hard to believe but its true. TRUST ME IVE BEEN THERE. if you really cant let go which was the same for me after minimal risk then test at three months and no more and to help you read all the positive notes like those above and stop searching the internet and for symptoms that dont exist.
easy
Is it possible that having another STD at the same time, ie. herpes could make me a late seroconverter?
also, during this period, my medical exposures have been:
-visited the emergency room 5 times, 1 penis swab
-2 HIV blood tests at my university health clinic
-1 HIV oral swab test at a comprehensive care clinic for positive people
-1 HIV RNA/PCR test at the bellevue hospital
somehow my mind keeps switching back and forth between worrying about the initial exposure, and then worrying that somehow despite my low risk exposure, I exposed myself through testing. Can anyone please help me, providing insight in any kind of way? thanks a lot guys
I got a negative oraquick advance oral fluid swab at 68 days, 2 days short of ten weeks. I'm trying to move past this issue now, with a negative 10 week oraquick advance test and a 2 week negative RNA PCR.
Hope everyone is hanging in there.