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HIV X-partner
Dear Doctor, I am a gay male who seperated with my boy friend in August. We were with each other for 17 months. About a week after we seperated he called me and told me he tested positive. We did not know the whole time we were togeather. I am not sure if he has had it the whole time or just got it. When he told me I got tested, it was 10 days after the last sexual encounter, it was negative. Then last week I got tested again, it was negative, that was at the 30 day mark. I keep hearing most people will test positive at the 30 day mark and then I hear it isnt til 3 months. IS the 30 day test worthless? What are my chances? I used the rapid test both times, is that accurate enough? He started dating somone else before we seperated, I keep asking him if the other guy has gotten his test results yet, he keeps telling me no, this guy was told the same day I was, I dont understand why he hasent got his results, its been 25 days! If he has had it the whole time why would I be negative? We didnt practice safe sex.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You don't have HIV. Please have only one more test at 12 weeks. If you want to post that result, which definitely will be negative, feel free to do so. Otherwise this thread is closed to any new comments.
Thank you. I will keep you informed.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
First and most important, a negative HIV antibody test 1 month after the last possible exposure is very reassuring. By that time, about 90% of infected persons would have positive test results, so the result isn't worthless at all. However, 90% is not good enough -- you need 100% certainty, and therefore should be tested at least once again around 3 months after the last sex with your former partner. (This assumes you have been having high risk practices with your former partner, such as unprotected anal sex.)
Second, I hope you are seeing a health care provider knowledgeable about HIV. If not, you should do that now, then follow his or her advice, even if that advice is different than mine. It is possible s/he will recommend other testing as well, such as PCR testing for the virus itself, or an antibody test at 6 weeks.
I'm not sure what your concern about your boyfriend's new partner is. Is it that he might not have been told and tested? Or that he was tested but hasn't yet learned his results? If you are uncertain that he actually has been told about his new partner's HIV infection, it is important that he know -- more important, in my view, than concerns about confidentiality and so on. One approach to this dilemma, if you are uncertain, is to call your local health department and ask their advice and possible assistance. (Some health departments would get involved in informing partners in this situation, but others will not. It's highly variable across the country.)
As to why you haven't been infected, there is nothing ususual about that. HIV isn't very efficiently transmitted, and many couples are together for months or years, with one person infected and the other never getting it.
Bottom line: See a knowledgeable health care provider, if you aren't already under such care, and follow his or her recommendations about further testing. But most likely you have dodged the bullet and do not have HIV. I hope that's how it turns out. Please return to the forum when additional testing has been done and let us know.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
Second, I hope you are seeing a health care provider knowledgeable about HIV. If not, you should do that now, then follow his or her advice, even if that advice is different than mine. It is possible s/he will recommend other testing as well, such as PCR testing for the virus itself, or an antibody test at 6 weeks.
I'm not sure what your concern about your boyfriend's new partner is. Is it that he might not have been told and tested? Or that he was tested but hasn't yet learned his results? If you are uncertain that he actually has been told about his new partner's HIV infection, it is important that he know -- more important, in my view, than concerns about confidentiality and so on. One approach to this dilemma, if you are uncertain, is to call your local health department and ask their advice and possible assistance. (Some health departments would get involved in informing partners in this situation, but others will not. It's highly variable across the country.)
As to why you haven't been infected, there is nothing ususual about that. HIV isn't very efficiently transmitted, and many couples are together for months or years, with one person infected and the other never getting it.
Bottom line: See a knowledgeable health care provider, if you aren't already under such care, and follow his or her recommendations about further testing. But most likely you have dodged the bullet and do not have HIV. I hope that's how it turns out. Please return to the forum when additional testing has been done and let us know.
Good luck-- HHH, MD
So I got a cold and became worried so I got another test at 10 weeks. I didnt want to become someone who would panic for any little reason but the anxiety gets to me. That prings my total number of test to 5. I keep asking what could be not letting it show up, I worry because they all have been Rapid test. I go Monday for my 12 week test and I hope it come back Negative.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
OK, sorry I misunderstood. Still, a 7 week negative is virtually 100% reliable. My advice still applies, including the kick back/dinner/wine part.
Sorry my post was miss read my last test was at 7 weeks, she didnt do the 10 week test instead she told me to wait 4 weeks.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I do understand that you want final resolution sooner rather than later. But the chance you were infected, i.e. that your test will be positive in the future given a negative result at 10 weeks, simply is too low to measure or worry about. Personally, I would have advised a single final test a 12 weeks and do not understand why your doctor wants to wait the extra 2 weeks. But this is a minor difference between us and certainly does not mean either of us is wrong.
I suggest you follow your doctor's advice; or negotiate with her for one final test at 12 weeks rather than 14, so you don't have the extra 2 weeks of anxiety. But if she doesn't go along, it isn't worth arguing about. Between now and your next test, whenever it is, you should try to kick back, have a few nice dinners over good wine, and go forward secure in the knowledge that you dodged the bullet. All is well.
I suggest you follow your doctor's advice; or negotiate with her for one final test at 12 weeks rather than 14, so you don't have the extra 2 weeks of anxiety. But if she doesn't go along, it isn't worth arguing about. Between now and your next test, whenever it is, you should try to kick back, have a few nice dinners over good wine, and go forward secure in the knowledge that you dodged the bullet. All is well.
An update with a question. So went for my test today at 10 weeks. My doctor said to not bother and just come back in 4 weeks. I have had a third rapid test at 7 weeks to go along with 4 weeks and 10 days all were negative. 4 weeks will put me at 14 weeks post last exposure so I told her I wanted it at 2 weeks (12 weeks post exposure.) Was this a bad idea considering how high of risk I am? I just want to get this over with, I am sure you can understand. She also seems to think because we "pullled out" almost all the time could have lowered my risk.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I knew you meant 150,000; that was the basis of my response. Your doctor is correct about the rarity of someone having two false negative test results.
As I said above, about 90% of newly infected people have positive results at 1 month, whereas almost 100% are positive by 2 months. Therefore, about 10% of infected people would be negative at 30 days and positive at 60.
That doesn't mean there isa 10% chance your repeat test will be positive. Far less. Your negative test shows that as of 2 months before the test, you didn't have HIV. For you to be infected, it had to happen during the last month you and your partner were together. Let's say you had unprotected anal sex 10 times during that period. Given his middling viral load, I would put the chance of transmission at somewhere around 1 chance in 1000 for each time you had sex, i.e. 1 in 100 if you had anal sex 10 times. If you had been infected, there is only a 10% chance your 1 month test missed your infection. That means the probability you have HIV is sometbing like 0.01 x 0.1 = 0.001, or 1 in 1,000. In other words, one tenth of one percent.
I cannot say all these numbers are correct, but you get the idea; no matter how you cut it, the odds are very strongly in your favor. It isn't quite time to celebrate. But it definitely is time to mellow out and go through the next 2-3 weeks, until your next blood test, without a lot of worry. I'm sure your own doc said more or less the same thing.
As I said above, about 90% of newly infected people have positive results at 1 month, whereas almost 100% are positive by 2 months. Therefore, about 10% of infected people would be negative at 30 days and positive at 60.
That doesn't mean there isa 10% chance your repeat test will be positive. Far less. Your negative test shows that as of 2 months before the test, you didn't have HIV. For you to be infected, it had to happen during the last month you and your partner were together. Let's say you had unprotected anal sex 10 times during that period. Given his middling viral load, I would put the chance of transmission at somewhere around 1 chance in 1000 for each time you had sex, i.e. 1 in 100 if you had anal sex 10 times. If you had been infected, there is only a 10% chance your 1 month test missed your infection. That means the probability you have HIV is sometbing like 0.01 x 0.1 = 0.001, or 1 in 1,000. In other words, one tenth of one percent.
I cannot say all these numbers are correct, but you get the idea; no matter how you cut it, the odds are very strongly in your favor. It isn't quite time to celebrate. But it definitely is time to mellow out and go through the next 2-3 weeks, until your next blood test, without a lot of worry. I'm sure your own doc said more or less the same thing.
Sorry to keep asking questions. His load count was 150,000 I forgot a zero, sorry. I have a doctor, she said it is rare for someone to have two false neg test, is this true considering if they were done so eary? latest at 30 days. She is testing me again on October 9th that will bing it past the 60 day mark. How often is someone negative at 30 days, but positive at 60? So sorry for asking so many questions, this will be the last one til my thrid test. Thanks in advance, and thank you for taking time out of every day to help us who are going through this difficult time our lives.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
That is low to mid-level viral load, indicating he probably was not highly infectious at the time the test was done. But it's pretty much irrelevant to your situation. Your preliminary blood test indicates you were not infected, regardless of his viral load.
I just found out my ex-boyfriends viral load is 150,00 isnt that high, and is that any indication of how long he has had it? His Tcell count is 480.
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