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Extreme Anxiety Waiting to Test for HIV
I am scheduled to test for HIV next Friday. In the meantime i am virtually existing. I haven't been able to complete tasks at work, household tasks, or have ANY amount of down time/fun. I am completely consumed with fear b/c I have ALL symptoms of the disease (not due to anxiety). I feel like i have ruined any chance i had at the life I wanted for myself. I am only able to sleep for small amounts of time before I jolt out of my sleep in fear. i try to take the remaining pills of Vicodin I have to fall asleep. At this point I am almost certain I have HIV and am seeking counseling from a psychologist before I go take my test. I haven't had sex in over 2 years...I go out and get drunk, end up and a swingers club (oral sex) and do something stupid like this. Whats worse is that I cannot forgive myself for not going to get the Post Exposure Pill. I thought i had absolutely no risk from female to female sex.
I have thrown away my chance at a family and stress free living/dating.
I am a shell of my former self. Does anybody else have anxiety this bad? How do you cope?
I have thrown away my chance at a family and stress free living/dating.
I am a shell of my former self. Does anybody else have anxiety this bad? How do you cope?
Maybe you are right. I have beeing seeing a professional for about two weeks now. I will bring this up in our next session tomorrow.
I was also a little wrong on the tests administered. I took the LabCorp HIV 1/O/2 and labcorp RNA test at 88 days..not the ELISA. The rapid test at 90 days was the INSTI test...not the UniGold. I realize this won't change you or anybody else's answer. At this point I will have to wait until after my surgery in 2 weeks to see if my severe butt and muscle pains continue.
Since I tested negative on the HIV-1 RNA and antibody tests out to three months, I guess I convinced myself that it must be HIV-2 or some mutant strain or CRF of the virus that it being missed. Maybe it is totally illogical...maybe not. I will test a final time for HIV-2 and HIV-1 at the 6 month mark after my surgery. I apologize if I sound like a worried well or idiot, but something is very wrong with my body. I will follow-up with primary care and an ID doc. Your time has been invaluable and greatly appreciated NurseGirl.
I was also a little wrong on the tests administered. I took the LabCorp HIV 1/O/2 and labcorp RNA test at 88 days..not the ELISA. The rapid test at 90 days was the INSTI test...not the UniGold. I realize this won't change you or anybody else's answer. At this point I will have to wait until after my surgery in 2 weeks to see if my severe butt and muscle pains continue.
Since I tested negative on the HIV-1 RNA and antibody tests out to three months, I guess I convinced myself that it must be HIV-2 or some mutant strain or CRF of the virus that it being missed. Maybe it is totally illogical...maybe not. I will test a final time for HIV-2 and HIV-1 at the 6 month mark after my surgery. I apologize if I sound like a worried well or idiot, but something is very wrong with my body. I will follow-up with primary care and an ID doc. Your time has been invaluable and greatly appreciated NurseGirl.
I was afraid of this. You're still allowing your brain to "what if". You're stuck in the cycle of anxiety and obsessive thinking about this. I would REALLY REALLY strongly urge you to seek professional help soon. If you don't, you will stay trapped in this he*%, truly.
You do NOT have an HIV concern...your test was valid and conclusive. You don't need anymore testing, you don't have HIV. There is NO other "but what if" question you can ask that will change those facts.
You do NOT have an HIV concern...your test was valid and conclusive. You don't need anymore testing, you don't have HIV. There is NO other "but what if" question you can ask that will change those facts.
Quick question for you and I will no longer use this thread. Are 3rd generation ELISA tests also able to pick up antibodies for HIV-2? I know they RNA test I had was only for HIV-1.
Being that HIV-2 is quite rare in the U.S. I am not as concerned, even though the prevalence may be higher considering the city and type of place I was in (tourists come here from all over). Should I request a separate test for this as well to cover all of my bases? Or would the 3rd generation antobody test have been sufficient?
Being that HIV-2 is quite rare in the U.S. I am not as concerned, even though the prevalence may be higher considering the city and type of place I was in (tourists come here from all over). Should I request a separate test for this as well to cover all of my bases? Or would the 3rd generation antobody test have been sufficient?
Never had a doubt!
Hopefully you can finally relax. I'd bet dollars to donuts your muscle pains will ease up after your anxiety diminishes.
Hopefully you can finally relax. I'd bet dollars to donuts your muscle pains will ease up after your anxiety diminishes.
Thank you and the rest of the MedHelp users for getting me through this horrible ordeal! I wouldn't have made it without your help. Results below:
-RNA viral load test + 3rd generation ELISA antibody @ 88 days = NEGATIVE.
-Uni-gold Rapid Antibody Blood Test @ 90 days = NEGATIVE.
-RNA viral load test + 3rd generation ELISA antibody @ 88 days = NEGATIVE.
-Uni-gold Rapid Antibody Blood Test @ 90 days = NEGATIVE.
Your test is accurate.
I sincerely hope that the blood test convinces you. If that doesn't, I'm not sure what will. You refuse to listen to the fact that the symptoms just are NOT relevant. Truly. The docs have said that over and over and over in our expert forum.
I sincerely hope that the blood test convinces you. If that doesn't, I'm not sure what will. You refuse to listen to the fact that the symptoms just are NOT relevant. Truly. The docs have said that over and over and over in our expert forum.
I will be going for a follow-up blood test on Friday (90 days). I have my doubts regarding the oral test on Saturday. It wasn't done at a clinic. More like a makeshift testing site with counselors (no nurses or docs).
I am still having painful neuropathy. I am aware that most people on here are just very paraniod. I am on the other hand had/have VERY REAL and accurate symptoms. I want so badly to let this go, but feel a blood test is the only way to do that. I see that the oral tests are a little less accurate. I feel so helpless.
I am still having painful neuropathy. I am aware that most people on here are just very paraniod. I am on the other hand had/have VERY REAL and accurate symptoms. I want so badly to let this go, but feel a blood test is the only way to do that. I see that the oral tests are a little less accurate. I feel so helpless.
Your result is conclusive beyond a shadow of a doubt. You don't need anymore HIV tests. I hope you can accept this and finally put this behind you. If not...make sure you address the anxiety with a professional.
I couldn't wait any longer and decided to test at 12 weeks (84 days) with a rapid OraQuick test at a local testing center which came back negative. Is this conclusive considering all of my symptoms or do I need to test again with an ELISA blood test post 13 weeks?
I will post my results next Friday afternoon (13 weeks) either way. I have seen multiple stories of people who really did experience ARS at 2 months and tested positive 2-4 weeks later. I will keep you all updated.
Okay....for one, stop the catastrophizing, it's NOT helpful.
If you were displaying true ARS symptoms at 8 weeks (which, btw is WAY WAY late), your test at 10 weeks would have been positive. People who are newly infected and who experience ARS test + very quickly.
I don't know what else I can possible tell you...other than if you plan to continue to see the ID doc, find a new one, because I 100% disagree with her approach. An ID doc experienced with HIV would not have even advised any further testing, let alone raising alarm bells for you completely unnecessarily.
Women to women transmission of HIV is virtually impossible. You didn't have a risk...and your test proves that. Your symptoms are NOT related to HIV. ARS symptoms are seen in TONS of other every day, garden variety type of illnesses.
Hopefully, once you get your negative result, you can accept it and finally put this behind you. It's really very sad...all of this angst and torture, over nothing. You don't have ONE thing to be worried about regarding HIV.
If you were displaying true ARS symptoms at 8 weeks (which, btw is WAY WAY late), your test at 10 weeks would have been positive. People who are newly infected and who experience ARS test + very quickly.
I don't know what else I can possible tell you...other than if you plan to continue to see the ID doc, find a new one, because I 100% disagree with her approach. An ID doc experienced with HIV would not have even advised any further testing, let alone raising alarm bells for you completely unnecessarily.
Women to women transmission of HIV is virtually impossible. You didn't have a risk...and your test proves that. Your symptoms are NOT related to HIV. ARS symptoms are seen in TONS of other every day, garden variety type of illnesses.
Hopefully, once you get your negative result, you can accept it and finally put this behind you. It's really very sad...all of this angst and torture, over nothing. You don't have ONE thing to be worried about regarding HIV.
I am not trying to match symptoms. They came out of nowhere. I wasnt even concerned about HIV until they arose. I am in shock. I just cant believe this is happening.
I am scheduled for a psych appointment today. I am a very rational person, but this has sent me over the deep end.
It's unfortunate that you're torturing yourself so much. As I've told you (along with many others)...you never had a risk for HIV. I understand that the presence of "symptoms" after your encounter fuels your anxiety, but I assure you that they were just a coincidence.
Your test proves that you don't have HIV, you don't need another one. What you WOULD be wise to do is to seek professional help ASAP for the anxiety. It sounds like you're really at risk for harming yourself....like trying to OD on Vicodin, that's not good.
Your fragile mental state should be your top priority. Not worrying needlessly about HIV. HIV transmission between females is virtually impossible. Certainly what you did did not place you at risk, even if the partner was +.
Get yourself some help.
Your test proves that you don't have HIV, you don't need another one. What you WOULD be wise to do is to seek professional help ASAP for the anxiety. It sounds like you're really at risk for harming yourself....like trying to OD on Vicodin, that's not good.
Your fragile mental state should be your top priority. Not worrying needlessly about HIV. HIV transmission between females is virtually impossible. Certainly what you did did not place you at risk, even if the partner was +.
Get yourself some help.
It sounds to me like you are panicking yourself and maybe a little bit of hypochondriac (im the same way) im waiting on my blood results right now and iam looking up all my symptoms and I make myself believe I have all these things wrong with me.....its hard to relax but u have to try!.....there is great medicine these days that can help u live a full happy life if worst comes to worst!.....if u need someone to talk to feel free to message me anytime
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