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6 Weeks negative with clearview stat pak but developed symptoms on week 7
hi doctor, i had a possible exposure on jan 18 2012 at a strip club. i was intoxicated and blacked out. i might possibly had unprotected vaginal sex with her. im not quite 100 % sure. i am a male. i panicked and got tested 2 weeks after the exposure for gonorrhea, chlamydia and hiv. all came back negative. hiv test was the clearview hiv 1/2 stat pak. after i developed a cold and my GP said it was allergies. then on the 26th day after the exposure, i had anoyher rapid finger pricking done, which also came back negative. i read from dr. hhh that 6 weeks test is 95% accurate, so i went for another rapid and that came out negative at 42 days after the exposure. but on week 7 i started to feel a lottle different. i got dots on my forearms and they were itchy, then went away after a day. i started feeling very tired and achy all over my body. on the 46th day after the exposure i started getting these really intense headaches that last until today, 53 days after the exposure. i also have feeling of nausea, fever that is not always there, and possibly a swollen lymph node under my ear. i also had an oraquick rapid test using saliva which also is negative after 7 weeks. i haven't been sleeping well, even i sleep a lot of hours but never in deep sleep. what worries me the most is the constant headaches. could this be related to stress or i am actually seroconverting?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Test results always overrule symptoms, and your 8 week test was accurate. And staph infections are not a sign of HIV anyway. Do your best to stop worrying about it.
doctor, im sorry to bother you again. i just want to let you know that my 8 weeks rapid test was negative. with that said, i developed a staph infection under my armpit two days after my 8th week test. i read that staph infection occurs in people with weakened immune system. do you think my 8th week was accurate? please advise.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
You're re-asking the same question with different words. I'm not going to repeat myself. This thread is over.
sorry doc, i promise this is my comment. it is confirmed by my GP that i have swollen lymph nodes. is it a little too late for me to seroconvert after 7 weeks? im going in for a blood test this weekend on the 8th week. is it too early to test if i had seroconverted? :(
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Those symptoms are not at all suggestive of ARS, except for "swollen lymph nodes" -- and that would never be the only symptoms. And in my experience, most people who believe they have enlarged lymph nodes in fact do not have it on professional examination.
" what is the best test for me to take besides the rapid to put this behind me and move on with my life?" All I can recommend is that you do your best to believe the reasoned, science based reassurance you have had; and if you need to, have another HIV test as suggested above.
And above all, don't overthink it. This is a zero risk situation with overwhelming evidence you dont' have HIV. Ignore any furhter "what if" or "yes but" questions that come to mind. And stop all web searching about HIV symptoms, exposure, and diagnosis.
That's my last comment. I won't have any furhter comments or advice.
" what is the best test for me to take besides the rapid to put this behind me and move on with my life?" All I can recommend is that you do your best to believe the reasoned, science based reassurance you have had; and if you need to, have another HIV test as suggested above.
And above all, don't overthink it. This is a zero risk situation with overwhelming evidence you dont' have HIV. Ignore any furhter "what if" or "yes but" questions that come to mind. And stop all web searching about HIV symptoms, exposure, and diagnosis.
That's my last comment. I won't have any furhter comments or advice.
thank you for the quick response. i have read that you have never seen anyone tested negative at 6 weeks and turned positive after. what im afraid the most is my constant headaches, dizziness, insomnia and now swollen lymph nodes. im afraid i might be a late seroconvertor. what is the best test for me to take besides the rapid to put this behind me and move on with my life? thank you so much doc. for all of your help.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum.
First, I'll say there is something about your exposure history that doesn't compute. On the community forum, you speak of you and the stripper "touching all over", and now you describe a blackout during which you may or may not have had unprotected sex. I think we can safely assume you did not -- in which case this was a no risk event that did not require HIV testing.
Symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) do not start later than 2-3 weeks after catching the virus. So even if you had not been tested for HIV, and even if your symptoms were typical for ARS (they are not), I would reassure you they are not due to HIV. In addition, your negative HIV test results are further strong evidence you aren't infected. The clearview rapid test is virtually 100% reliable by 6-8 weeks after exposure. (The oral fluids test, however, makes little difference one way or the other. That test tends to take longer to become positive than the rapid and lab-based blood tests, and 7 weeks is too soon.)
As to whether stress is the cause of your symptoms, I can only say that some of your symptoms are compatible with that; and whenever someone suggests his or her own symptoms may have a psychological cause, usually s/he is correct.
If you want a truly definitive HIV test, have another blood test (of any brand or type) at 8 weeks or more after the sexual event you are concerned about, or another oral fluids test at 3 months. In the meantime, do your best to stop worrying. There is no chance you have HIV.
Best regards-- HHH, MD
First, I'll say there is something about your exposure history that doesn't compute. On the community forum, you speak of you and the stripper "touching all over", and now you describe a blackout during which you may or may not have had unprotected sex. I think we can safely assume you did not -- in which case this was a no risk event that did not require HIV testing.
Symptoms of acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) do not start later than 2-3 weeks after catching the virus. So even if you had not been tested for HIV, and even if your symptoms were typical for ARS (they are not), I would reassure you they are not due to HIV. In addition, your negative HIV test results are further strong evidence you aren't infected. The clearview rapid test is virtually 100% reliable by 6-8 weeks after exposure. (The oral fluids test, however, makes little difference one way or the other. That test tends to take longer to become positive than the rapid and lab-based blood tests, and 7 weeks is too soon.)
As to whether stress is the cause of your symptoms, I can only say that some of your symptoms are compatible with that; and whenever someone suggests his or her own symptoms may have a psychological cause, usually s/he is correct.
If you want a truly definitive HIV test, have another blood test (of any brand or type) at 8 weeks or more after the sexual event you are concerned about, or another oral fluids test at 3 months. In the meantime, do your best to stop worrying. There is no chance you have HIV.
Best regards-- HHH, MD
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