Indertermediate OraQuick Results, Scared

[Naseeb]

I received six weeks of negative test (OraQuick Advance) just two weeks ago. Then this afternoon I went on to get one more at 9 weeks again (OraQuick Advance) and they told me that they can't tell whether it's neg or pos. They said it's indertermediate!!! That scared me. Other thing that surprised me was, they didn't took another oral test but rather told me to check back after two weeks for blood test. (They drew my blood).
My only exposure was protected vaginal and unprotected oral (receiving blow job). Total four times of protected vaginal and two times of unprotected oral sex receiving. That's it. It was with a female who said that she is clean.
One other thing, I just swab the stick once as they told me to do. I ate tobacco two hour prior to test, don't know whether it's going to affect or not.
Doc - I am feeling like it's end of the world. I have no where to go and talk to other than online support. What are my chances of getting negative test after this incident? I am palnning on getting another oraquick finger blood test as soon as I get appoinment.
How many people turned negative after indetermediate test?
Healthcare provider told me that they can't tell whether its neg or pos, which scares me.

Please help.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Sorry, I meant to write indeterminant.  Tests for HIV detect antibodies.  On VERY rare occasions, persons who are developing antibodies in response to a recently acquired HIV infection show some reactivity on the test but not enough to qualify as being positive.  As I said however, most indeterminant tests turn out to be some abnormality of the chemistry of the test and do not indicate infection.  This is what I suspect is going on with you.  Your test will ultimately be negative.  EWH

[Graygirl555]

A related discussion, Home Access HIV test accuracy was started.

[Naseeb]

Just an update: I received blood ELISA results today and they are NEGATIVE both for HIV and Syphills.

Thank you for your support,
God Bless.

[Naseeb]

Agreed, I haven't received blood test results yet. It takes two to three weeks for them to come back.

But, I did one more oral swab test today at 72 days post exposure (10 and half weeks). It was negative, Thank God. Provider told me that he wouldn't let me test anymore, lol. He said time to move on, I am negative.

Three more oral swab negative test to add to my glory.

To sum it up, thank you Dr. Ed Hook for your kind advice and not getting mad at me for being paraniod. I am out and would not want to come on this forum again, hehe.

Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Your blood test will be negative.  After that, put all of this behind you and move on, as you should have before this.  You do not have HIV.  No further answers.  EWH

[alienshadow]

Please seek help your anxiety is really getting the best of you
And quit asking the good dr these questions what more do you want him to say

[Naseeb]

Hey Dr.Ed Hook - After that horrible day of indeterminate oralswab test results which was done at nine weeks (63 days) post exposure, I got retested again with two more oral swab tests and both of them were negative, Thank God. I am still waiting for my blood results which should be back tomorrow or next week. Anyways, here is my major concerns.

I got total of four tests done within nine weeks, all four oral swab:
6 weeks - negative
9 weeks - indeterminate
9 weeks - negative
9 weeks - negative
One more blood at 9 weeks, still waiting for the results.

With that said, once my blood test comes back negative. Should I put this behind me and move on? Do I need to do one more testing after window period? Only reason I am asking because, you said that person may be developing antibodies and that's why reasults may be indeterminate. However, if that was the case then why I received two more negatives. I don't want to be a person who continue testing till six months. This thing has caused me lots of mental and physical stress. I really want to put this behind me. Just give me honest opinion about further testing. And please close the thread afterwards, there wouldn't be anymore questions from my end. I am sorry for follow up question, but I couldn't post more questions under my username.

P.S - I did follow up with the clinic about my indeterminate test results and asked why they didn't offer additional oral testing for confirmation? They said the nurse who did test on me was intern, she didn't knew proper procedures.

Thanks

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Yes, I meant less than a 1% chance of being positive.  Sorry for the typo.  EWH

[Naseeb]

Thank you but still would like to hear one more time from Dr Hook.

[joggen]

Of course he meant it's less than 1% chance of being positive. He said your blood test would be negative.

Your Oraquick test today combined with your extremely low risk exposure proves you are negative. It's a foregone conclusion that your blood test will be negative. Time to move on.

[Naseeb]

Dr.Ed Hook - I beg you pardon. I think you meant that it's less than 1% chance of being positive after indeterminant results (not negative), right? Because, I just received negative and I was re-reading your reply and though that might be a mistake.

Thanks

[Naseeb]

Dr. Ed Hook - THANK YOU FOR YOUR REASSURANCE!!!

I tested this morning at different clinic via OraQuick Advance test at 8 and half weeks after possible exposure and results were NEGATIVE......Thank God.

Sir, you don't have to be sorry, it was nice of you to say that. But It was my mistake to begin with. First I engaged in sexual activity with unknown female (but it was protected and unprotected oral) and then I didn't trust my six weeks results and got retested at eight and half weeks. Dr. Ed Hook, I trust you and your experience and I am never going to get tested again. Just going to receive my another negative blood test results (Pray to God that it's negative) which they sent off yesterday (after receiving intermediate oraquick results).

Today the expert did the test right infront of me and he educated me about HIV and how to stay safe in between those 20 minutes. Then he showed me results line where it was at C meaning it was negative. Expert I met told me the same thing that Doctors on this forum are saying. They even said that over 90% of people will turn positive after 30 days. Considering that, 6 to 8 weeks is good enough.

Everyone - Please take doctor's advice and don't bother testing if docotor's on this forum says not to. Simply because you will run into same situation that I ran into. I wasn't satisfied with 6 weeks results and got retested at 8 and half weeks and I received intermediate results. Hence, don't panic and be satisfied with your one time results. But, dear God listened to my prayers and gave me negative results today.

Thank you very much Dr.Hook for your kind words and I pray to God that my blood results will come out negative.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Sorry, I cannot put a number on that. In your circumstance howevver, which is what you are really interested in, less than 1%.  EWH

[Naseeb]

I pray to God that you are right about me being negative. I went to same clinic again this morning and doctor pretty much told me that receiving oral is no risk with or without blood, I can NOT get it that way. And having condom protected sex and protected, there is NO WAY I have it. But, he refused to do second oral swab test as he said that many people get indetermianant results with swab test.

Just in your experience, how many people turned out to be negative after indeterminant results?

[joggen]

You had condom protected sex which is no significant risk for HIV, and oral sex is no risk. And you had a negative test at 6 weeks, when most infected people would test positive. I think your chances having a negative confirmatory test are 99.999999%

[Naseeb]

Thank you doctor. I am still confused as to when you said that "Although an intermediate test can mean that a person is developing HIV antibodies". I immediately asked the healthcare provider and he said that tests are not positive or negative. Does that mean that tests were invalid?

I am still confused as to whether he said intermediate or indeterminate. Does that term make any difference?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Although an intermediate test can mean that a person is developing HIV antibodies, the vast majority of intermediate tests are ultimately proven to be negative and to not indicate infection.  Whether the tobacco had anything to do with the result or not I do not know.  Given the exposures you described, I am comfortable predicting the your test will be negative when the result comes back.  the reason we do not recommend testing following low risk exposures such as this is just because of situations such as this.

I realize waiting for the test will be anxiety provoking and am sorry for that.  I am comfortable that it will ultimately be negative.  Try to stay calm. EWH

[Naseeb]

Does intermediate or indetermediate makes any difference? I thought indeteremediate means they can't tell it's pos or neg. And that's what happened this afternoon. They told me that they can't tell it's neg or pos. They haven't said that it's confirmed pos. Doctors please help here.

[Pecha1230]

Totally a false test, you have no risk for HIV and never required a test. The rapid oral test is known for false positives. If your ever gonna get a rapid test get the finger prik test as that has a lower rate of false positives than the oral test. Your blood test will confirm that you are negative.