I believe the question you are asking relates to whether or not people who have the ARS are in the process of developing antibodies. The answer is yes. That is the reason that the HIV blood tests are reliably positive a week or so after the onset of the ARS. EWH
Thank you so very much for your response! I will have another test for peace of mind, and I'll follow up with my reg doctor regarding any seemingly persistent issues. I have a question for my own education though: if one does have ARS and they test for HIV 2-3 weeks after initial symptoms appear, then they will most certainly test positive for HIV? Any way, I hope you have a wonderful new year. Thanks again for your time and your committment to educating others.
Welcome to the Forum. Sometimes when we start to worry about something it is hard to shake. I hope that my comments will be helpful to you in moving forward as you enter the New year. The symptoms you describe are all quite non-specific and are most unlikely to be related to HIV. Thus while these non-specific symptoms are "on the list" of symptoms associated with the acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) of early HIV infection, the symptoms of the ARS are TOTALLY non-specific and when people experience "ARS symptoms" they are much more likely to have something else, usually some other, more typical virus infection. When this has been studied in the US, less than 1% of persons seeking medical care for "ARS symptoms" are found to have HIV, the remainder having symptoms due to other processes. In contrast, over a given year, there is almost no one who has not had a viral illness, night sweats or both (sometimes on multiple occasions). For a person to try to judge their HIV risk based on "ARS symptoms" is a waste of time. In your specific case, not only is there no reason to worry about your symptoms but there is actually good reason NOT to worry. When people have the ARS their antibody tests are uniformly positive a week or so after their symptoms begin. In your case, a negative HIV test at 6 and 1/2 weeks, when well over 90% of people with HIV would have positive tests, is very strong evidence that you do not have HIV. To be absolutely sure you may want to get another test at this time (any test at 8 or more weeks is proof that you did not get HIV) for your own peace of mind but I am confident at this time that you did not get HIV from the exposure you refer too.
I hope this comment is helpful to you. EWH
I'm sorry. I was tested 45 days potential exposure...6.5 weeks.also feeling some muscle ache below left shoulder.