Want to put this behind me.

[wanttomoveforward]

Heterosexual white Canadian Male - Exposure- unprotected sex with student female tiwce (believe she is white may have some aboriginal roots but upper middle class and white parents)  Don't think IV drug user. Somewhat permiscuous however.  Tested at 61 days after the second and final time of sex. Test was lab based, took 2 weeks for results, unsure of kind.
Few symptoms- Resembled a bad cold more than any flu symptoms however realize it was late winter, but timing threw me a loop when I was already worried after the sex.   for a couple weeks, not sore though. Urethra also a bit red, swollen, no pain or discharge though.
For the past few weeks I can't stop thinking HIV and worry I may take longer than average for a positive test.
-If you were me Doctor HHH, how far out would you test? Would you feel fully confident in my result or test again at the recommended guideline of 3 or 6 months even?
-Assume she was HIV positive- How likely is my negative to change even if she was? Zero? Very close to it?
- Do people normally test positive during the "symptom" phase of ars or shortly after? My  test was probably 4 weeks after I started feeling "unwell" and worrying.
-When you advise someone testing out to 3 months, what difference does it make if someone is from a high risk group if 8 weeks is definitive? ( like why or what situation would you advise further testing in that situation beyond 6-8 weeks)
-Have the tests really improved from now to say a few years ago? I just want to know that my testing is conclusive and am scared to return at 3 months.
-What percentage would test positive by 9 weeks in your view? Virtually all  healthy people?
I have been dating a girl and we have had sex a few times and always been protected however she gave me unprotected oral and I don't want to put someone at risk. Feel kind of anxious and guilty.
Please help doctor

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Time for this thread to end. Take care. EWH

[wanttomoveforward]

thank you for all your help doctor. what a load off my mind. you guys are great here, and i appreciate the speedy response.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

No, a steroid cycle would have no effect on you. tme to move forward. EWH

[wanttomoveforward]

sorry one last concern doctor -  I have seen the only situations that delay antibody production is chemotherapy, organ transplants, severely immunocomprimsed individuals etc. I am a healthy person overall.  I did a cycle of steroids once over a year ago, would this have an impact on my production of antibodies now? (I know it wasn't smart but I haven't done them since and do not plan to.)
My final comment and I will move on with my life.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Effectively zero, as I indicated above.  Asking the question again will not change the answer.  EWH

[wanttomoveforward]

Final comment- what are the chances of a negative test after 8 weeks turning positive doctor  thanksyou

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You can find as many different opinions as you wish.  The data are that results at 8 weeks will be definitive for you.    The recommendations for testing at 3 and even 6 months are the result of two factors- data from older tests no longer used (you really do not need to worry about which generation of tests you were tested with, at this time virtually all tests are far more sensitive that they were even 2-3 years ago when the 3 month recommendation was made) and secondly, the fact that some, mostly governmental agencies which have to provide recommendations for virtually everyone without the sort of interactions such as those you get with your doctor or on personalized sites such as this one, feel the cannot "afford" to be wrong and therefore make recommendations and guidelines which leave most people unnecessarily nervous for 4-6 weeks longer than the 6-8 weeks it takes virtually everyone to develop HIV antibodies.  


I'll have nothing more to say.  Take care.  EWH

[wanttomoveforward]

Doctor i did something stupid today i called my provinces aids helpline and he basically didnt seem too confident in my 9 week saying i shoukd return in late august or september and then i am "probably" in the clear saying everyone is different in the time it takes to produce antibodies  any comment or truth to     this? Is there really that much evidence behind 6 to 8 weeks why dont they change the guidelines

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I urge you to move on. You do not have HIV.   EWH

[wanttomoveforward]

thank you doctor hook. i believe she is heterosexual and i can't be certain she doesn't use drugs (highly unlikely IV drugs) so if you were in my situation you would move on and not retest regardless of whatever symptoms you thought were worrysome? She was a promiscuous female however.  There must be some truth to 12 weeks, but I do value your opinion greatly. This will be my final post.
Happy 4th of July by the way

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Because of the fact, by your report, that she is heterosexual and does not use drugs, the 1 in 10,000 figure is an accurate estimate.  

The stories you have "seen" are incorrect.

No change in my estimate or advice.  you did not get HIV.  You can test more if you wish, the result will not change, nor will my answer.  I will  not repeat it again either.  

Take care. EWH

[wanttomoveforward]

thanks for the reply doctor.  Not trying to question your response as I really appreciate it but I have been told she "sleeps around" which is what got me originally worried so I would say it is much higher than 1 in 10,000.  I don't know really.
I saw stories of people talking about how they were really sick shortly after an exposure and continued to test negative for a great deal after their symptoms before testing positive so it can't always be a week after symptoms can it? So this proves my symptoms aren't due to HIV?
They say on the HIV international forum over 99% by 6 weeks, you say 95% I think, so by 8 plus would it be 100%?
If you were me would you retest again or move on?
Sorry for all the nervous questions.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to the Forum.  I'll try to help.  your sequence of closely relate an somewhat repetitive questions suggests that you are very anxious about the exposure you describe.  I'll try to help.

You did not get HIV from the exposure you describe.  You can be completely confident of this.  As you describe her, the chances that your partner had HIV are small, less than 1 in 10,000.  Even if she did, HIV is not spread efficiently through heterosexual intercourse occurring, on average once for every 1000 acts of intercourse.  Thus the odds are very, very much in your favor, even before we consider your test results.  

When we consider your test results, we can chance the statement that "the odds are in your favor" to "you did not get HIV". Currently available tests are better than they used to be and at 8 weeks virtually everyone who has gotten HIV has a positive test.  Thus your test at 61 days is definitive.  

Further in answer to one of your other questions- if you had symptoms relate to acquisition of HIV, your test would be positive within a week of the beginning of those symptoms.

Bottom line, you did not get HIV. Be confident in this. There is no need for further tests.  Persons who recommend that you cannot be sure until 3 months are being overly conservative and using older, out of date information.  EWH