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Would echinacea, folid acid and beta carotene affect the window period?
Dear Doctor,
First of all, thank you for answering our questions!
I was wondering if taking high doses of echinacea, folid acid and beta carotene could delay the window period of HIV.
The last unprotected encounter with my ex boyfriend was in the beginning of December. He never ejaculated, just would withdraw before that. However, he never tested for HIV (despite my asking repeated times until I broke up with him) and that makes me scared. Moreover, I later had an abnormal pap. For this reason, my naturopath gave me high doses of folic acid, echinacea and beta carotene for a month, from mid January to mid February. I took 2 quick HIV tests this week (March 10, at 13 weeks from last possible exposure) and both came back negative. I understand that a window period of 3 months is most common and only in very rare cases one would seroconvert after that. I have no immune problems at all and take no drugs. However, I am worried whether the vitamins could affect the window period. Can I trust my results or should I get retested at 6 months?
Thank you so much.
First of all, thank you for answering our questions!
I was wondering if taking high doses of echinacea, folid acid and beta carotene could delay the window period of HIV.
The last unprotected encounter with my ex boyfriend was in the beginning of December. He never ejaculated, just would withdraw before that. However, he never tested for HIV (despite my asking repeated times until I broke up with him) and that makes me scared. Moreover, I later had an abnormal pap. For this reason, my naturopath gave me high doses of folic acid, echinacea and beta carotene for a month, from mid January to mid February. I took 2 quick HIV tests this week (March 10, at 13 weeks from last possible exposure) and both came back negative. I understand that a window period of 3 months is most common and only in very rare cases one would seroconvert after that. I have no immune problems at all and take no drugs. However, I am worried whether the vitamins could affect the window period. Can I trust my results or should I get retested at 6 months?
Thank you so much.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Glad to help. Take czare. EWH
Thank you so much for your prompt response Doctor.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum. While it has not been studied in carefully conducted scientific studies on echinacea, folate or beta-carotene, there is no evidence that anything other than medications specifically designed to treat HIV will change the amount of time required for a person to develop HIV if they had acquired the infection. This includes vitamins, medications taken for other things, etc. In your case, as a heterosexual woman who has been exposed to a partner who has not been tested, the risk that he had HIV is less than 1 in a thousand. This fact, combined with your negative tests at 3 months provide conclusive evidence that you did not acquired HIV from him. There is no need for 6 month test. You do not need further testing and your abnormal pap smear is in no way related to your HIV status.
I urge you to trust your test results and not worry. You did not get HIV from your ex. EWH
I urge you to trust your test results and not worry. You did not get HIV from your ex. EWH
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