Aa
could I be positive
I am a 31 year old female who is scared to death I may be HIV positive. In November of 2007 I noticed a ton of tiny bumps on my soft palate. I don't know if they have always been there and I just never noticed them or not. The bumps are flesh colored and are painless but I cant stop obsessing over them. I have read that many mouth problems can be a sign of HIV infection. Scared to go to the clinic I did a home test (Home access HIV-1) in March of 2008 and tested negative. I also tested at home again in August of 2008, with negative results again. I am scared that the tests results were inaccurate either because of the sample I provided or I just didnt have the antibody yet. Please help me as this is consuming my life.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It is not an opinion. It is a fact. They are reliable. EWH
I am definately going to get tested again to hopefully reassure myself that i am fine. In your opinion are home tests accurate and reliable?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to our Forum. Unless there are other reasons for you to be concerned about HIV, I see no reason for you to be worried about having HIV. The idea that "mouth problems" can be a sign of HIV and that the bumps that you noted over two years ago could be a manifestation of HIV is just not very likely, particularly since you have had an HIV test which is negative. Instead of playing the "could it be" and "what if..." games, I strongly recommend that you do two things:
1. I recommend that if you have not done so, you ask a knowledgeable health care provider ( a dentist perhaps) to take a look and tell you what they see.
2. Secondly and even more importantly, get an HIV blood test and commit to believing the results. I am confident your original test results were correct but, just to prove it to yourself, get another test. . Since you have already had a test which is negative, I am confident this one will be too. Furthermore, testing does not give a person HIV but it does give them the power to know what is going on and whether or not they have the infection. Most tests are negative and if you were so unfortunate as to have HIV, the test would allow you to seek treatment sooner. There is no reason to delay or avoid HIV testing.
Hope this helps. EWH
1. I recommend that if you have not done so, you ask a knowledgeable health care provider ( a dentist perhaps) to take a look and tell you what they see.
2. Secondly and even more importantly, get an HIV blood test and commit to believing the results. I am confident your original test results were correct but, just to prove it to yourself, get another test. . Since you have already had a test which is negative, I am confident this one will be too. Furthermore, testing does not give a person HIV but it does give them the power to know what is going on and whether or not they have the infection. Most tests are negative and if you were so unfortunate as to have HIV, the test would allow you to seek treatment sooner. There is no reason to delay or avoid HIV testing.
Hope this helps. EWH
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