testing and completion

[frightenedman]

Dear Sean,

I  would like to post another question regarding my exposure and scenario. Hopefully you will recognise my name  and the two posts i have posted previously regarding my potential exposure Bangkok. I wont go over everything again but needless to say in your opinion you felt that i was not at risk.

I have had two sets of tests done. One was at 10 days which was a suite of tests for everything including HIV. This was all negative but i know very early.

The second result i have just had the results back which were negative. This was a western blot hiv serology test and it was taken at five weeks and two days after event.

I really want to put this behind me and i (as you can tell) have been very scared over this. My questions are

1. As i have had some symptoms for 10 days ish of swollen glands, elevated temp for 4 days (around ten days ago) and sore throat (still have slighty swollen galnds and sore throat) and then had hiv second test. My question is if this was in any way related to hiv that this would have been picked up in my five week test as i had symtoms for 2 weeks prior to the test.
2.How confident can i be now going forward that this test can put my fears at bay and now realise that this is something else and i can get back to my life. I know that this is probably a question relating to my own fears and rational i guess im gauging on likely hood that this would pick up and potential infection.
3. The doctor at the surgery who in my opinion does not seem very well informed says that i should have a three month test untill i can be confident. Whats your opinion in that.

I would also like to thank you for your words. I feel a bit better now after five week test as in my mind i am sure that if my symptoms were related to hiv then this would have been picked up.

many thanks

[Dr Sean Cummings]

I can't help you I'm afraid.

We seem to be going around and around. I've already told you that there was no risk but you find that difficult to accept.

You need to see someone and get some face to face advice.

I won't be coming back to this question - even if you post it yet again. Go back, read what I've said originally and then, if you are still uncertain, go and see a doctor face to face.

best wishes, Sean

[frightenedman]

Sean,

i was the guy that was very scared that went to bangkok and had covered oral, handjob and a finger up bum which im pretty sure was covered but couldnt be 100%. At the end she also washed my penis by hand with shower water. Your first reply to me was that the finger up the bum was irrelevant, that all the things done were innocent and would definitely not lead to hiv and you told me to move on.

Ive been struggling with anxiety over the situation as i had swollen glands and a bit of a temperature after about two weeks. I have been so stressed about the whole thing that im wondering whether my anxiety is fueling the symptoms.

I had a test at 5 weeks 2 days in Australia (which i think was western blot but not sure) which came back negative. I wanted to put this behind me and try and get my life back and was hoping that as you said that everything i did was innocent and with 5 week test that i could move on. I suppose that you said that in your first post. Sorry to go on its just im very scared and dont really know what to do. Having the tests were the scariest thing ive done. Im married and wouldnt want to risk anything with my wife and we havent been intimate in five weeks. As i didnt have penetrative sex and my risk is so low would it be safe to put this behind me.

Many thanks appreciate that you get many people here asking the same thing i just really need some help and dont know where to go with this.

[Dr Sean Cummings]

hello

I do not recall the circumstances. I see hundreds of patients and answer lots of questions and I'm afraid yours has not left a lasting memory.

With reference to your questions:-

1. As i have had some symptoms for 10 days ish of swollen glands, elevated temp for 4 days (around ten days ago) and sore throat (still have slighty swollen galnds and sore throat) and then had hiv second test. My question is if this was in any way related to hiv that this would have been picked up in my five week test as i had symtoms for 2 weeks prior to the test.

As I say, I do not recall the detail. Western Blots are inferior tests in the early diagnosis of HIV and consistently perform worse than 3rd or 4th generation HIV tests in comparator studies. They used to be useful in terms of confirming a positive initial test but are inferior to the tests I have mentioned. I would not rely on a negative Western Blot at 5 weeks. As I say, I do not recall the circumstances so I cannot make my answer more specific.


2.How confident can i be now going forward that this test can put my fears at bay and now realise that this is something else and i can get back to my life. I know that this is probably a question relating to my own fears and rational i guess im gauging on likely hood that this would pick up and potential infection.

as in my answer to 1.

3. The doctor at the surgery who in my opinion does not seem very well informed says that i should have a three month test untill i can be confident. Whats your opinion in that.

A third generation antibody alone test will give you greater than 99% certainty at 6 weeks. A fourth generation test at 28 days will give you greater than 99.89% certainty. You need to choose depending on what is available to you.

best wishes, sean

[frightenedman]

Hi Sean,

is there any chance you could assist with the question I have posted ?

Many thanks