Normal or not?

[Scaredtohavehiv]

First off, thank you all for what you do. I have been reading some of the trends and it's amazing to see that people spend their free time to help other

I'm going to keep this short.

I had an exposure jan 2010 and tested at the following times
Aug 2010, sept 2010, dec 2010, feb 2011, mar 2011, June 2011, feb 2012, march 2012 and may 2012.

All were negative except for the may one. It was reactive( don't know the index value) but it was followed by a negative western blot. The dr wants to see me again. I told her when my exposure was and I couldn't tell her reaction over the phone when she called today. I told her I had previously tested as well. Should I at all my concerned? I have no idea what she is going to tell me at the appointment?

My jaw dropped when she told me and then she told me not to worry, she's seen it happen once before and she said its in my favor that I'm not in "a high risk group"...whatever that means.
Once?! So reassuring, I told her

Thanks again

[Vance2335]

Then seek a therapist because this forum can't offer you anymore help then what we have done.

[Scaredtohavehiv]

Thank you, I will look into getting help. I know I need it.
I check this site as if it's a norm of my day.
Im paranoid, mainly because all the other tests were rapid tests and the only positive one was the lab one (rapids are more commonly used where I'm from). For that reason, I am not familiar with the way that they work, hence all the questions about it.

[nursegirl6572]

Your behavior is indicative of someone who is obsessed and paranoid.  Because of this obsession, you tested so much and actually caused a high anxiety situation (the false + test).

Here is a quote from our own Dr. HHH about the index values on test results:

Welcome to the forum.

A negative is negative is a negative.  There is no difference whatsoever in variable index values, as long as all values are below the positive cut-off.  The numerical differences have to do with the biochemistry of the test, not because a higher value specimen as "a little bit" of anti-HIV antibody.  If the same blood specimen were tested 10 times, there would always be 10 different numerical values, which could be quite different from one another.

Regards--  HHH, MD .


I STRONGLY recommend professional help.  Your thinking is becoming irrational, despite overhwhelming scientific proof that should have put your mind at ease a long time ago.

You really need to move along from this forum.  You are excessively posting and going to find yourself banned.  There is nothing more we can tell you.  We can't repeat ourselves over and over just to reassure you.  Plus, with your current state of mind, you will only be reassured for a short time until you come up with another "what if" scenario.  Get yourself some help!

[Scaredtohavehiv]

Vance, can I get your opinion about the index value for the Elisa tests. Do you find it of importance when it comes to a positive/reactive test?

[Vance2335]

That has been said over and over again.

[Scaredtohavehiv]

I've read it close to 5 times. Just want to double check to make sure no more testing is needed..

[Vance2335]

Read everything that has been written to you again.

[Scaredtohavehiv]

:( I know, it's very difficult to process.
So I can definitely move on with this WITH confidence that I am negative and no further testing is required for this exposure?

[LIZZIE LOU]

kindly move along...you do not have a hiv concern and you are investing waaaaaaay too much time trying to prove you do.

[Scaredtohavehiv]

So I'm 100% negative, no matter what that value was??

[Teak]

The western blot trumps all results from postive HIV tests.

[Scaredtohavehiv]

Oh. I don't believe any bands were present. She said that it was "completely negative" as far as the western blot goes. My concern is the Elisa and the index value that I may have gotten to cause it to become reactive. I read online, the higher the value, the more likely you have HIV. Not knowing this value is making me anxious.

[Teak]

For a positive WB you have to have 3 bands not 1.

[Scaredtohavehiv]

Teak, what do you mean by " you didn't come close to a positive test"? The Elisa came back positive. They value must have been higher than the cut off line, correct?

[Teak]

You need to move along you don't have HIV. You have a negative WB test while there was no reason to give you a WB. The cut off on the index value is 1.0, You didn't come close to a positive test result.

[Scaredtohavehiv]

Thanks Lizzie. That makes me a little bit more anxious. I'm scared that I may have a high index value, like 2+. Do you think it would be wise to call and see what it was?

[LIZZIE LOU]

regarding the index value:

"Since this confusion surrounding signal-to-cut off ratios comes up fairly frequently let me take a moment to try and explain it once again. The signal-to-cut off ratio varies from laboratory instrument to laboratory instrument and it also varies with each run of the test assay. A cut off value is analogous to a noise signal from the instrument when a blank sample is run. The "signal" is a real signal coming from the anti-bodies that are being tested in the plasma. If the ratio greater than or equal to 1, it means that the anti-body signal is equal to or higher than the threshold value, which also means that there are significant amount of anti-bodies in the sample being tested.

On the other and, a signal-to-cut off ratio is less than 1 (any value less than 1) means that the signal from the anti-bodies is much less than the baseline value (value from a blank run). The test is designed such that when it detects the anti-bodies, the minimum value it records is 1. A true positive test is usually higher than 1. Values close to 1 can indicate infection or more likely a false positive. The bottom line take home message is that if you have HIV anti-bodies in your blood, you will see signal-to-cut off ratio values greater than 1. Values less than 1 indicate HIV antibodies are not present. (It doesn't matter how much less than one 1. A ratio of .22 is not "more negative" than a ratio of .45."

[Scaredtohavehiv]

One last question.
I was reading through someone else's trend and got a bit concerned.
They were talking about the index number. My question is, when they test with the Elisa, is it the index value that determines a positive or negative test? Or is it a control and test line like the rapids? Would my value make a difference, if it is really high or not?

[Scaredtohavehiv]

Thanks Lizzie. I definitely needed to hear that. Doctors nowadays don't tell people the things they need to hear to get through a horrific situation. They sometimes just light the flame

[LIZZIE LOU]

a negative western blot trumps a positive antibody test.

you DONT have hiv...no way...no how ! ! !

[Scaredtohavehiv]

I agree. Every time I heard anything about HIV, I remembered my exposure and went and tested. It seriously has taken over my life and interfered with school. I can't believe I've gotten to this point. A positive result was the one thing I was scared to get, even a false positive.

So the only test I needed to confirm that it was a false positive was the western blot, correct? And if, for whatever reason, I was seroconverting, the Western blot would have 1 or more bands present?

Thanks teak
Thank you nurse girl

[nursegirl6572]

NO MORE TESTING!  You already WAY over tested, which is basically why you ended up with a false positive. This is why we never recommend ,ultiple tests, because eventually, yiu're bound to have something like this happen.

You do NOT have HIV, end of story!!!

[Teak]

No you do not need further testing.

[Scaredtohavehiv]

Thanks to the both of you. Do you suggest another test to definitely rule the Elisa as a false positive and not a positive due to seroconverting?