Hiv Symtoms after high risk exposure and Negative tests

[Gopal019]

I had 2 high risk exposures with 2 different prostitutes (feb 1st week and March 1st week 2019), condom broke and so had unprotected sex for few minutes. I am uncircumcised male from India, after my last exposure I had flu like symptoms lasted for 3-4 days and stomach issues, since then I had HIV test from DRlal and metropolis at 1, 3, 6 and 8 months including RNA PCR and duo test which include p24 antigen.

All the tests have been negative, however I still have symptoms like headaches, fatigue, white tongue, stomach problems and had lost almost 4kg weight which I am still trying to recover.

I know I had high risk exposure and all the classical as well as non classical symptoms of ARS at the right time, however all my tests have been negative including ICTC test at 6 months.

I also had STD panel test which showed positive for HSV and clymadia but negative for Hepb, HCV, syphilis. Can anyone tell me if these symptoms can be associated with HSV or clymadia.

I know that these symptoms cannot be from anxiety because after my 6 month test, I stopped thinking about HIV but the symptoms are still persisting.

Are tests from private labs in India reliable? are these tests able to detect sybtype C which is prominent in India? Should I take these tests as conclusive and move on even though I still have symptoms?

Thanks for reading out my question, any help would be highly appreciated.

[Gopal019]

Hi Guys, I am back with new findings. With negative HIV after 11 months I also got a CD 4 CD8 count done and it came out to be cd 396 and cd8 575 and an inverted ratio. I check on internet and found that inverted cd4cd8 ratio is a hallmark of HIV infection, all the anxiety and doubts are back. Can anyone tell if any other virus or disease can cause inverted ratio and low cd4 count?

[Kirstie_MHModerator]

This forum is specific to HIV prevention and testing, and our members cannot diagnose the non-HIV cause of your test results.  As it has been established that you tested conclusively negative for HIV many months ago, there is no further advice that our forums members can offer regarding this event and your conclusively negative HIV test.

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[Gopal019]

Hi Mike, just one more question. While getting these tests from pvt labs is it important to have doc priscription? I got these tests without providing any prescription do you think they would still provide correct reports?

[mike_no]

Gopal019, at this point you will have to introspect what are you exactly saying?! You have claimed no longer being anxious about this incident. However, from what you write it is clearly seen that you are being obsessive. No laboratory would return you a test with out a valid result, you have no reason whatsoever to doubt it's authenticity.

I urge you to see a therapist to seek help, we have already established that your tests are conclusive and there is nothing left to be desired. It's time to move on.

We have offered you the best we could do from here.

[Gopal019]

Hi Mike, yes thanks for your help. and yes I found a good therapist today she gave some advice as well as homeopathic medicine for nest 2 weeks. Hope to get my anxiety resolved soon.

[mike_no]

We wish you good luck.

[mike_no]

You need to work on acceptance of the fact that you don't have HIV.

You were obviously very anxious from the time of your event, it is seen from your testing history. Most people who go through this ordeal of being a 'worried well' start their testing from a NAT, probably, inorder to seek comfort to their highly anxious mind. However, it almost always fails to stop at that and the testing saga goes on!

Doubting an RNA PCR, duo at 1 months and array of tests thereafter is synonymous of HIV paranoia.

Metropolis and Dr.Lals are technologically very advanced and are one of the most premium laboratories in India, you must let the logic prevail and understand you can't doubt your result anymore. In the last decade that I have spent here, I have always seen, any one who has persistently denied their result have finally arrived at the contemplation of the rare / specific subtype or long term non-progressor, either of it is not your  problem. Because:

1. All HIV antibody tests that are available in India looks for HIV 1 and 2. HIV-1 can be classified into four groups, namely: M, N,O, P, of these, M is the ‘major’ group and within group M there are nine genetically distinct subtypes -A, B, C, D, F, G, H, J and K. Therefore, subtype C was decisively being tested each time and you have tested conclusively negative.

2. If were an elite controller or a long term non-progressor, your antibody tests have been producing a positive result by now.

The mind is very powerful, even though you tell yourself every day that you have moved on from the worries of HIV, you subconsciously do think about it and every little change in your body is monitored, it freaks you out, the only way you can get rid of this is to fix the issue from it's core, which is either 'guilt' or 'fear' of a situation, circumstance or simply the stigma of this virus, only you know what is that real issue, you will have to see a therapist to address that issue, take it on your stride and move on from it.

We wish you the best.

[Gopal019]

Hi Mike, thanks for your reply. Yes, my anxiety levels had been off the charts till first 3 months, but after that I was not that anxious anymore as the probability of false negative was very low, but the actual symptoms started appearing only after 4 months, with frequent headaches, fatigue (felt like feverish all the time), sore throat and tingling sensations in hands and feet which pulled me right back to that same position.
The problem is actually not the HIV anymore, but the cause of symptoms, which I am not able to figure out. And every-time I try to find the cause with symptoms, I am ending up towards HIV only.

I will be looking to get an appointment with a therapist now, would you be able to recommend any therapist here in Delhi?

[mike_no]

I am glad, you are considering help, meds and therapy can certainly make a difference. I am not aware of a professional based out of Delhi. It would be a good idea to look through Practo, don't forget to read their reviews before getting an appointment.

[Gopal019]

Yes, Thanks I will definitely look at practo.

[Unknown_108]

Idk about other stds but i can assure you that you dont have hiv. If a subtype is prominent in india, then the tests would be designed for detecting that particular subtype right?


Your tests 4th gen and pcrs are repeatedly negative for hiv . you can be sure that it is not hiv.

Broken condom doesnt equal unprotected sex. Even when the condom has failed, though chances increase from zero but it doesnt become equally as risky as unprotected sex. I hope you do wel with hsv and chalmydia. God bless.

[Gopal019]

Thanks unknown_108 for your response. Yes, if a subtype is prominent in India the tests must have detected it, however I wonder if they are equally sensitive for subtype C as they are for subtype B.

I am also concern about the index value I am getting on my tests. I have got the index value as high as 0.55 on CMIA test which was done at 6 Month but then it went back to 0.11 at my 8 month test, felt like I was increasing from 1st month test.

[CurfewX]

The index value, if below 1.0, is absolutely meaningless and will change every time you take a test.  You have no reason to test further - whatever problems you might be having, HIV is not the cause.  You are conclusively negative.

[Gopal019]

Hi CurfewX, thanks for response. Do you think these symptoms can be from HSV or clymadia? I have tried, antibiotics, probiotics and lot of other drugs from different doctors but seems like these alignments keep coming up. Also for direct virus detection do you think PCR RNA test is better or Proviral DNA?

[mike_no]

You took the right test, PCR RNA was approved for diagnostic purpose in the year 2010. I am confident you took your RNA test at time period of 7-15 days because that's exactly when the virus is infecting the host cell and the viral RNA is prominent. Post that the viral RNA is systematically converted in to DNA and therefore, DNA PCR is best recommended at 28 days post exposure but by then a duo is even better than a proviral DNA NAT.

Irrespective of whatever information you get here today, you are going to struggle with the acceptance of the fact that you don't have HIV because you never moved on. See a therapist, fix your guilt / fear. That's the only way forward.

[Gopal019]

I took RNA PCR test after 15 days, but was not from DRlal or metropolis but from Drsafe hands which I do not know if sophisticated as DRlal or metropolis. And it was only after my last exposure which was almost 1 month after my 1st exposure. I did not took proviral DNA as one of the doctor told me that PCR DNA have a high false positive rates and asked me go with RNA test only.
I really appreciate your efforts in replying to my query, and believe me none have ever been more insightful as you, not even the doctors (HIV specialists) who have a standard answer and dont want patients to ask questions once they have said 'conclusive'.

On a different note, Judging with your understanding of situation, I strongly believe that you have been at a similar situation as I am at some level?