Keep me in your thoughts

[FK2]

Firstly, what a great forum this is, i can only say thanks to everyone who is involved

My case?

Did something really stupid, was having unprotected anal sex (insertive) with another chap who i believe (as did he) to be negative. He has recently tested positive, was good enough to contact me, and whatever the result of my test i will continue to support him as a friend, that's just who i am. I don't blame him, i've been stupid and i don't need anyone else to tell me that.

Last risk activity was now just over 4 weeks past, but did have a few risk encounters over a few months before that. However, i did get tested last week (probably around 24-25 days from my last risk encounter) on the NHS in the UK (elisa 3rd gen i believe over here) and it came back negative. Well, it was such a relief but i of course know i'm not out of the woods yet, although it is encouraging that a lot of people do test positive within a 3 to 4 week timescale and i might just escape this

However, i have to say that the hardest thing is actually waiting out the window period. When i got that negative result i was relieved, but then like most people i started looking for symptoms of ARS!!!! I have had a dry cough, and that immediately got me worried, but it's more like a chest infection and i do tend to pick them up when returning from a hot country to the UK. Thankfully, most of my symptoms have appeared to be stress related (i've had probs with work related stress before so i've seen them), i certainly haven't had any fever or rash, and although i won't diagnose with symtoms, no symptoms is always better than having them i guess

All i can say to people reading these forums and maybe thinking 'i'm not at risk, etc' .... STOP! Don't do what i've done, take care of yourself and take precautions. Hopefully i'll be lucky this time, the odds certainly look in my favour now .... but that doesn't mean they will be, and it doesn't mean you will be either. Pay attention to what people write in here :)

Please keep me in your thoughts, i will be going for a 6 week test on the 29th June, and if that is negative it will certainly help me with my anxiety, but i of course intend to keep going to at least 3 months, possibly 6

Thanks for running such a wonderful forum

[FK2]

I'm assuming very few people would show up as positive within 25 days (the time i had the test?)

[FK2]

Thanks Teak, i'm keeping my fingers crossed

[Teak]

3 months will be conclusive even in the UK.