Paranoid and terrified :( 5 weeks after, no symptoms but still worried

[satinjacket]

So I'm one of those super paranoid and neurotic girls who thinks I can get HIV easily. I know to practice safe sex (which I do) and not use IV drugs (which I don't, I don't do any drugs). 5 weeks ago I slept with someone and we used condom but it kind of came off (not completely) during.

I went in for an HIV test 2 weeks after I slept with him and it came back negative. I know that's too short of a time to properly assess, but I just had to get tested. I also haven't had any of the "flu like" symptoms they say you can get after exposure thus far (it's 5 weeks later). I know you can't judge a book by it's cover but he's Swiss, a banker, is straight and no IV drugs so doesn't strike me as someone who could be HIV+ but you never know.

I'm just scared because after I slept with him, I went to my gyno (where I had the HIV test done) and it turned out I tested positive for trichamonas. I went on antibiotics for that, but I'm just sooo paranoid about HIV. So basically with me not experiencing any symptoms in over a month after after I slept with him, and negative test (even though it was performed only 2 weeks after)...can I stop freaking myself out? I will get tested again after 12 weeks/3 months have passed but I'm just soooo paranoid :(

[HowardH]

I think you know intellectually (if not emotionally) that the chance of HIV in this situation is almost zero. The chance a partner like yours has HIV is zero for all practical purposes.

Your 2 week test actually is modestly reassuring as well. Although too early to be conclusive, about half of all infected people would have positive results by then (depending in part on what exact test you had).

You don't need to wait 3 months for a conclusive result. Talk to your doctor or clinic about having a DUO ("4th generation") blood test, which is conclusive at 4 weeks.

Or speak with your partner, tell him your fears, and ask him to be tested. If he has a negative HIV test (any kind of test will do), then you'll know for sure you were not exposed and couldn't have caught HIV.

In the meantime, try not to worry. There's really no chance you were infected with HIV.

Final comment: I hope you were tested for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis. Trichomonas is an STD, and marks high risk for these other STDs. Also, if you haven't told your Swiss partner about this diagnosis, if you haven't done so already. He needs to be informed and treated for it.