5-7wks exposed

[Bobby89]

Hi doctors. First i would like to thank both medical staffs for helping me as i respect either of your expertise. I am not sure on the date but am fairly positive that my sexual exposure falls between 5.5 to 7 weeks. I am a 23 year old male and had protected sex for one minute at least with a Transexual escort in the south city of Chicago. She exploited her penis into me for as little as a minute or two with a condom of course. I was tested positive for HSV 1 or 2 but the physician was unaware of which one on paper oddly. For two weeks i have had a severe sore throat, bad coughing, swollen lymph nodes on the right side of my jaw/neck, chills and hot flashes. I took the antibiotic Zithromax 500mg for 5 days and it removed the sore throat and the majority of my cough. However, i still have the swollen lymph node, slight cough, random light headedness and dizzyness frequently during the day. Also, i lost 10 pounds a week after my medication and continue to still have no appetite. I went to a random doctors office since my school insurance expired and had a blood test done (like i said anywhere from 5-7 of exposure) and my blood test came back negative. Are these results accurate to go on please so i can relax. And can the antibiotic and other drugs like advil, tylenol and cough syrup ruin a false negative? I would just like to relax and move on with my life. Please and thank you.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Sorry, you'll have to clarify with the nurse exactly what the second test was.  It sounds like it might have been the duo or combo test, i.e. for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen, but I don't understand what you or she mean by "1.2 something test".  If it was, then the result is 100% reliable any time 4 weeks or more after exposure and you do not need any further testing.  Re-read the thread linked above for more detail about it.

[Bobby89]

Thank you doctor! I just spoke to the nurse and she said she performed two different testings. The first was an antibody HIV test and the second was a 1.2 something test...Since i took two does that mean i am fine? and should not worry at all and just take one next month to be safe.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

Welcome to the forum.  Thanks for your question.

The important information here is your negative HIV test result.  Depending on the exact test done, it is either 100% conclusive (if you had a duo test for both HIV antibody and p24 antigen) or very close to it (95%+ reliable if you had a stand-alone blood antibody test).  The HIV blood tests are among the most accurate and reliable diagnostic tests ever developed, for any medical condition, and they are very robust -- i.e. almost no external conditions (medications, other illnesses, etc) have absolutely no effect on test reliability -- and for sure your azithromycin, tylenol, etc make no difference.

I could get into your exposure history and symptoms, but there's no need:  because the lab tests are so good, the results always overrule symptoms and exposure.  Even if you had had an especially high risk exposure (you didn't) or if your symptoms suggested HIV (they don't -- acute HIV doesn't cause cough), the test results rule and prove you aren't infected.

Below is a thread that discusses times required for definitive results with the standard HIV tests, and the reasons that official advice still suggests an antibody test at 3 months for definitive proof, even though earlier testing is reliable.  Depending on the test you had, you may decide to have another 2-3 months after the sexual exposure.  But in the meantime, you can be very confident you don't have HIV.  All is well.

Here's that other thread:  http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/1704700

I hope this has been helpful.  Best wishes--  HHH, MD