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Please help me Dr. Handsfield
Question for Dr. Handsfield,
Dear Dr. Handsfield, thanks for the your time and indispensable helps to help people weak people like me. I'm a first time user of this forum, but I've been reading your web for 6 months now and you are my hope of living. I'm not a native English speaker and I'm sure you will have a hard time understanding my post. Please doctor...I really need your help about my stupid exposure 6 months ago.
To begin with my exposure, I was in vacation to africa in the end of May 2014 in June 1,2014, I made the worst mistake in my life. I had an unprotected sex with an older lady who works as a judge in the local community which I didn't know her status. I was just drunk to a situation which I couldn't control myself. Starting the day after, I asked the lady about her status and she was open to take the test with me just assure me her status. But didn't get the time to go testing. My worst fears came true after 10 days with an elevated body temperature, followed by diarrhea and mild tonsils. In 2 weeks period, I went to a doctor and made a finger prink hiv test and the result was negative although it was to early. In 16 days, I did the pcr DNA test for $200 sent as international sample and the result was negative. After I returned to the US I had the oraquick hiv in home mouth swab at least ones in 2 weeks and all symptoms were still persisting including rashes on my chest and back, mild sore throat, mild fever, constipation and hot flashes and the most thing that make me worry is I still have a white tongue specially when I wake up in the morning which I never experienced it before. I had an hiv and all std check ups in my 5 month with a blood drown the public clinic here in the US and all came back negative. I tested with oraquick in home test In my 6 month and the result is negative but I can't leave all this behind and anxiety is consuming me alive. My question to you is Dr:
1. How long can the HIV virus hide in the body with out detection?
2. Can I trust my negative results while I'm experiencing every single hiv symptom?
Dear Dr. Handsfield, thanks for the your time and indispensable helps to help people weak people like me. I'm a first time user of this forum, but I've been reading your web for 6 months now and you are my hope of living. I'm not a native English speaker and I'm sure you will have a hard time understanding my post. Please doctor...I really need your help about my stupid exposure 6 months ago.
To begin with my exposure, I was in vacation to africa in the end of May 2014 in June 1,2014, I made the worst mistake in my life. I had an unprotected sex with an older lady who works as a judge in the local community which I didn't know her status. I was just drunk to a situation which I couldn't control myself. Starting the day after, I asked the lady about her status and she was open to take the test with me just assure me her status. But didn't get the time to go testing. My worst fears came true after 10 days with an elevated body temperature, followed by diarrhea and mild tonsils. In 2 weeks period, I went to a doctor and made a finger prink hiv test and the result was negative although it was to early. In 16 days, I did the pcr DNA test for $200 sent as international sample and the result was negative. After I returned to the US I had the oraquick hiv in home mouth swab at least ones in 2 weeks and all symptoms were still persisting including rashes on my chest and back, mild sore throat, mild fever, constipation and hot flashes and the most thing that make me worry is I still have a white tongue specially when I wake up in the morning which I never experienced it before. I had an hiv and all std check ups in my 5 month with a blood drown the public clinic here in the US and all came back negative. I tested with oraquick in home test In my 6 month and the result is negative but I can't leave all this behind and anxiety is consuming me alive. My question to you is Dr:
1. How long can the HIV virus hide in the body with out detection?
2. Can I trust my negative results while I'm experiencing every single hiv symptom?
As you have been told repeatedly, test results always overrule exposure history or symptoms. You are indeed "being hypochondriac"; there is no such thing as any strain of HIV that is undectable, in East Africa or anywhere else.
You have had accurate advice repeatedly. Your inability to believe and understand what you have been told indicates a seriously abnormal level of anxiety and disordered thinking. Professional counseling is in order.
In any case, there is no point in asking anything more on this forum. The answers are not going to change.
You have had accurate advice repeatedly. Your inability to believe and understand what you have been told indicates a seriously abnormal level of anxiety and disordered thinking. Professional counseling is in order.
In any case, there is no point in asking anything more on this forum. The answers are not going to change.
6 months and everything come back negative. My mind is going out of control now. Am I being hypercondriac or it some strain of hiv which is undetectable since my exposure was in east africa. Your comments regarding this is highly appreciated and can give me some relief of mind. Thsnks
I was trying to put everything behind and move on after all your encouraging comments; however, I received a shocking news from my family doctor. On 0113/15, I went to check up with my persistent white tongue and recurrent oral ulcers and my doctor diagnosed me with an oral thrush which I'm getting treated with nystatin 500,000 units. He found a vertical crack on the middle of my tongue which is kind of irritating to eat spicy things and hot drinks. Now everything I think in my mind is hiv not any other causes. I tested today with the oraquick home kit and it came back negative in 33 weeks or 7 months and 18 days after exposure. I scheduled for a whole blood work for next week but I can't control all this paranoia. If hiv is not my cause, what is causing all my symptoms? My girlfriend also tested for all stds including hiv after 6 m
Nursegirl said it best : "Bottom line here, you do NOT have HIV...scientifically, factually. If you cannot accept that, then you may want to consider some professional help."
Thanks for your help:
We both tested in the 5th month of my exposure though. Hers was after 4 month having sex with me and I don't know what generation test it was but it was a fu panel of std test including syphillis at the public clinic with a blood drown test. They told us the hiv and syphillis was negative after 30 min but recommended to call them back for the rest of the std results after one week. We called them and everything came back negative. After that, I had both 5 oraquick in home test and they were all negative. 6 months passed now and still having persistent neck and throat pain and some mouth ulcers including a white coated tongue.
We both tested in the 5th month of my exposure though. Hers was after 4 month having sex with me and I don't know what generation test it was but it was a fu panel of std test including syphillis at the public clinic with a blood drown test. They told us the hiv and syphillis was negative after 30 min but recommended to call them back for the rest of the std results after one week. We called them and everything came back negative. After that, I had both 5 oraquick in home test and they were all negative. 6 months passed now and still having persistent neck and throat pain and some mouth ulcers including a white coated tongue.
No matter how bad you want someone to tell you that the HIV test is wrong, and you have HIV. It's not going to happen. Two of the most experienced posters on this forum have correctly answered your question in accordance with current and medically accepted HIV knowledge.
If you or your girlfriend is concerned about her status, then perhaps she should get tested. However, if she is HIV+ she didn't get from you.
If you or your girlfriend is concerned about her status, then perhaps she should get tested. However, if she is HIV+ she didn't get from you.
Thanks for your quick reply, but what most concerned me is my girlfriend. She is experiencing the same symptoms I hav.
1. How long can the HIV virus hide in the body with out detection? Like Vance said, HIV doesn't "hide". VERY shortly after an exposure, if one is infected, he/she will begin producing antibodies. With the advanced, very sensitive HIV tests, most newly infected people will test + very rapidly, within mere weeks of exposure. If you were infected, you wouldn't have negative after negative result.
2. Can I trust my negative results while I'm experiencing every single hiv symptom?
YES
Symptoms are meaningless compared to test results. Symptoms of HIV are very generalized, and are the same for COUNTLESS other infections/illnesses. There's NOTHING unique about HIV symptoms.
Bottom line here, you do NOT have HIV...scientifically, factually. If you cannot accept that, then you may want to consider some professional help.
2. Can I trust my negative results while I'm experiencing every single hiv symptom?
YES
Symptoms are meaningless compared to test results. Symptoms of HIV are very generalized, and are the same for COUNTLESS other infections/illnesses. There's NOTHING unique about HIV symptoms.
Bottom line here, you do NOT have HIV...scientifically, factually. If you cannot accept that, then you may want to consider some professional help.
Thank you Vance, but I can't leave this behind while I'm experiencing severe symptoms.
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