[Question #11540] Follow up

13 months ago

Hi Doctors,

Just following up to comment that you were right about a negative result over my prolonged oral at 4 weeks with an Alere Duo. Of course, immediately after, I started to freak out that the doctor and I misread the results (I went to the STD Center of NYC) and the direction the test must have been facing, given how flustered and nervous I was.

I do have a few questions:

1) the test was read at a little over 10 minutes. Do you think it’s likely he read it wrong and I actually did show for antibodies and that it was still too early for the control line to show? (I did see the “red streaks” on the side of the entire test.

2) how conclusive is the Alere rapid test at 4 weeks and should I test again?

3) regarding a partners test: if a partner tests negative on a duo 5 days after an encounter, is it possible they are still infectious? Could you explain why not if so- I’ve seen this comment made by Dr. Hook and I’m hoping this can serve to educate others as well.

4) I haven’t had a symptoms of syphillis but should I test for this as well?

Thank you.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

13 months ago

Welcome back, but I'm sorry you found it necessary. Please be aware of the forum rule against repeated anxiety driven questions. This will have to be your last about your recent exposure, nervousness about HIV, and testing for it.

As discussed previously, you were at zero risk for HIV from the exposure you are concerned about. You should not be getting tested on that account.

1) I'm sure your clinic provider is very experienced and would not misread the test result.

2) Alere is highly reliable. Like other AgAb (4th generation) HIV tests, it detects around 98% of infections at 4 weeks.

3) It is exceedingly unlikely that a partner with this test result has HIV.

4) No, your exposure carried little or no risk of syphilis. And if I correctly recall, didn't you get treated with amoxicillin somewhere after your exposure? If so, there is no point in being tested for syphilis, which would have been cured (or aborted) before you ever had a chance to develop a positive test results. Don't waste your money on syphilis testing. (Or any further HIV tests, for that matter.)

Regards-- HHH, MD

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13 months ago

Thank you. Understood. This will be the last thread about this and I hope to never have to return.

Is 10 minutes enough time for an Alere test? The doctor did tell me if I felt I needed to come back that I should also do talk therapy- which made me feel quite dumb but I wish I had taken a picture of the test.

In any case, thank you both. It’s kept me sane. If it weren’t for my family planning discussions I probably wouldn’t have been nervous. I’ve had plenty of unprotected fellatio in my younger days without a second thought so sorry for the anxiety driven posting.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

13 months ago

I don't have the Alere instructions in my head. As I said, I think you can safely assume the clinician who did your test knows his business and you can trust the result.

Unprotected fellatio is risk free for HIV. Why are you worried? or being tested?

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13 months ago

Extreme paranoia, OCD, and guilt. Truly this was the encounter that I described to you and I know that I am being irrational. I keep thinking what if I am the exception or the first.

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

13 months ago

There is nothing more we can do for you. Those feelings are not the moderators' responsibility. We provide facts and science-based judgments. What you do with that information is yours. You will not be the first new HIV infection on this forum.

The forum does not permit repeated questions on the same topic or exposure especially anxiety driven repeats of the same question. This being your second about this non-risky exposure event, it will have to be your last one; such repeat questions are subject to receiving no reply and the posting fee will not be refunded. This policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is intended to reduce temptations to keep paying for questions with obvious answers. In addition, experience shows that continued answers tend to prolong users' anxieties rather than reducing them. Finally, such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main purposes. Thanks for your understanding.

If you remain concerned, first go back and carefully re-read every word to the responses in your two threads. Second, assuming you remain fearful, please seek professional counseling. The level of fear you express, and your inability to understand or accept the reasoned science based advice you have had indicate an underlying mental health disorder that would benefit from professional attention. I suggest it from compassion not criticism. Good luck to you.

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