[Question #11635] Another question off of #11632
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13 months ago
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Dr. Hook ,
Sorry I had to spend another 25$ but hopefully the donation helps yall. Real quick … when you said
“ The so-called "HIV window" itself is quite rare and greatly exaggerated on the internet”.
What do you mean by that. Maybe I am misunderstanding but I thought the Window Period has always been a part of HIV testing and right now it is 45 days when using the 4th generation HIV tests …. When is the Window Period rare ? Just confused
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13 months ago
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Also if Dr Handsfield is the one to answer this. Please help me. I’m having a panic attack. In question 8278 you said
“ There are few known cases of the AgAb (4th generation) tests becoming negative, or remaining falsely negative, during the life of the infected person. (To my knowledge, none at all.)“
I’m so worried that my negative 4th generation HIV tests after 45 days is missing the infection or something because you said there are a few KNOWN cases of it becoming negative or remaining falsely negative during the life of the infected person !!!! All I want to do is believe my results but it’s hard when you see something like that. Please shed some light on this for me. Was it just a typo and you didn’t mean it like that ? Thanks in advance
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
13 months ago
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*Sigh*. I scanned your discussion with Dr. Hook. (It's only by chance I'm replying; users don't get to pick the responding moderator.)
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You're off the deep end on this, for no good reason. Not only is a "secondary window" extremely rare, if it occurs at all, but it is irrelevant beyond 45 days. The possible second window occurs because the antigen component of the test becomes positive at something like 1-2 weeks, and there may then be a brief delay (a day or two) before antibody is detectable. That's what's meant by second window. There is no later event of that sort. After 45 days, the AgAb test always is positive for life; that is, a negative result after 45 days is conclusive.
And you're really going much too far in seeking obscure comments in other threads. Our replies are for the particular question asked, sometimes with prior knowledge (e.g. from a previous thread) about the user's concerns. Not all answers can be assumed to apply to other situations. In any case, you misquote me. I did NOT say there are known cases of the AgAb test becoming negative. Your irrational fears led you to ignore my comment in parentheses: "To my knowledge, none at all." And I did not say "a few known cases"; there was no "a". (If I had written a slightly more thoughtful reply to whatever that question was, it could have been "there have been few if any known cases".) None of this usually seems "hard" for most forum users seeking advice about HIV exposures and testing. And getting hung up on a response that referred to confirmatory testing being "usually unnecessary" and then assuming it might in fact be necessary for you???
Based on the kinds of exposures you apparently have -- based on your first forum thread about a year ago -- you are at very low risk for HIV anyway. Also, in the 20 years of this and our preceding forum, with thousands of questions from people concerned about HIV risk and testing, not one has yet turned out positive for HIV. You won't be the first! If and when it finally happens, undoubtedly it will be from a genuinely high risk exposure (think unprotected anal among men with hundreds of partners); and it certainly won't involve vanishingly rare or impossible events of the sort you are worried about.
Sorry if this sounds harsh, but you need do your best to suck it up, stop worrying about unrealistic and improbable scenarios, and move on with 100% confidence you do not have HIV.
HHH, MD
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13 months ago
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I must first thank you from the bottom of my heart .. I have always had a phobia of HIV and have used Dr. Hook and your answers for years to help ease my anxiety when I ran into problems… even back to when y’all were at Medhelp.. I believe I understand now. I’m sorry I misunderstood and misquoted you … that was never my intentions. Correct me if I am wrong, but basically after reading that you were never meaning that there is times when a person who does have HIV, tests negative for the virus on the 4th generation tests for life ? I’m sure maybe somewhere out there on the Internet there are people who might have written about rare times that might have happened, however those times are not proven to be true ? ( I don’t even know how that would be possible ) …And neither you or Dr.Hook have ever seen such a case ? And finally as long as I wait 45 days after a potential exposure, not on any PreP or PeP, then a 45 day negative 4th generation HIV test is conclusive and does not need anymore further testing to prove that ? I’m so sorry to be a bother to you …I just went into a downward spiral mentally when I seen that response saying people who had HIV could test negative for life on the 4th generation test…. Thank you for being patient with me. Means more than you could ever know …
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
13 months ago
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No, neither I nor Dr. Hook have ever seen or heard of an HIV infected person who didn't test positive on any and all available tests.
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13 months ago
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Ok thank you… i know the rules and this is my last reply/question …It was just so scary because of the “There are few known cases of the AgAb (4th generation) tests becoming negative, or remaining falsely negative, during the life of the infected person” was in YOUR reply in question 8278…..Yes I did tune out what you wrote in parentheses “ (To my knowledge, none at all.)“. But I just got caught up on that and started thinking it was you that said few cases can stay negative throughout their life even if they had the virus because it was in your reply to that person and that made me start thinking that this is a real thing with the 4th generation HIV tests. But now I have no choice but to believe that when you said I misquoted you…. Then that must not have been your words and your only words were in parentheses meaning you have never heard or seen a case like that at all ?? I’m sorry. OCD is terrible
I also got nervous for a second after reading your last response and didn’t see you answer my question “ And finally as long as I wait 45 days after a potential exposure, not on any PreP or PeP, then a 45 day negative 4th generation HIV test is conclusive and does not need anymore further testing to prove that ?“ However I do know from your posts you don’t like to repeat yourself and I seen in your original reply that you said “ After 45 days, the AgAb test always is positive for life; that is, a negative result after 45 days is conclusive. “ so there is my answer right there !!! Conclusive means no more testing of any kind !!! Sorry for the repetitive question ..
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
13 months ago
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Your confirming question is simply asking me to repeat what I have already said -- maybe in different words, but the meanings are obvious. I'm not going to do that just to assuage your OCD. Get counseling.
That concludes this thread. As previously advised, any further questions along these lines will be deleted without reply and without refund. Best wishes to you.
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