[Question #1481] HIV anxiety
81 months ago
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
81 months ago
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I'm sorry you have not been able to get past the anxiety you describe. I suspect there must be some guilt contributing to it. You need to relax and move on. As I have already told you there is virtually no meaningful risk of HIV from the exposure that you have described. you need to stop relating every ache/pain and minor illness that you have to HIV. your exposure does not warrant this.
ARS does not cause vomiting and when it causes diarrhea the diarrhea is typically accompanied with severe muscle and joint aches, sore throat, high fever and sometimes a rash. On the other hand, the symptoms you describe could very well be due to and attributed to in part to the stress that you are having.
If your condom had broken there would be no doubt. Condom failures are very obvious.
Swollen lymph nodes are a non-specific finding which in the vast majority of cases are no related to HIV. They are typically palpable but not visible. In the ARS they can be tender, but in established HIV they are not.
You need to move forward. Now that 4 weeks have passed, when you test with a 4th generation, combination HIV antigen/antibody test your results will be negative and definitive. Believe the results. If you cannot move forward, then you will have proved that this is more than you can deal with on your own and, at that time, I would urge you to seek the help of a professional mental health counselor. EWH
81 months ago
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81 months ago
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
81 months ago
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I'm saddened that you are continuing to ask these repetitive questions. The INSTI 4th generation tests has to pass the same regulatory approval process as other apprived HIV tests and provides reliable results 4 weeks after exposure. Believe your results. Your negative tests PROVE that your essentially no risk exposure did not give you HUIV. it is time to move forward.
Your symptoms are not suggestive of ARS and, even when symptoms are consistent with the ARS, if the test is negative, then the persons does not have HIV and should be looking for other problems that lead them to the symptoms they are concerned about.
You need to move on. I have suggested what I recommend for you and need not repeat it, nor do you need to keep repeating your question, the answers are not going to change. EWH
81 months ago
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
81 months ago
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Sorry, I misremembered. The INSTIU test for HIV antibodies is not definitive until 8 weeks following exposure. I mis-remembered because at the current time most labs do 4th generation HIV tests which detect both HIV antigen and HIV antibodies and provide definitive results at 4 weeks after exposure. In either instance however, the package inserts are more conservative than the research shows. As mentioned above, all 4th generation tests provide definitive results 4 weeks after exposure and third generation antibody tests are typically definitive at 8 weeks. Sorry if I confused you.
Please remember however, the nature of your exposures were virtually no risk. You really need to move forward.
As this is the 3rd reply to your questions, as per Forum guidelines this will complete this thread and it will be closed later tonight. EWH