[Question #298] Hiv rapid blood test at 8 weeks

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110 months ago
Hi Drs, iam male, this is my concern I hope can help plz, I had protected vaginal sex whit a woman wich I know since we were kids and we found each other a year ago, we had mutual oral sex without protection and I fingered her, we had sex two times same day, but the second time my condom came off right when she moved off me I was on botton, i got scared because I don't know  if her fluids made contact whit my penis, I asked her several times if she does not have any stds or hiv or something that I have the worry about, and she said that she does not have any stds even she got offended after I asked her about hiv, I took a rapid blood test at 38 days after exposure and result came negative, but the nurse told me that my test is too soon to detect something, I also took chlamydia and gonohrrea test and came negative too, reading post in medhelp from Drs hunter and Edward hook I found that 8 weeks can be conclusive for rapid test or antibody test, then I took a second  rapid blood test at exactly 8 weeks (56days) after exposure and the results came negative, I understand that symptoms is a terrible way to know if there is hiv, just testing is the only way, 
1 - its my 2 rapid blood test at 38 and 56 days conclusive?
2 - my 2 negative test at 38 and 56 days proved that iam not infected whit hiv?
3- if decide retest at 11 or 12 week, after my 8 week negative test, can I be 100% confident that I will keep negative results?
4 - it's necessary test at 12 weeks whit rapid blood test?
5- time to live my life whit out worries whit my negative results at 8 weeks?
6- can I have intercourse whit my current girlfriend whit out condom?
Iam sorry Drs for all my questions, I make all this questions because is a lot confusing information about the 3 month window period. 
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
110 months ago
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question, and for reviewing other questions and our discussions of them. It sounds like you found all the answers you really need -- but I'm happy to reiterate them.

But I will start by observing that, assuming you live in the US, the chance of HIV in a partner like yours is zero for all practical purposes. I would bet that in the past 10 years nobody in the US has acquired HIV from a similar exposure with a similar partner.

1-4) These are all variations on the same question, in different words. Officially, from the test manufacturers, the stand-alone antibody tests, including the rapid blood tests, require 3 months to be conclusive. However, clinical experience and most experts' advice is that they are conclusive by 6 weeks. The negative results at 38 and 56 days prove you don't have HIV. No further testing is necessary. If you retest, you can count on the additional results remaining negative whether at 11-12 weeks or any time thereafter.

5) Yes, you can move on without giving another thought to this sexual experience and HIV/STD risks from it.

6) And yes, for all the reasons above, you can safely continue (or resume) unprotected sex wtih your girlfriend.

I hope this has helped. Best wishes and stay safe--  HHH, MD

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110 months ago
hi dr hunter thank you so much for answering my question, i was praying to god that everything was ok, and second i was begging that you answer my question, i strongly believe your advice and of course the the test results, now have peace of mind because you said my negative result at 56 days are conclusive, and i believe becouse i can tell you are the expert in the hiv field since the pandemic started,also i read in medhelp a lot of your post whit a similar situation as mine, but i can not apply this to me because i prefer have a reply for my own questions, and yes i live in the us and iam hispanic and the girl whit i had sex she lives in the us and she is hispanic as well, i know you do not like repetitive questions and also i think you do not like the word (if) said all this, here we go dr.
1- even if i had unprotected sex whit this girl my two negative rapid blood test at 38 and 56 days also proved i wasn't infected whit hiv?
2-  the negative rapid blood test at 38 days proved that i wasn't infected whit hiv? or it was too soon to test?
3- now that you told me that my 56 negative results are conclusive  can i report  my results back to you if i decide retest at 11 or 12 weeks? 
 thank you so much dr for your time and iam sorry if i bother.
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
110 months ago
Thanks for the additional information. It does not change my opinion or advice. And your additional questions are the same ones as before, using different words. I haven't changed my mind!

The HIV blood tests are among the most accurate diagnostic tests ever developed, for any disease. Negative results always overrule exposure, no matter how high the risk at the time, 

1) Yes, your tests prove you didn't catch HIV, regardless of the exposure, even if it was unprotected
2) The rapid antibody test is almost 100% conclusive at 38 days and for sure 100% conclusive t 56 days.
3) As discussed above, you do not need testing at 11-12 weeks. If you do it, there is no need to report it here. It will be negative, and it will not help for you to tell me that. This thread will be closed by that time, and I would advise against spending the money to post a new thread at that time.

For sure you don't have HIV. Believe it, accept it, continue sex with your regular partner, and forget about all this.  You really needn't be so worried!


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110 months ago
iam glad again to read that, in that case this is over, thanks for yelling me sometimes we need that to understand things clearly in my case i got it, there is nothing else to say in this matter, i just want to tell you thank you to be here and give me relief iam perfect now, and have happy merry christmas dr. bye now dr hunter wish you the best. thanks a lot. 
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H. Hunter Handsfield, MD
110 months ago
Thanks for the thanks. Sorry you interpreted any of my comments as "yelling" at you. I didn't intend it that way -- just trying to provide straightforward, no-nonsense analysis and advice.

Merry Christmas to you and your family as well. Take care and stay safe.


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