[Question #8272] Dr Hook—Can many tests over years miss odd hiv?

47 months ago

Hello. I will make this quick as I can. I’ve had exposures up until late 2017. Since then, many many symptoms which doctors cannot find a cause. Since that time, I’ve had many hiv tests These include rna, antibody only, and 4th generation. Last may 2020, I had hiv 4th generation Abbott along with hiv-1 RNA, and, hiv-1/2 DNA. Dec 2020 had another 5th gen test. March 2020 blood donation included antibody only and the HIV 1/2 rna(type 2 less sensitive) August a rapid insti. All of these tests of a negative. All test taken prior to last year were negative as well since 2017. All in all I’ve had about a 30 test of different sorts (approximately seven or eight different kinds of tests , rapid ,lab, rna)since the 2017 episode. I continue have all these symptoms that nobody has diagnosed.

1) is it absolutely conclusive that I don’t have HIV or is there still a chance?

2) would requesting any other sort of test be more definitive? I see that there are more investigation of test that might pick up an odd subtype

3) how are doctors able to pick up odd subtypes if the test or not designed for them? From what I understand they are less sensitive towards some subtypes over others

4) Am I genuinely safe to give blood in your opinion?

5) is it possible that science in this day and age could fail me with so many different tests That would falsely be negative?

6) can I absolutely write this possibility off the list no matter what symptoms I experience?

I genuinely want to figure out my ailments and not miss something so serious yes it’s still possible that it’s missed.

Thank you

47 months ago

Correction on question 5

5) is it possible that science in this day and age could fail me with so many different tests That would falsely be negative because of sensitivity or infection with a strange class/strain/subtype?

H. Hunter Handsfield, MD

47 months ago

I happened to be the moderator up for this question, but I reviewed your previous discussion with Dr. Hook. As I did so, it saddened me. Every question asked here was addressed in your three previous threads -- sometimes in different words, but the same questions nonetheless, and the answers to all these questions are there or should be obvious.

The HIV blood tests are among the most accurate tests ever developed, for any medical condition, and the results always overrule any and all symptoms, no matter how typical for HIV they seem to be, and all exposures, no matter how risky at the time. You do not have HIV, and this must be your last question along these lines on this forum. The direct answers to these questions are below. For more detail, I would advise you to go back and carefully re-read your previous questions and Dr. Hook's replies.

1) Yes conclusive.

2) No other tests are necessary and any additional testing would be a waste of money, time, health care resources, and emotional energy.

3) You misunderstand. The current tests detect all HIV subtypes that exist in the US.

4) From an HIV standpoint, you are a safe blood donor. I cannot comment on other health conditions you may have.

5) No, this is not possible.

6) Same question, different words. Yes.

The only health problem in evidence here is your mental health. It is simply not normal to remain so obsessed, anxious and frightened in the face of such overwhelming objective evidence and the repeated, compassionate, science-based reassurance you have had -- probably from your own doctors in addition to this forum. Hence my main advice is to frankly discuss all this with your personal physician, with the expectation that she will recommend professional counseling. I suggest it from compassion, not criticism.

There will be no further discussion on this thread, which must be your last one; the forum does not permit repeated questions on the same topic or exposure. Future new questions about your HIV anxiety and testing will be deleted without reply and without refund of the posting fee. Like my advice about counseling, this policy is based on compassion, not criticism, and is designed to reduce temptations to keep paying for questions with obvious answers. In addition, continued answers from anxious or obsessed users users tend to prolong their anxieties instead of relieving them (there's always a "yes but" or "could I be the exception" sort of question). Finally, such questions have little educational value for other users, one of the forum's main purposes. Thank you for your understanding, and best wishes to you.

HHH, MD

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