[Question #971] HIV test at 11 week, worried moving forward.

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97 months ago
I'm 38 Yr old Male and I would like to request "Right" answer as oppose to "feel good" answer. 

Last Exposure : ~April 28, 2016. Receptive unprotected anal sex while I had hemorrhoid.

One week later almost all ARS symptoms. 

Following symptoms came in between 2-4 week and gone:
Cold sore, Fever, Night sweats, Peripheral Neuropathy, dry mouth, dehydration, red rash on face, diarrhea, hemorrhoid

Following symptoms came in AND stayed
Mucous cyst, tiny red dots on upper chest(~6), RA type bumps on my arm joints, sevear tinnitus,loose stool, weight/muscle loss of 10%

Following symptoms are coming on/off till now
tinnitus with few seconds of pressure on both ears.
episodes of intense pain on neck  and behind/below the ear glands.
episodes of intense pain on Leg Muscle pain
pain in lower back
heavy rumbling sound in my stomach

Following tests were negative on these days
40 day - 4th gen Ab/Ag -ve, RNA TMA method, 10 STD Panel, -ve 
57 day - (Out of country) HIV 1/2 AB only,PCR RNA qual & quan(detectes<47), western Blot, Hep A/B/C , all -ve
70 day - 4th gen Ab/Ag  -ve
77 day - HIV-1 Home access - ve

Do I have HIV or HEP A/B/C based on above symptoms/test if I didn't (from my last exposure) and will not (going forward) get in to any sexual/skin-skin type activities ? Do I need more test or above test is conclusive ?

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Edward W. Hook M.D.
97 months ago
Welcome to our Forum.  I'll be pleased to comment.  Before I do however, your comment about "feel good" answers insinuates that we do not always provide factual answers or that we somehow work to give clients an answer they hope foe.  That is simply not the case.

A few facts first.  You do not indicate whether your partner had HIV or not which suggests that you do not know.  Statistically, unless you left something out, odds are that he did not have HIV.  Even if he did however, multiple studies indicate that your risk of infection would be about 1 in 100 (1%).  Finally when symptoms and test results disagree, the tests virtually always are correct,

The flu-like symptoms that you described are nonspecific and could be caused by any number of non-each of the processes.  Your subsequent back muscle and stomach pain is not suggestive of HIV.  In contrast you have multiple HIV tests using different test methods, all at times when results would be conclusive which show that you were not infected with HIV. You should believe these results.  Further testing in relationship to the encounter you describe is a waste of time. You were not infected with HIV from that encounter.

Your last test for Hepatitis was about two months after the encounter. While these results make infection unlikely, they are a bit too early to be definitive.  If you wish to be completely confident you did not acquire hepatitis, I would suggest you re-test at 3 months,

I hope this information is helpful to you.  EWH
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97 months ago
Thank you Dr. Hook. I mean just to say that i need right answers. I've tried forums and in general there's only people reply based on what they find out from internet
 
I heave read your/HHH replies and i wanted to get reputed Drs. Opinion.

I'm still worried with my situation as its not getting better. I provided last exposure info but now realizing that i should have provided more info. 1) prior to my last exposure i have had 2 similar exposure about in between january and april.

So the biggest thing that I'm worry about is, I would like to have a baby (I don't want to put my wife through PEP or othet med. etc) move forward if these results are CONCLUSIVE. What if from prior exposure i may have caught other STD and because of this I'm getting in delayed seroconversion/late antibodyproduction stuff?

1) Is 10 week 4th gen duo and 11 week home access conclusive for me to move forward with baby based on my past exposures?


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Edward W. Hook M.D.
97 months ago
Yes, no matter what your prior history is, your 10 week DUO and 11 week home test are conclusive.  You were not infected with HIV by the exposure you describe and can confidently move forward with unprotected sex with your wife without concern that you might have been infected.  EWH---
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97 months ago
God Bless you Dr. for your assurance. Just one thought based on the data and symptoms that I'm still having.

When I describe tinnitus, it's not for a few seconds. It has been going on about 4 weeks after my infection and it is constant and sometimes I feel like I'm just going to get headaches/vertigo because of this....

My nutritions has been doubled from last 2 1/2 monts and eating very healthy foods and still my stool is sticky, loose and fluffy. I never had this type of things from last 10-15 year...Also, I feel lethargic as soon as 1/2 day over

This tinnitus, loose stool and feeling lethargic/tired almost kills me....

Is it possible that from my prior experience I may have gotton Hep C and from my last exposure I might have got HIV ? The reason that I ask is in that case seroconversion would be delayed and if the window period for Hep C is 6 months then Hep antibodies may not have come up in any of my test that I've done. My last test other then the recent test was about 12 years ago.

Can let this go and live my normal sexual/marriage life even with my symptoms/history ? I can accept and can take it even if i get critical disease as long as it's not STD related due to stigma.....
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Edward W. Hook M.D.
97 months ago
Neither tinnitus nor diarrhea are suggestive of recently acquired HIV or of hepatitis C.  Further, the idea that either Hepatitis C or HIV meaningfully delay seroconversion is an Internet myth which you should not believe.  Believe your test results!!!

I urge you to stop worrying and move forward without concern.  Nothing you have indicated suggests that there is any reason to worry.  You can move forward with your marriage and your normal sex life without further concern about the events you have described.

This is my third reply to your questions. As per Forum guidelines this will complete this thread and it will be closed later this evening. Good luck and take care.  EWH
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