HIV DUO TEST AT 4 WEEKS POINTLESS & INACCURATE??

Posted , 7 users are following.

Hello, i am writing this in great despair, here is a little background to the nightmare predicament i am in. I made the worst decision i've made in my life on the 26th September 2017 where I received unprotected oral sex from a prostitute (36 year old Hungarian woman, unknown status) and brief unprotected vaginal sex which probably lasted around 15-30 seconds, which i know doesn't matter. I am uncircumcised; during the unprotected vaginal sex there was no blood, no skin torn, no cuts/sores on my penis. A week after this occurrence, i had mild stomach pains accompanied by weird crackling type noises from my stomach, diarrhoea & mild pain where my necks lymph nodes's are, but they weren’t enlarged or visibly swollen (to my eyes anyway). The crackling noise in my stomach & stomach pain stopped around week 3, however the diarrhoea continued and so did the occasional mild pain in my necks lymph nodes's (which usually disappeared and came back randomly). Also during this week (week 3), i also start getting random mild pains in my right inner thigh and upper/lower back, mainly upper back. I don't really know if i had a fever, as i didn't have access to an thermometer to check my temperature, i don't think i had a flu, i did however have a sore throat (mild pain around voice box) for around a day or two. I had a mild headache as well, which lasted a day, no signs of a rash however. As of currently (week 6, 43 days) i still have the diarrhoea which has got more severe, mild pains in necks lymph nodes (not enlarged or visibly swollen) & mild pains in right thigh/groin. Main symptoms currently are diarrhoea & pains in thighs/groin.      

 

2 weeks (exactly 14 days) after the potential exposure, i went to a local NHS GUM clinic, in which they tested me for Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, HIV & Syphilis. I told the doctor the potential exposure was 14 days ago and my main concern was HIV, i'm not really sure what test she used, but I’m assuming it was the standard 4th generation DUO test. A week later, the results all came negative. Didn't really mean anything as i was well in the window period for everything except Chlamydia & Gonorrhoea.

4 weeks (30 days) after i went for 4th generation DUO test via a private health clinic (better2know) the test was shown as being 99.8% accurate after 28 days. 3 days later the results came, which was negative. It didn't really mean much to me again, as upon further research i concluded that, the test can only be accurate if your body produces enough antibodies (by week 4) that would show the HIV. Although most people produce antibodies by 12-26 days, it's not guaranteed. So in essence, if my body didn't produce antibodies by week 4, its ofcourse going to come as a negative.

I am booked in for a test at week 7, 8 & 13, in which i would update you on the results. If my 4 weeks negative DUO test (4th gen) turns positive during these weeks, then it would show the 28 days 99.8% accuracy to be BS.

I also had a few questions i wanted to ask:

1)   What are the chances of my negative 4 weeks, 4th generation DUO turning positive? I've heard of cases of late seroconversions up to 4 years, although late seroconversion up to that long is indeed rare, there are more common cases of people with no immune issues, not on hep c medication or on chemotherapy or PEP seroconverting between 3-6 months and not producing antibodies till 3+ months. Have you seen anyone that took a 4th gen test after 4 weeks and got a negative result, then test after 6/12 weeks and there test turn positive?

2)   As I did display symptoms associated with HIV such as diarrhoea, muscle pains in thighs & groins, abdominal pain, pains in lymph nodes before I got tested and the test was negative, if in theory and hypothetically speaking those were symptoms from my body seroconverting, did my body not produce enough antibodies for any HIV to be detected, as those symptoms are now becoming more severe, would any HIV antibodies show up, if any there?

3)    What HIV test is recommended at week 7/8, as I’ve read a 3rd generation antibody test is most effective (after 6 weeks) as apparently an antigen test is ineffective after 6 weeks as HIV antigens become undetectable after this period.

4)     How can a 4th generation DUO test be 99.8% accurate at 28 days, when people produce antibodies within weeks 4-6 usually, and the rest during up to week 12, if a individual doesn’t produce antibodies by day 28 for example, then how is the test 99.8% accurate?

                                                                                                                             

0 likes, 16 replies

16 Replies

  • Posted

    Hi was wondering how you got on and hope everything is fine. I went for a test today through the private better to know, I should get my results back on Monday they say. I only received oral sex without a condom but been panicking now for over a week incase I have something. Now it could be my imagination and anxiety but the last 2 nights I've had some cold sweats and I see thatscrelated to HIV. I don't have any other symptoms that I know off. Really hope your results are all negative as I know how you will be feeling 

    • Posted

      Hi Alan, 

      I done my 8 week test yesterday (Wednesday) and would get my result by Monday/Tuesday, really hoping it stays negative, i got my 4 week DUO test through Better2know as well, on the day where they uploaded the result on the website login, i kept on refreshing the page continuously until it showed up, the negative did give me some relief and hope. I'm certain you will test negative as being on the receiving end of oral is a very very low risk, i don't think there's been any documented cases of someone receiving HIV this way, hope this would ease your mind as there is no HIV in saliva. I think cold sweats is a symptom that's related to late stage HIV more then early, and on the NHS website it says if you only experience one or two of the possible 6/7 HIV symptoms then it's unlikely to be HIV. I'm 100% sure you're HIV negative, and the anxiety, panic and scary thought of HIV has taken over my life thus far, really hope the 8 week test is negative, if it is i'll take this as the biggest lesson of my life. Thank you bro, means a lot!  i'm sure you're going to be negative, as the risk is very very small of contracting HIV from receiving oral     

    • Posted

      Really hope your result comes back negative. My life is on hold the now and can't function, I love my wife and can't believe I've went and done this. If you need to speak then don't hesitate to get back to me. I wouldn't wish this feeling to my worst enemy 

    • Posted

      Did you get your results Alan? i am certain they came back negative didn't they? 

    • Posted

      Yeah I did and they came back negative although I need to go back next week to do them again. Fingers crossed they are fine. I've prayed every night 

    • Posted

      Hey Alan, hope you're good, did your tests results came back? I'm certain it came back negative? my 13th week test is on 8th January, really hoping it comes negative. My last test was the on the 8 week marker and that was negative. 

    • Posted

      Yeah I done my 28 day test and they came back negative which was a huge relief and can now get on with my life.  The doctor said these results are conclusive and I don't need to go back now. I'm sure yours will be fine too but I'm here if you need to speak about it as it takes over your life with worry 

    • Posted

      Hey bro wat was u 13 week result I have similar symptoms freaking out

  • Posted

    Hi Hayer,

    Even though i don't have any symptoms of HIV, I got really scared earlier when i got these redness and shyness on my glans. I had protected anal sex with a random girl i met on social networking site and unprotected oral sex. 

    But you know i have learnt the lesson that never have unprotected sex not even oral. I wish i would have not done it. Now have consulted urologist and eating tablets for 20 days but still no improvement. With each day passing i regret it more and more. 

    Thanks for sharing Hayer. I pray you will be alright brother.

     

    • Posted

      Hi lostknight, have you been tested yet forHIV or any other std.Im just waiting on my results coming back. Wished now I didn't do it and will not being doing it again as I can't function the now with worry 

    • Posted

      No i have not been tested for anything yet as my urologist told me that it might be balanitis but there is no improvement till now. What concerns me is the waxy and shiny layer on my glans after washing. it looks like a coating of snakes on their bodies, but it doesn't comes off and looks like an integral part of the glans. I am really scared about it.

    • Posted

      Hi Lostknight, 

      HIV is definitely not your concern, as i am certain redness and shyness on glans is not associated with HIV, it seems you might have balanitis, i'm no expert, but im certain that this is not associated with HIV. Good news is that balanitis is easily cured, i'd say give it a couple of weeks and it should get back to normal. And many thanks brother, i pray you will be alright too, i guess we all learnt something the stressful and harder way, never again having any unprotected sex.   

    • Posted

      Hi Hayer,

      Thank you bro so nice of you. Yes indeed we learned the hard way, i swear not to have even an unprotected oral sex.

      What concerns me is that balanitis should have been cured by now as it is 6 weeks already but still no improvement man. It really sucks. I am constantly eating medicines doxy, fulcunazole and livocytrazine and itranuzole i have taken so far but no improvements.

      You had any of my symptoms?

      As my foreskin and glans have a burning sensation for about 10-15 minutes, i am thinking of doing urine culture test.

    • Posted

      Hey bro, how's it going? I'm hope your balanitis is all cured and good?

  • Posted

    Hi, I have same case. What was your result? I really can't wait to know.

    • Posted

      Hi bro I have same case what was the result freaking out

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