NHS GUM Clinic Waiting for results

[anxiousandy85]

People,

Has anyone used the GUM clinic in the Royal victoria hospital belfast northern ireland. I was up last Wednesday, and I am anxiously waiting results and was curious to know how long I would expect to wait if HIV or something that serious was found in my blood. It's all I can think about, ive already had to take time off work etc. I have heard two weeks quoted, and even 3 weeks. I am now past the 5th day and was thinking could I consider getting till the end of this week with no news as me being in the all clear?

I've been on prozac and diazepam over fear of hiv since visiting a brothel last year. I've had two high cost rapid hiv tests at a private clinic in belfast both negative but they have not allied my fears. Now I am terrified of my phone ringing and it being the gum clinic with the ominous. I cant sleep, barely eat or socialise, ive been like this mostly for an entire year. I am a generally anxious person and used to have to go to psychotherapy for it for a year.

Has anyone here been in a similiar situation?

[xfilme]

I went through similar fears about 3 years ago when I first developed health anxiety. I wasnt risk criteria or anything like that. Basically I had a UTI and my imagination got the better of me so I went to the drop-in GU clinic and they tested me for everything and gave me clear results before I even left. While I was there she offered me an HIV test, so trying to be proactive, I went for it so at no point in the future would I suddenly develop a "what if?" fear of HIV. It was only once they told me I had to wait for results that I started to convince myself I had it. But thats the way Health Anxiety works, right? I was going crazy waiting. I was told a week, but was so terrified that I called the clinic every day after the first three to see if my results were back. They were quite sympathetic about my anxiety and told me to keep calling daily if I wanted to. I managed to get my clear results over the phone on the fifth day.

I cannot give you any advice other than stuff I have based on my own experiences with Health Anxiety. When I was freaking out, I consulted sites to give me something to rationalise with. HIV is quite rare these days. I believe the incidence rate is less than half a percent for the UK population. 0.3% it might have been? So think of it this way, if you hald half a percent chance of winning the lottery, how feasible is it to predict you will be in that 0.3%? Not likely is it. Anyway, thats how I rationalised at the time.

I am presuming by your numerous trips to the doc and tests etc, that you have no supporting symptoms whatsoever. Another reason to make you an unlikely candidate for this disease. On top of this, you have had two previous tests with clear results.I totally understand how HA has a way of making you concentrate on that teeny tiny small percentage. I can do it myself if Im not careful. The fact is, where your imagination is not reliable, results usually are as they need evidence to base it on. You need to make a decision, as to whether this last test will be the closure you need, or whether youd rather ignore all evidence and get health anxiety to move into your mind and take residence permanently. Your problem it sounds is not having HIV, its the fear of having it.... which is a problem that cannot be solved with medical tests, it can only be solved by addressing the core issue, which is what caused the initial fear, and let it go.

Naturally, its easier said than done. If you want any help, pm me x

[jayred]

Hi mate

Best advice is to call them and tell them how anxious it is making you as the process takes a while because the results come in they scan them pass them to a doctor who then can take a while to send them on or call you. More then likely the results are already back and everything is fine so just give them a call and ask and tell them what your going through. There is a fast track case they do if you tell them beforehand about your HA.

[StupidBrain]

I am exactly the same - I'm virtually paralysed with the fear! I had a holiday romance last year and we were half protected most of the time (interpret that as you will!). It's making intimacy with my current boyfriend very difficult. I went for a full screen 5 months after my holiday fling and everything came back clear. I managed to wait 7 days before ringing for my results - I too couldn't take the waiting for my phone to ring. It was pretty simple - the results where ready when I rang and I just gave my ID number and all results were negative. But it hasn't helped much at all!

I think one big problem is that I'm punishing myself a bit too subconsciously because what I did on holiday was 'wrong'. I wonder if you are too? I feel less likely to deserve being OK!

Anyway, you're fine, you're not ill. You've passed two tests already - if the health service had any doubts they wouldn't give you the all clear as the repercussions would be huge. Your anxiety is self-perpetuating as you feel uneasy which makes you fixate on the problem more, making your anxiety worse. Do you find yourself knowing deep down that you're OK, then you start catastrophising about what it would be like if you were ill and then finding yourself worrying that you're ill again? The key is breaking your cycle of anxiety as it's the life-limiting problem you have!

Good luck! I feel your pain!

[Mr Brownstone]

Phone them and ask them how long you should expect to wait. No point in putting yourself through extra stress. I had STI tests done a few years back (based mainly on anxiety more than any fact based problems) and im sure I waited about a week...wasnt 3 weeks anyway.