HIV Anxiety/Concern

[anxiousandy85]

I have constant HIV concerns stemming from an incident 15 months ago, in April 2011. It was a highly intoxicated incident with a CSW and I can't be sure I was covered the entire time, and most likely wasn't due to a chlaymidia infection picked up in testing earlier this year. I had never been tested for any stds before march of this year so I can't be 100% that I got this infection with the high risk individual. First and only CSW fisit (best friends stag weekend ahh what a mistake)

Basically I have spent several hundred ££ on a private clinic and also went to the NHS GUM clinic in Belfast. Receiving HIV negative tests at 12, 13 and 15 months. Been told by some of the best specialists in Northern Ireland that I'm clear from HIV yet I still fret everyday and mostly every hour that I will eventually turn positive due to this one incident. Is this unwarranted worrying or do I have a legit reason to be afraid?

I am currently booked into the NHS for another test and the lead up has me barely sleeping.

Any and all replies welcome.

[saintdee]

Bro irs amassive worry, but as you been told its all clear! Then it's all clear. Get back out there doing what you do but always bag up!

[anxiousandy85]

So theres absolutely no reason to doubt these tests then lol

[Anxious_gal]

Nope you are worrying without a cause.
Very common symptom of health anxiety.
"A delusion is a belief held with strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary"

You fear you have HIV despite the fact you used protection and had various testing done.
Down side of health anxiety is that when you accept you don't have HIV you may move on to worrying about something else health related.
It's almost like a bad habit.

Have you been getting any professional help for your anxiety?

[anxiousandy85]

I was on fluoextine for a while and have tried pyschotherapy in the past. Just this CSW episode has brought it all back :-(.

Thanks

[Anxious_gal]

With me it's more physical symptoms that freak me out rather than cancers n things like that.

Is there a reason you still think you may have HIV?
Have you been reading stuff on the internet or looking at the worst case scenarios?
It's really hard for a man to catch HIV through vaginal intercourse.

There's been cases where certain T cells? I think can get rid of the HIV virus, I've read some studies of bone marrow transplants I think it was.
I know there's a guy now first in the world thats HIV free :)

[anxiousandy85]

because of symptoms at the time and testing positive for chlaymidia i guess, and guilt maybe for my actions.

reading stuff on the internet and worse case scenarios are both involved in my train of thought currently :-).

hope your health anxiety isn't too bad.

[southey]

A negative test at 3 months is considered final. You have tested repeatedly negative well beyond this but still have doubts as to the validity of the tests. This is unfortunately extremely common in people who can't let it rest and is a form of health anxiety.

There may be feelings of guilt or other emotions involved but these have to be put behind us as they are history. Learn and move on and don't beat yourself up needlessly.

As long as there has been no unprotected sex since the stag do then you can take it conclusively that you are HIV negative. I would cancel your upcoming test as it is totally unwarrented and try to move on with your life.

Steve.

[anxiousandy85]

Really good advice thanks, definitely will attempt to do so.

It is guilt, guilt and luck I presume.

[southey]

There's been cases where certain T cells? I think can get rid of the HIV virus, I've read some studies of bone marrow transplants I think it was.
I know there's a guy now first in the world thats HIV free :)

That would be Timothy Brown or 'The Berlin patient'.

He had HIV and also was suffering from Leukaemia. They killed off his own immune system and bone marrow with drugs and radiation and then transplanted bone marrow stem cells from a compatible donor who also had a rare genetic anomaly that made his T cells immune to HIV due to a mutation in the CCR5 delta 32 receptors.

The transplanted mutant HIV resistant stem cells took over and now he is the only person confirmed to have been cured of HIV!

Steve.

[MyInitiation]

Sometimes HIV will take a couple months up to 6 to show up in results, but at 15 months you are likely fine.

[southey]

The average time to seroconversion with HIV is 21 days. You can test at 6 weeks and a negative result at this time is UNLIKELY to change. A confirmatory and final test is always needed at 13 weeks (3 months).

Its true that a extremely small amount of people require longer to test than 3 months but over 99% of people will test within the standard 3 month window.

At 15 months your not likely fine, your fine period.

Steve.

[anxiousandy85]

Cheers Steve, Yeah I've read copious amounts of information and what you have said fits in with the more professional sites etc, CDC medhelp, nhs. I guess I just have to man up and get past the guilt and move on with my life! :-)

[Mr Brownstone]

The average time to seroconversion with HIV is 21 days. You can test at 6 weeks and a negative result at this time is UNLIKELY to change. A confirmatory and final test is always needed at 13 weeks (3 months).

Its true that a extremely small amount of people require longer to test than 3 months but over 99% of people will test within the standard 3 month window.

At 15 months your not likely fine, your fine period.

Steve.

This. You are 100% fine. No ifs or buts, 100%. Ive been through similar, it is difficult, but its just a worry based on a fright you had.

[anxiousandy85]

Would hate to transmit it to someone innocent, although I always take precautions these days.

The worry is affecting my sleep, work and I find myself drinking more frequent due to it.

Want to be completely certain.

[anxiousandy85]

So I went for the tests yesterday and the week long wait has begun. The nurse said in np circumstance would the results change after 13 months so that has reassured me a little. Roll on the results.

[Nighttime pacer]

Hi
I know how you feel I went through a phase of testing for HIV a lot. Even though I wasn't doing anything risky I was still really concerned.
I had the quick tests where you get your result in 15 minutes. It's even quicker now.
The thing I was told is the quick test can occasionally give a false positive result but NEVER a false negative.
I'm sure the blood tests they send away are totally accurate and lets face it if they weren't they'd have loads of court cases on their hands and as you've been tested a few times and always got the same result it's case closed.
YOU'RE NEGATIVE you just have to believe it.
I realise there's all the what ifs and the I read about someone who got it from ..... but you're negative please relax. I know how hard it is once your brain's on overdrive.
Good luck (not with the hiv as you're negative but with the anxiety)

[anxiousandy85]

Thanks, its comforting to know I'm not the only one who has went through this. No word on the results yet and I'm expecting a negative and not really worried currently, thanks for your support guys.