View Full Version : HIV Gum Testing Clinic
TheInvisibleMan
21-05-13, 04:22
I'm writing this post as I went for my HIV test today, we've been going through rocky times at the moment in our relationship and the last time we had sex was March, I generally have this fear of contracting HIV I've had some of the symptoms but I don't know if they've been brought on by the fact that I just heard someone mention they went for a test and I should to be safe.
Does anyone know how long it takes for the results to come back?
i haven't slept around with like 100 women but I've had unprotected sex with a few women.
3 weeks ago I was feeling fine as such had the odd sniffles, Diarrhoea here and there, it's only recently the diarrhoea has been ramped up but it's not all liquid only some but I'm thinking some of this has been brought on by anxiety thinking i have HIV rather then anything else.
To be honest I think I just need someone who I can talk to about it, It's dreading me to think constantly that my life would be over at 22 if this test comes back positive, I'm thinking of just phoning the clinic Friday to see what they say, I just don't know what to do the anxiety has called me to go from not leaving the house to just sit around and hope everything will be ok.
sorry for the long post
Please stop worrying. HIV took over my life for years. Even after testing negative I worried which is a joke. It is still reasonable rare especailly from having straight sex with a woman. I have looked into this issue so much in the past. The diarrhoea has NOTHING to do with the HIV at ALL! The odd sniffles? We all have that at the moment. HIV symptoms are rare and sometimes in the first few weeks someone would get SEVERE flu symptoms.
Some HIV tests are done so you get the results the same day. I would call the clinic to see when the results are going to come back. They should have a time limit. Once they come back negative. Move on and be happy!
TheInvisibleMan
21-05-13, 09:44
Please stop worrying. HIV took over my life for years. Even after testing negative I worried which is a joke. It is still reasonable rare especailly from having straight sex with a woman. I have looked into this issue so much in the past. The diarrhoea has NOTHING to do with the HIV at ALL! The odd sniffles? We all have that at the moment. HIV symptoms are rare and sometimes in the first few weeks someone would get SEVERE flu symptoms.
Some HIV tests are done so you get the results the same day. I would call the clinic to see when the results are going to come back. They should have a time limit. Once they come back negative. Move on and be happy!
Thank you Willous, I'm a absolute nervous wreck it doesn't help for the fact I have a stressful job, I just generally wouldn't know what to do if the test returns positive.
I think I'd hit a wall and just go into a breakdown, I would love to know what brought on this permanent fear of HIV
:welcome:
Every clinic and laboratory is different but most would run the HIV test at least twice a week, the machine that does the test takes about two hours but then it has to be validated and put on the computer database before it is available at the GUM clinic. Phoning the clinic on Friday would be a good idea.
Your risk of getting HIV after having vaginal sex with British women is negligible, there are always going to be some exceptions but generally the risk is very, very low. Your diarrhoea is much more likely to be caused by anxiety.
What concerns me is that you've taken this test and did not express your fears to the staff at the GUM clinic. There are nurse counsellors at every clinic to discuss and advise patients about HIV, their risks, protecting themselves and treatment if a positive result is found. Every patient having a HIV test should have their risk assessed and you should of been asked questions about your sexuality, if you inject drugs etc. You could reattend today and tell them your fears and that would ease your anxiety. They would inform you that your life would not be over at 22 with a positive result (which is highly unlikely) the treatment options now are such that you could lead a relatively normal life, marry and have children.
Sam
It's crazy. It took me years to get over so know how it feels. It's a crippling fear and ruined my life. But there is NOTHING to suggest you have it. NOTHING. Lots of people have unprotected sex and im not saying it's right. I have had lots when I was younger but what percentage get HIV. I'm not saying be wreckless but you can't go back on the past and you can learn from that. There is minimal chance of actually catching it from vaginal sex. Sounds silly but it's TRUE. I have spoke to numerous experts and ofcourse it is a possibility and never worth the risk but the chance each time is something like 0.25 percent of the top of my head.
You will be FINE and feel better once you get the results. Call them and just say your anxious. They will understand.
Like TUFTY said as well. You do not have it, I am sure.
But people that do have a normal life now. I know of someone who has it and they lead a perfectly normal life.
PM if you want to chat. It's hard to rationalise in these situations.
I've been going through the same of late. Too the point I phone the terrence higgins trust, a charity who offer support and advice.
The chance of catching it are 1/1500 from a white British Female, the odd's of catching it from someone that has it are also fractional.
The guy I spoke to on the one also cleared up the symptoms for me, as I've had a cold and be choked up, its flu LIKE symptoms but not actually the flu/cold its self that is a symptom.
Unfortunatly for me I've read the symtoms list that much that now I have developed them all, I'm a right mess at the moment.
hope this clears up a little for you.
fraser
The statistics really say it all. I used to call numbers every day and felt like a freak. Now I can rationalise I see how silly it was. EVEN if one of the people you had sex with had it which is extremely unlikely, you would then need to catch it which is also unlikely so stop worrying. And just see the test as part of putting your mind at ease.
---------- Post added at 10:21 ---------- Previous post was at 10:19 ----------
I've been going through the same of late. Too the point I phone the terrence higgins trust, a charity who offer support and advice.
The chance of catching it are 1/1500 from a white British Female, the odd's of catching it from someone that has it are also fractional.
The guy I spoke to on the one also cleared up the symptoms for me, as I've had a cold and be choked up, its flu LIKE symptoms but not actually the flu/cold its self that is a symptom.
Unfortunatly for me I've read the symtoms list that much that now I have developed them all, I'm a right mess at the moment.
hope this clears up a little for you.
fraser
Hope you okay. Are you booked for a test? These symptoms always creep up when you worry about HIV. It means nothing though.
I'm very good at giving out the advice wish I would just listen to it myself.
I started worrying about it a few weeks ago and within that time I've managed to get a rash on my back and the goold old throat closing up symptoms, anxiety is a cruel beast.
I've not been tested but to clear my head of this I feel I will need to go get it done, so I will go on Monday next week.
I've lost all rational thinking, and it's becoming a bit all consuming.
I'm very good at giving out the advice wish I would just listen to it myself.
I started worrying about it a few weeks ago and within that time I've managed to get a rash on my back and the goold old throat closing up symptoms, anxiety is a cruel beast.
Yep, it really is. You know in the back of your mind that this is not going to be related the HIV. But anxiety is horrible. Reassurance sometimes does not work for me but I would have loads of tests for peace of mind. You will be fine, im sure.
You get youself so worked up that then it just takes over everything.
I mean the symptoms I've delvolped are matching exactly what I read a couple of weeks back, knowing if I hadn't read that they probably wouldn't have appeared.
It seems completley unfair that us that worry about can do this do ourself
I've had this worry really badly before, I'm so worried now but I have been for my yearly check up last wk so I'm due to get results this Thursday, even if u think u don't have it there is always a little doubt and panic but I just try and do positive thinking as much as pos - you are fine - I watched a programme on TV about prostitutes, drug takers and gay ppl in soho going to get tested and hardly any of those 'high risk groups' had it so why would u or I xxx
sparkle_1979
21-05-13, 13:38
I was convinced I had it a few years ago, I was so sure. Guess what, I didn't just like you won't
AllIhaveisme
21-05-13, 15:32
I have this fear right now even though I tested negative on 4/1 and my risk factor is terribly low (1 partner, protected start to finish and only gave oral unprotected and ingested the ejaculate. According to everything I read, a normal person would move on. But I can't. I have a sore throat that keeps coming back and swollen glands for weeks. :( I'm terrified the test was wrong.
I had this fear for AGES! And it was ruining my life, I used to constantly ask my doctor and local GUM clinic for test after test after test. It was ridiculous but in the end I had to convince myslf that the chance of a test being wrong is VERY low. My doctor even told me once that HIV is a very difficult disease to catch, the human body is designed too well. Hope you feel better soon! :)
TheInvisibleMan
22-05-13, 14:54
Thanks for the replies makes me feel a little better, The problem disappears as soon as I am with friends or working it just seems to arise when I'm alone as it then gives me the chance to think about it more over. But like I said Friday is deadline day when ill phone then up and hopefully expect the results don't think I could last another week of waiting.
Could you try calling Tommorrow just in case? Ruminating is the worst thing. You will be fine.
I understand this. I have thought for years I might have it but I never dared take the test. I know I am low risk but the thoughts are still there. It sonly the past week have realised how irrational these thoughts are because I am pregnant and now they do routine HIV tests. I went white when the midwife said I should take the test. I did not want to but did it. Since then I have been besides myself. Even though the midwife told me that in 17 years only 2 woman had it and they already knew that they had it. Still didn't calm me down.
I'm surprisingly chilled for someone who gets their results tmw. I'm preoccupied about someone on here saying a clear MRI doesn't mean u don't have MS when I thought I'd closed that off because of my clear MRI :(
TheInvisibleMan
23-05-13, 17:37
Could you try calling Tommorrow just in case? Ruminating is the worst thing. You will be fine.
I'll wait till Friday, I don't want to phone only to find out they don't have the test results yet, it'd make me feel 100x times worse.
TheInvisibleMan
24-05-13, 10:26
Sorry for double post:
Went to the clinic today said to give it another week, they said if you don't hear in 14 days of your test you are all clear.
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