Does anyone here know about giving blood?

[Jem27]

When giving blood here in the UK they take extra tubes to test. How long after giving blood are you likely to hear if you have anything wrong?

I have had a HIV test 6 weeks after sex, I don't think this man has HIV but im still worrying because ive read its after 3 months you should test and my GP told me 6 weeks was fine. I was relaxed and happy but now im concerned again.

The man I slept with gives blood 3x a year and he last gave blood almost 3 weeks ago, surely he would of heard by now anyway and I know he would tell me for sure.

Someone said to me they bank it and test it right away before the blood bags are sent to hospital to be stored. Is this correct?

[chillx]

Hi Jem

I get the feeling the fear of HIV is not going to go away and you don't seem to be able to accept the doctors medical opinion so I would suggest you should wait until 6 months and go to a private clinic and request another test. The reason I suggest 6 months is that on rare occasions it can take this length of time for antibodies to develop therefore I believe if you have the test done at 3 months you would still have lingering doubts.

Jem there is nothing more you can do about this at the moment so you need to try and put it behind you until the six month period when you can finally put it to rest.

Try and enjoy Christmas with your lovely family.

chillx

[Jem27]

Thanks Chill,

I would believe a 3 month test for sure I know I would. INfact I feel more positive today because im sure if this man is fine after giving blood then I am2.

[Southern_Belle]

Hi Jem,

Why don't you call the blood bank and ask them for yourself what their testing policy is? That might reassure you. I agree with Chill by the way. I hope you feel better soon regarding this issue.

Belxx

"Our thoughts are our reality"

[LickeyEndBlues]

My thoughts too Chillx. Jem it is good to read that you are feeling more positive today....good for you.

Iain

What's so funny about peace, love and understanding?

[Jem27]

Good idea im going to ring them now.

Thanks for your support.

Jem x

[Jem27]

I rung them and he said that its not tested on site, its sent away to a lab and they won't be contacted unless there is a problem. I asked in what kind of time would they be contacted and he said they cannot put a time on it.

Soooo im not sure now how I feel.

[Grover]

Hiya

Sorry if im repeating myself at all but this I think this might be relevant to your HIV fear. I think you have 'NOTHING' to worry about whatsoever...... The term 'HIV test' is a misnomer. The test does not, and cannot detect virus in the blood. The test is designed to detect antibodies that are meant to be 'specific' to HIV. But this has been proved to be false. Many things have the potential to cause a 'false positive' on an HIV test (see article and list at bottom of post).

Amongst many circles in science the HIV test is very controversial with many many doctors, scientists etc voicing the opinion that it should be banned. A gold standard for interprating the test world wide has never been established. I have put a link just below that I think might interest you, if you have any questions just post me.

http://www.peaceandlove.ca/AIDSsexmyth.html


False positive article.

WHOSE ANTIBODIES ARE THEY ANYWAY?
Factors Known to Cause False Positive HIV Antibody Test Results
By Christine Johnson

Continuum Sept./Oct. 1996


The AIDS establishment has managed to convince many people that the HIV antibody tests (ELISA, IFA and Western blot) are "99.5% accurate". In this article Christine Johnson from HEAL Los Angeles, lists conditions documented in the scientific literature known to cause positives on these tests, and gives her references.

It is expected that this list will generate much discussion and dissension. For the time being, a few clarifications should be made at the outset.

Just because something is on the list doesn't mean that it will definitely, or even probably, cause a false-positive. It depends on what antibodies the individual carries; as well as the characteristics of each particular test kit.

For instance, some, but not all, people who have had blood transfusions, prior pregnancies or an organ transplant will make HLA antibodies. And some, but not all, test kits (both ELISA and Western blot) will be contaminated with HLA antigens to which these antibodies can react. Only if these two conditions coincide might you get a false-positive due to HLA cross-reactivity.

Some things are more likely than others to cause false-positives. And some things that we aren't aware of yet, but which may be documented in the future, may cause false-positives. Some of the factors on the list have been documented only for ELISA, some for both ELISA and Western blot (WB).

Some people may be eager to argue that if a factor is only known to cause false-positives on ELISA, this problem won't be carried over to the WB, so everything should be OK. But remember, a WB is positive by virtue of accumulating enough individual positive bands to add up to the total required by whatever criteria you use to interpret it (39) So the more exposures a person has had to foreign antigens, proteins and infectious agents, the more various antibodies he or she will have in their system, and the more likely it is that there will be several cross-reacting antibodies, enough to make the WB positive.

It is to be noted that all AIDS risk groups (and Africans as well), but not the general US or Western European population, have this problem in common: they have been exposed to a plethora of foreign antigens and proteins. This is why people in the AIDS "risk groups" tend to have positive WBs (i.e., to be considered "HIV-infected") and people in the general population don't. However, even people in the low-risk populations may have false-positive Western blots for poorly understood reasons.(47)

Since false-positives to every single HIV protein have been documented (36), how do you know the positive WB bands represent the various proteins to HIV, or just a collection of false-positive bands reacting to several different non-HIV antibodies?


Factors Known to Cause False-Positive HIV Antibody Test Results

Anti-carbohydrate antibodies (52, 19, 13)
Naturally-occurring antibodies (5, 19)
Passive immunization: receipt of gamma globulin or immune globulin (as prophylaxis against infection which contains antibodies

[Jem27]

Wow thanks for your reply grover.

I am only worried because maybe my dr did my test at 6 weeks a little too early so its got me in abit of a panic because ive read its 3 months for an accurate test. Yes my test at 6 weeks was negative but im a little paranoid its not conclusive.

[jill]

Hi Jem

I don't believe in any way you have HIV, but this is not going to help you. What is going to help is time, time is a great healer and you have plenty of that.

I know its dame hard but try and focus on the good things in your life.

Thinking of you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

LOVE JILLXXX

Fear is the darkroom
where negatives are developed.....


When you fear something,
learn as mush about it as you can.
Knowledge conqers fear...

[Grover]

Hi Sorry about this huge reply again.

I totally empathise with you. Years ago I had an HIV test done which came back negative. I had no reason to doubt it. I have no history of IV drug use or partners who had, I have only ever had heterosexual relationships. Basically no real risk factors.

Even with my negative result I started the 'what if' thought patterns. 'what if' they mixed my results with someone elses? 'what if I tested later' would it be different?
These are all the naggings of our anxiety states.

Did you read the website link in the last post I sent you. Please check it out. It shows that in long term studies of prostitutes who had used no protection with clients (as many as 200 a year and more). Of those tested in the control group at one point in time, and then 2 years later, none tested HIV+.

As I have mentioned before there has long been debate over whether HIV is even the cause of AIDS. Many well respected scientists even argue that HIV has never even been proven to exist, this is just worth bearing in mind. What I am saying with the paragraph above this one is, is that if these women who have loads of unprotected sex with many men regularly and have not contracted HIV what are the chances of you getting it from a one off session with a guy who gives blood regularly. Think about it....remote in the extreme. Im gonna add some links below, read them if the fancy takes you, but please try to put this out your mind and try to recognise it as anxiety only, your worries have no foundation in reality.....I mean that in a nice way.

p.s did you check out the video on googlevideo 'the other side of AIDS' that I linked before, there is a great bit on there explaining about what the HIV test is really about. This documentary is an absolute must.

http://www.healtoronto.com/

http://www.aliveandwell.org/html/a_closer_look/faq_doesexist.html

http://www.virusmyth.com/aids/

[Grover]

Heres the documentary link for yourself or anyone who has a fear related to HIV and AIDS. A look at the flip side of the orthodox point of view, the documentary.....

'The other side of AIDS'

Click the link and watch.

http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?docid=-8826984308137799330&q=the+other+side+of+aids

[Jem27]

Thank you both, I really hope in time I can believe I don't have HIV. I am just feeling so so tired and run down right now.