View Full Version : About the HIV test
Hello, this is my 2nd thread about my anxiety over HIV. I went to the hospital's testing center for HIV test because I have a one and only encounter to a gay wherein I was the insertive. The doctor was accomodating and he brought some good vibes on his time explaining about HIV, some sort of orientation. And then he asked me to go to the laboratory department with a coded note and I will tell that only staff should get my blood. By the way, about the orientation, he told me that the test will be "Elisa" and "Western Blot", the two tests' result will be ready in 1 month time. For me, it is a long agonizing wait. I asked him if they have Rapid test, he told me that only the City Health Office has the Rapid test. He let me decide what is my choice. Then, I requested him if he can give me the result in a week, he told me that it is possible but only the Elisa result, not the Western Blot since my blood will be sent to another city which is far from ours and it is the only city that is assigned by our Government to do Western Blot. I agreed terms with the doctor and he told me he will contact me with the cellphone number that I provided in the testing form. He warned me that if 1 week have passed and I didn't recieved a Sms or call then it is a bad news and I will have to wait for 1 month for the result in papers. But on his assestment he told me to calm down since I am chubby and still fine he thinks that I am okay, but I forgot to mention that I have some sort of sneezing, shortness of breath, mucus buildup,a quite mild tonsilitis and last night I have a stomach issue. I am so worried, what if 1 week have passed and he didn't contact me, oh my.. 7 days salvation...oh God please help me.. is the Elisa accurate? How about the Western Blot? Thanks guys, I hope everything will be okay. :(
The Elisa test has a virtually 0 false rate and the Western Blot is 100% accurate.
The difference is the time it takes to get the results.
How far away from the City Health Office are you?
If the week or month wait is going to cause you a huge amount of anguish, then perhaps it might be very well worth going into the city
---------- Post added at 18:54 ---------- Previous post was at 18:53 ----------
Another thing that I wanted to say - if there is a reason you don't get a call or result in one week, PLEASE don't think that this means it is bad news.
It could be that there is a delay in the lab, or it could mean that the Dr was very busy and hasn't reached you yet.
Please don't panic yet.
The Elisa test has a virtually 0 false rate and the Western Blot is 100% accurate.
The difference is the time it takes to get the results.
How far away from the City Health Office are you?
If the week or month wait is going to cause you a huge amount of anguish, then perhaps it might be very well worth going into the city
---------- Post added at 18:54 ---------- Previous post was at 18:53 ----------
Another thing that I wanted to say - if there is a reason you don't get a call or result in one week, PLEASE don't think that this means it is bad news.
It could be that there is a delay in the lab, or it could mean that the Dr was very busy and hasn't reached you yet.
Please don't panic yet.
Thank you again for always being active on my status, Thank you so much, I really appreciate it. Uhmm I already took the test and I guess I'm okay with it, I will probably wait for the doctor's "1 week" result. That is also on my mind, I would probably visit the doctor's office on the 7th day, I would not wait for a text message or Call, I would want to hear it from the doctor personally. Now all I have to do is to endure another 6 days of agony. :( This anxiety is killing me.
I was doing a search earlier for you of the places in your country that do the rapid test.
I found a VERY comforting statistic that you might be interested in.
Did you know that the prevalence of HIV in your country is less than 0.1% of the population? LESS than 0.1% of the population!
That is a fantastic odd that is completely on your side :D
I just wanted to add some perspective to your wait.
---------- Post added at 19:09 ---------- Previous post was at 19:07 ----------
Thank you again for always being active on my status, Thank you so much, I really appreciate it.
That's ok. I understand how horrible it can be when you have no one to talk to about something that is weighing heavily on your mind.
My husband isn't the best person to vent anxiety feelings to - he tries to "fix" everything rather than just listen.
I'm happy to chat with you in the next week while you wait for your result.
I still think your LESS THAN 0.1% country statistic is fantastic :yesyes:
My anxiety rejects every statistics that is on my side. :( Hoping for a good news. How about in australia? is the prevalence also good?
There are around 35000 people with HIV in Australia and around 11000 with AIDS.
I don't know if you'd call it good, the issue we are seeing in Australia is a rise in HIV infection especially amongst heterosexual people.
I don't know whether it is because people have become blase about protection or if there is a lesser care factor because in Australia medication is easily available, we have Medicare which means everyone gets almost free healthcare and the campaign for AIDS awareness is virtually non existent compared to the 1980's.
---------- Post added at 19:36 ---------- Previous post was at 19:34 ----------
Also, it's a disease now that is being classed as "chronic" rather than a death sentence because our understanding has grown - so has treatment progression.
I went through the HIV testing when I was pregnant with my first baby. Here is it an optional test given in early pregnancy - and while I considered myself low risk I still took the test because it is better to know than not.
My test was negative - but like with any test, I won't lie - I was anxious as well!
I truly think that once you get your NEGATIVE test - you need to concentrate on your anxiety to get it under control because if you don't, you may find it manifests later on when you aren't expecting it xx
That is the case also in my country, HIV is on the rise since then although on a total population scale the prevalence is low, maybe because the youth nowadays are embracing the western culture. Back then our ancestors are more conservative, now the youth are more adventurous, just like me 7 years ago,and now I am anxious about the result :(
I really think that your result will be fine.
You have a LOT of factors on your side :)
Anyway, the hardest part has been done and the test has been taken.
Do you have time to do some meditation and relaxation? You should put on calming music and visualise yourself going back to get the result and the result being negative.
Then you can visualise yourself looking at a book that holds the chapters of your long (and healthy) life with your wife and children.
You need a mind shift :) this is an easy and imaginative way to doing that. It also redirects your anxiety.
It is the 6th day now and the doctor have not sent a text or called, I am constantly thinking now, 4 days ago I was rushed to ER cause I have difficulty breathing and numbness/tingling hands and abdomen and still my belly is rumbling, I don't know if that was a panic attack. The doctor said I have a low potassium level based on the blood test(sodium and potassium). Another symptom pop out 2 days ago, My left face near the cheek and ear area is slightly numb as well as in the left part of my head. And I got these muscle twitching by itself. Yesterday I went to a gastroenterologist and he pressed my belly, and he suspects about diarhea due to infection, I asked him about the numbness in my left face/head, he said it could be muscle issues or nerves, I asked if this is a sign of Stroke or TIA, he laughed a little and answered that I am young to have it. And now I am Googling about MS which is a big mistake. Wish I could put away the HIV anxiety so that I can deal with the other health anxieties, I NEED A NEGATIVE HIV RESULT :(
I have been checking in each day to see if you have been posting.
I have said it before - you have health anxiety. Because you are preoccupied with the HIV test, you are hypersensitive to every other sensation you are feeling.
Just remember, you do NOT need to be symptom free to be healthy. Your body does so many different things - some cause discomfort and some don't. It doesn't mean that there is something wrong.
I will put money on the fact that you will get your HIV result back, it will be a negative result and then you'll move onto another problem to focus on.
You are far better to google "Centre for Clinical Interventions" (it's an Australian site) and go to the left hand side of the site that goes through different anxiety disorders and download the modules that cover "health anxiety".
Get this under control before it gets the better of you :)
Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 Copyright © 2024 vBulletin Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.