Extremely concerned despite reassurances

[jimpower392]

Hi, I'm a man in the UK.

On the 26th of of August, a man performed oral sex on me for 2-3 seconds until I told him to stop. I don't know his status or nationality as it was a casual encounter. I consider myself straight and this was a curious encounter so I've had no other risks since then.

I went to the GUM clinic after 23 days and had a combi test, the result was negative. I was unable to shake the feeling of the test being wrong as I've read that tests are not conclusive until 28 days. So, I bought a test online from, it's fourth generation HIV/p24 antigen combined test manufactured by Roche diagnostics. The test result was again negative.

My concern with the second test is that my exposure was on the 26th of August around 1:30-2:00pm and I took the test on the 23rd of September, which is 28 days after but I took the test at 10am so strictly speaking not exactly 28 days after exposure.

Since then, now 36 days after I have developed an itchy rash on my chest and a sore throat. Can my test be wrong? Should I take another combi test? I was planning on taking the same test as I took on the 28th day as I can buy it online.

I have a girlfriend so I'm concerned she could catch HIV from me.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

I'm suprised you would think that my answer would change just because you keep repeating your question.  It will not.  As you will see, your next test, and the test after that if you choose to continue your unneeded testing will be negative as well.  If you are paying for these tests yourself it would be just a productive to burn the cash.  If you are having insurance or some other source pay for the tests, youshould be ashamed for wasting resources when there are so many who are in need.  EWH

[jimpower392]

I'm taking a duo test tomorrow so hopefully I'll have the results on Friday. That will be almost 6 weeks after my incident.

I'm very anxious as you can tell. I'm normally very heavy but I seem to be unwell constantly now. My girlfriend is also unwell, hence why I'm worried about HIV.

I'm just worried that for some reason the duo test has failed twice and HIV is hiding in my system. Is this possible?

[Edward W Hook, MD]

You are being argumentative.  The test performance is a function of time, not symptoms.  The results are valid at 28 days.  You are argue, use all the exceptions you can think of but that will not change the science.  If you are worried you can test again, if these symptoms were due to HIV, the test would be positive.  I am confident that will not be the case.  EWH

[jimpower392]

I didn't have any symtoms until after my tests, hence why I'm more anxious now and concerned the tests did not pick up the HIV in my system or the antibodies.

Diarrhoea, rash, sore throat all after 28 days.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Sorry for the typo.  Yes, I meant there are no documented cases related to receipt of oral sex.  Your "I assume" statements denies what we know scientifically about HIV.  

As for your symptoms, the reason we do tests is to help sort out symptoms.

You did not get HIV from the event you described.  EWH

[jimpower392]

I should have also said I had a bout of diarrhoea for 24 hours 32-33 days after the exposure.

[jimpower392]

Hi, thanks for the quick response. I do appreciate it.

I assume you meant there are no documented cases of HIV from insertive oral?

My concern with the above is, if someone has oral and then anal sex which is probably quite common and they get HIV from this episode, the assumption would just be they got HIV from the anal sex and not the oral?

I'm concerned that maybe my levels of the p24 antigen were not high enough for the test to detect and neither were the antibodies?

I'm sorry for going on but you'll appreciate I am very anxious and have been living with this situation for over a month now.  I have struggled to sleep and function in my job.

[Edward W Hook, MD]

Welcome to our Forum.  I'll try to help.  I looked at your interactions on the HIV Prevention Community site and see that Teak has provided you with a wealth of facts, figures and references which I agree with.  The facts are that there are no documented cases of HIV that are due to HIV, that your exposure was quite brief (duration of exposure should matter), that it is statistically unlikely that your partner had HIV, and that you now have test results which are reliable for the diagnosis of HIV at the time you used them.  A few hours will make no difference in your result.  I urge you to believe and accept your test results.  If you cannot, I suggest you consider why you are having difficulty doing so (guilt?, shame?) and consider how to deal with those issues.  There really is nothing to be gained with further testing.

EWH