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active steriod use and rapid 20 min finger ***** offered by CDC
Dear Dr.,
I took a hiv rapid 20 min. test offered by the CDC, in the US. 13 & 15 wks post possible exposure. It was receptive vaginal intercoarse, I'm female. No condom w/partial ejaculation. 1. My primary concern is the use of the active htdrocortisone rectal ennemas that were used to gain remission for my Ulcertive Colitis. It was100 /mg/60 mL used for three mos. every other night for three mo.and four wks after post poss. exposure.. Could this steriod have caused a delayed sercoversion? Not in theory, but your exierencece and your exportise? 2. i have random spots that itch, become red , then a little bump appears. it usually goes away in a few hrs. Stress? Also, a bigger version of the same thing, but resembles a hiv. Maybe stress is causing this? This is why I'm having a hard time with the neg results. Can i believe them? Please elaborate w/as much info and numbersas possible, i want closer and to put this behind me. Taking into meds and red type bumpsapearing randomly, not sure if this horrible stress is causing thisor were my tests not accurate do to the active steriod use? Help!!
I took a hiv rapid 20 min. test offered by the CDC, in the US. 13 & 15 wks post possible exposure. It was receptive vaginal intercoarse, I'm female. No condom w/partial ejaculation. 1. My primary concern is the use of the active htdrocortisone rectal ennemas that were used to gain remission for my Ulcertive Colitis. It was100 /mg/60 mL used for three mos. every other night for three mo.and four wks after post poss. exposure.. Could this steriod have caused a delayed sercoversion? Not in theory, but your exierencece and your exportise? 2. i have random spots that itch, become red , then a little bump appears. it usually goes away in a few hrs. Stress? Also, a bigger version of the same thing, but resembles a hiv. Maybe stress is causing this? This is why I'm having a hard time with the neg results. Can i believe them? Please elaborate w/as much info and numbersas possible, i want closer and to put this behind me. Taking into meds and red type bumpsapearing randomly, not sure if this horrible stress is causing thisor were my tests not accurate do to the active steriod use? Help!!
The oral tests are conclusive at 3 months here in the US. Steriods have nothing to do with an outcome of your tests as Dr.Sean said.
3rd generation has become pretty standard here in the US and I believe just about every place is using the 3rd genration tests. Since the change in 2004 by the CDC to recommend a conclusive time frame of 3 months that is when the older tests have been phased out. The newer test that is a combo test has just been approved by the FDA and this is the 4th generation test. Which the UK has used for several years i I am not mistaken. But again the quick tests (oral or blood) are 3rd generation and 3 months is conclusive.
3rd generation has become pretty standard here in the US and I believe just about every place is using the 3rd genration tests. Since the change in 2004 by the CDC to recommend a conclusive time frame of 3 months that is when the older tests have been phased out. The newer test that is a combo test has just been approved by the FDA and this is the 4th generation test. Which the UK has used for several years i I am not mistaken. But again the quick tests (oral or blood) are 3rd generation and 3 months is conclusive.
Does this mean that the test that used was unreliable, because the oraquick finger prick test is desighned to pick up antibodies and not the other/and conclisive at 3 mo.? Would this make my use of active steriods come into question? are the steriods irrelavant only if its a 3rd or 4th gen test, regardless that the US considers this test conclusive at 3 mo? Because it tests for antibodies only, is steriod use relavant, even if i waited 13 & !5 wks? Are steriods, llike my usage, relavant for any reliable hiv test? Clearly, would the steriods i took, have an affect of the outcome of the test, if i waited the proper amount of time before testing? my steriod usage, could it have delayed be able to have reliable results at 3 and 3 1/2 mo.?
The test that was given at the CDC, was FDA Oraquik finger prick test, giving results in 20 mins. The oraquick test appearanly does not give a gen. # for it's tests in the US. It may not be a 3rd. or 4th. test, but the CDC in the Us. considers these tests reliable and conclusive at 3 mos. I already knew that. what brought me to your forum, was the active Hydrocortise rectaly, as stated in previous post. I was very concerned that my body didnt pick up antibodies in the window period, as we all know. Given the additional info, was that a RELIABLE and CONCLUSIVE test? Now i'm worried that our US CDC and FDA hiv tests are not accurate? I hope the little bit more info will help in terms of a solid answer to the best of yor knowledge with the limited info provided? you're a world renouned Dr. w/experience and compassion toward people in need of reassurance.Dont want to retest! US experts say they are exremrey reliable. Given as stated, US guidlines and conclusiveness, am i go? For sure steriod meds would not have given me a false neg, with the info i just posted. Thet sat conclusive and reliable at 3 mo. or 13wks?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello Ashley,
I'm sorry your post was missed - occasionally this can happen but not too often. I am sorry.
The key thing in the US is to determine whihc HIV test you have had - and although you describe it as being one offered by the CDC that does not help me.
The USA is a curious place of very patchy HIV testing so some places have until recently still been using 1st generation HIV antibody tests which we gave up using in the mid to late eighties. Lots of places still use 2nd generation testing - which again by modern standards are particularly poor.
The steroids you have used are irrelevant in terms of the HIV test results PROVIDED a reliable HIV test was used. If you were tested using a modern third generation HIV test then you can rely on the results and stop worrying. You will need to ask the testing centre which generation test they used.
As I say though, your rectal steroids are irrelevant and will NOT affect the result.
best wishes, Sean
I'm sorry your post was missed - occasionally this can happen but not too often. I am sorry.
The key thing in the US is to determine whihc HIV test you have had - and although you describe it as being one offered by the CDC that does not help me.
The USA is a curious place of very patchy HIV testing so some places have until recently still been using 1st generation HIV antibody tests which we gave up using in the mid to late eighties. Lots of places still use 2nd generation testing - which again by modern standards are particularly poor.
The steroids you have used are irrelevant in terms of the HIV test results PROVIDED a reliable HIV test was used. If you were tested using a modern third generation HIV test then you can rely on the results and stop worrying. You will need to ask the testing centre which generation test they used.
As I say though, your rectal steroids are irrelevant and will NOT affect the result.
best wishes, Sean
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