HIV-Test after 46 days

[Sunstroke]

Dear Dr. Cumming,

I'm writing you from Germany with a problem which gets more serious to me every day.
I did an HIV-combination-test (HIV 1/2 - antibodies / p24 Ag) here in Germany last friday. It was negative, i got my results a few hours later that day.
My "risk" might sound a bit stupid, I got pretty drunk on the evening of 1st may this year, I was going home by cab that night, but several scenes of this cab ride are simply missing, e.g. the few steps from the cab to my house door. So I keep on thinking or wondering or worrying whether "something" might have happened with the taxi driver....must sound stupid, I do confess. Whatever, I can't get it out of my head.

So the test I did was on 17th june, 46 days later, and as I said negative.

After 41 days I got an aphte on the inner side of my right cheek. 44 days after the 1st of may I found 3 swollen lymph nodes at my lower jaw and the cervix. Another one on the right cheek exactly on the temporomandibular joint in front of the right ear. All of them are hurting a bit when I press on them. I also got a very slight sore throat and a even slighter stuffed nose. But I never had fever or elevated temperature, always 37° C.

Last friday, the 17th, they also did a blood test, Leukocytes, Thrombocytes are normal, inflammatory biomarkers low and normal, erythrocyte sedimentation rate normal. So everything perfectly okay with my blood values.

But I'm still running extremely scared because of the symptoms, I'm really unable to enjoy my life right now. can you tell me maybe about the expressiveness of my HIV test after 46 days after my maybe-exposure?

Thanks a lot for your help, I'm hoping for a quick answer,
greetings from Germany!

Sunstroke (29, f)

[Dr Sean Cummings]

Good Morning,

Well you've got me anyway so don't worry!

Your test is fine. You do not have HIV in relation to this episode. It does sound as though you have an overactive imagination though. I can understand you being a little unhappy with the missing period but the test firmly establishes that you definitely do not have HIV. I can't comment on the swollen lymph nodes etc etc but I can say that you did not contract HIV on that occasion. Best wishes, Sean

[Sunstroke]

Good evening (thought it's definitely night time),
thanks again for your answer.

There are sources here in Germany to inform yourself, but it's quite impossible to get professional advice about medical cases via the internet.

It just seems to me that we all have to gain more confidence in what doctors tell us, because THEY know more than we do. Drs in Germany are also quite sure about a 6 weeks test. Maybe it's just another "safety awareness" here in Germany, they just stick to that 12-weeks-period, so noone can blame them.

Thanks a lot again for your assistance, and be sure that you helped me beeing more confident and happy right now.

Greets and good night from Germany
Sunstroke

(that nickname might implicate that I have a big imagination concerning my case ;-) )

[Dr Sean Cummings]

Hello again,

Thanks for your nice comments - although I'm sure you do have similar services in Germany - I'm just not sure where.

I think there is a general trend in the Western world to move to increasingly early reliable testing for HIV and 4th generation tests have proved their reliability. Other countires will use either older or newer methods - for example in New York City then very early (7 days) tests using PCR technology are used along with antibody testing. Energetic early testing will identify newly infected individuals and give us an opportunity to slow down the transfer rates.

best regards, Sean

[Sunstroke]

Good morning Dr. Cumming,

thanks a lot for your quick response. That makes me feel a lot more comfortable right now.
If the lymph nodes, cold, sore throat etc. won't vanish soon, I'm gonna see a doctor here anyway.

So I hope I do understand you right that you don't consider it necessary to do another test after 12 weeks?
And, out of interest, why do they still stick to those 12 weeks here in Germany?

(BTW, I have no clue, which test ist was exactly, which producer etc., just that ist was a HIV1/2-ab and p24-ag combination test)

Thanks for your wishes and assistance, I wish we had something professional like this here in Germany.
Have a nice day,
Sunstroke

[Sunstroke]

Of course this question goes out to any of the doctors attending this forum....I thought it would only be Dr. Cumming....of course I'm happy about any answer. :-)