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HIV Testing!!! Please Help!
Hey, this may be a silly question but I'm having legit worries, no hating please...
I am 22 yr old male, non-IV drug using, heterosexual.
So one year ago I had unprotected hetero sex with a foreign girl of unknown status...she didn't have an IV drug problem, heterosexual. After searching endlessly on the internet, I was under the impression that the odds were in my favor that she didn't have HIV to begin with, let alone the risk of transmission was still low from a one-time exposure risk with her. Also, I have experienced no symptoms to date. I also got a new tattoo, but I doubt I have to be concerned of that (clean place, needles, and gloves were worn, etc)
3 months after this I went back to my college where I began donating plasma. I used to do so twice every week, and I understand that they test for blood-borne diseases (such as HIV). A few searches on the internet showed that they do an ELISA (most likely) and probably a PCR (though I'm not 100% certain about this one). Never had a single problem with my plasma, as the place was supposed to contact me if there were.
Last month, I had taken another HIV test (ELISA I'm pretty sure, it wasnt a rapid/oral test) which came back negative. I did not have sex during this period of my latest test since last summer during the incident, save for some kissing 4+ months ago (though I'm pretty sure this wouldn't have an impact).
So I am worried that the tests I had received didn't pick it up, or my immune system was somehow compromised, or I'm not sure what. Do you think that I am worried for no reason? Can someone be negative normally and still carry the virus?
I am 22 yr old male, non-IV drug using, heterosexual.
So one year ago I had unprotected hetero sex with a foreign girl of unknown status...she didn't have an IV drug problem, heterosexual. After searching endlessly on the internet, I was under the impression that the odds were in my favor that she didn't have HIV to begin with, let alone the risk of transmission was still low from a one-time exposure risk with her. Also, I have experienced no symptoms to date. I also got a new tattoo, but I doubt I have to be concerned of that (clean place, needles, and gloves were worn, etc)
3 months after this I went back to my college where I began donating plasma. I used to do so twice every week, and I understand that they test for blood-borne diseases (such as HIV). A few searches on the internet showed that they do an ELISA (most likely) and probably a PCR (though I'm not 100% certain about this one). Never had a single problem with my plasma, as the place was supposed to contact me if there were.
Last month, I had taken another HIV test (ELISA I'm pretty sure, it wasnt a rapid/oral test) which came back negative. I did not have sex during this period of my latest test since last summer during the incident, save for some kissing 4+ months ago (though I'm pretty sure this wouldn't have an impact).
So I am worried that the tests I had received didn't pick it up, or my immune system was somehow compromised, or I'm not sure what. Do you think that I am worried for no reason? Can someone be negative normally and still carry the virus?
I can see that. You need to get it under control because there is no reason for you to get so worked up over something that you have been tested for and clearly don't have.
No it wouldn't make any difference. Stop trying to make yourself have HIV, you are negative and don't need to keep worrying for a non issue.
But do you think taking the plasma for so long would take longer to seroconvert? I read there was no real medical reason for it to take longer than 6 months, but I havent seen too many people that have donated for as long or often...
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