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How reliable are my tests?
Hello doctors,
I want to share with you my story (I`m a male) since I keep being anxious and worried since my symptoms didn’t disappear completely.
The story:
I had sexual intercourse with two ladies in two consecutive days:
- 1st lady (had multiple partners from what I know – 23 years old – unknown STDs status) – had 3 times protected vaginal sex and 3 times unprotected oral sex (blowj.) (each around 20 mins) on 28th of October
- 2nd lady (she seemed to have less partners – 23 years old – unknown STDs status) – had 2 times protected vaginal sex and 2 times unprotected oral sex (blowj + cunnilingus) (again around 20 mins each) – on 29th of October
At 5 weeks after these, symptoms started to appear:
- Dry coughing – still have it after 4 weeks (took a syrup but no effect)
- Fever for few days
- Two night sweats but uncertain if due to the temperature from the room or fever
- Sore throat only for few days
- Visible oral candidiasis (with tongue changing structures on it from a day to another and with morning whiteness on it – cleaned with tooth brush)
- Skin itching random for two weeks continuously (without visible sign on my skin) and this increased my anxiety, the skin itch stopped for one week but now again appeared but with more rare occurrences
- Muscle aching random since two weeks ago and won’t stop, I keep having them randomly
- Tiredness – I’m usually very active and I usually went to the gym daily for the last 6 years but now I feel that I get tired faster
- Nails from the thumbs are a bit curved on the middle (had this in the past but from what I read this is when immunity system drops)
Tests (all were lab tests in a very good clinic):
- 5.5 weeks (38 days) – Elisa antibodies Hiv 1 + 2 – negative; Anti HCV + HBV – negative; VDRL (Syphilis) – negative
- 6.5 weeks (45 days) – Chemiluminiscence Hiv 1 + 2 AG/AB (duo test) – 0.08 value (<1 = Negative); Anti HCV + HBV – negative; VDRL (Syphilis) – negative
- 7.5 weeks (52 days) - Chemiluminiscence Hiv 1 + 2 AG/AB (duo test) – 0.12 value (<1 = Negative); heterophile antibodies (for mononucleosis) – negative
- All blood tests + urine (two probes) + pharyngeal & nazal exudates + anti chlamydia (all types from blood) – all in normal values, all streptococcal & staphylococcus absent, one of the Chlamydia had value 4.15 (<5 = negative) but this seems very close.
Other treatments:
- Pills (from plants) for calm (due to anxiety)
- Calcium, magnesium & zinc one per day since a week ago
- Some multi-vitamin pills
- 7 days pills for oral candidiasis but with no effect (also took a protector for liver with these pills)
- 6 days of antibiotics (targeting pulmonary diseases and STDs) – one per day (also took some probiotics with these for protection of the stomach)
Symptoms that I still have:
- Tiredness (less than It was)
- Skin itching without visible signs on skin but more rare now
- Muscle aching randomly in different parts of the body, this also more rare now
- Dry coughing more rare now but still happens
- Oral candidiasis still visible but way lower than it was and no longer disturbing my tongue
My questions:
- Could my symptoms be due to anxiety?
- How reliable are the tests that I done?
- Should I repeat HIV tests?
- Should I repeat HCV/HBV tests?
- I the HIV duo test at 52 day enough to be 100% conclusive?
I want to share with you my story (I`m a male) since I keep being anxious and worried since my symptoms didn’t disappear completely.
The story:
I had sexual intercourse with two ladies in two consecutive days:
- 1st lady (had multiple partners from what I know – 23 years old – unknown STDs status) – had 3 times protected vaginal sex and 3 times unprotected oral sex (blowj.) (each around 20 mins) on 28th of October
- 2nd lady (she seemed to have less partners – 23 years old – unknown STDs status) – had 2 times protected vaginal sex and 2 times unprotected oral sex (blowj + cunnilingus) (again around 20 mins each) – on 29th of October
At 5 weeks after these, symptoms started to appear:
- Dry coughing – still have it after 4 weeks (took a syrup but no effect)
- Fever for few days
- Two night sweats but uncertain if due to the temperature from the room or fever
- Sore throat only for few days
- Visible oral candidiasis (with tongue changing structures on it from a day to another and with morning whiteness on it – cleaned with tooth brush)
- Skin itching random for two weeks continuously (without visible sign on my skin) and this increased my anxiety, the skin itch stopped for one week but now again appeared but with more rare occurrences
- Muscle aching random since two weeks ago and won’t stop, I keep having them randomly
- Tiredness – I’m usually very active and I usually went to the gym daily for the last 6 years but now I feel that I get tired faster
- Nails from the thumbs are a bit curved on the middle (had this in the past but from what I read this is when immunity system drops)
Tests (all were lab tests in a very good clinic):
- 5.5 weeks (38 days) – Elisa antibodies Hiv 1 + 2 – negative; Anti HCV + HBV – negative; VDRL (Syphilis) – negative
- 6.5 weeks (45 days) – Chemiluminiscence Hiv 1 + 2 AG/AB (duo test) – 0.08 value (<1 = Negative); Anti HCV + HBV – negative; VDRL (Syphilis) – negative
- 7.5 weeks (52 days) - Chemiluminiscence Hiv 1 + 2 AG/AB (duo test) – 0.12 value (<1 = Negative); heterophile antibodies (for mononucleosis) – negative
- All blood tests + urine (two probes) + pharyngeal & nazal exudates + anti chlamydia (all types from blood) – all in normal values, all streptococcal & staphylococcus absent, one of the Chlamydia had value 4.15 (<5 = negative) but this seems very close.
Other treatments:
- Pills (from plants) for calm (due to anxiety)
- Calcium, magnesium & zinc one per day since a week ago
- Some multi-vitamin pills
- 7 days pills for oral candidiasis but with no effect (also took a protector for liver with these pills)
- 6 days of antibiotics (targeting pulmonary diseases and STDs) – one per day (also took some probiotics with these for protection of the stomach)
Symptoms that I still have:
- Tiredness (less than It was)
- Skin itching without visible signs on skin but more rare now
- Muscle aching randomly in different parts of the body, this also more rare now
- Dry coughing more rare now but still happens
- Oral candidiasis still visible but way lower than it was and no longer disturbing my tongue
My questions:
- Could my symptoms be due to anxiety?
- How reliable are the tests that I done?
- Should I repeat HIV tests?
- Should I repeat HCV/HBV tests?
- I the HIV duo test at 52 day enough to be 100% conclusive?
COMMUNITY LEADER
Never guauge your HIV infection using symptom's yardstick. Symptoms are most of the time confusing and misleading. Trust your test reports, as this is the only way to determine our status conclusively.
Your tests are conclusive and final, You do not have HIV. Symptoms similar to ARS can be experienced due to several other common infections
Your tests are conclusive and final, You do not have HIV. Symptoms similar to ARS can be experienced due to several other common infections
2 Comments
Hello and thank you for the comment.
The problem is that I still have other symptoms that appeared in the meanwhile.
Now I feel hands numbness frequently since few days ago, my arms are sometimes hurting, and also I feel my feets are burning, especially when I sit in a single place (but not on foot).
Can you please let me know if the tests that I performed (chemiluminiscence ag/ab) represent a 4th gen tests?
I`m afraid to perform an additional test because due to my severe anxiety + these symptoms that don`t disappear and some additional ones that appeared and I`m afraid of a positive further result.
Please help
The problem is that I still have other symptoms that appeared in the meanwhile.
Now I feel hands numbness frequently since few days ago, my arms are sometimes hurting, and also I feel my feets are burning, especially when I sit in a single place (but not on foot).
Can you please let me know if the tests that I performed (chemiluminiscence ag/ab) represent a 4th gen tests?
I`m afraid to perform an additional test because due to my severe anxiety + these symptoms that don`t disappear and some additional ones that appeared and I`m afraid of a positive further result.
Please help
You never had a risk to begin with. Sexually, the ONLY risk for HIV is having unprotected, penetrative anal or vaginal sex. Oral sex isn't a risk, and protected sex isn't a risk.
Even if you had had a risk, which you did not, your tests would have been conclusive. Yes, the ag/ab test is 4th generation and is conclusive at 28 days post-event.
Time to find out what is really causing your symptoms. It is NOT HIV.
Even if you had had a risk, which you did not, your tests would have been conclusive. Yes, the ag/ab test is 4th generation and is conclusive at 28 days post-event.
Time to find out what is really causing your symptoms. It is NOT HIV.
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