Negative at 8 weeks HIV test

[marits222]

Dear Doctor Handsfield,

I saw you were one of the Doctors listed in MedHelp and that you had replied to people who posted in the STD forum. I really wanted to ask you something so found your email online. I have Bipolar Disorder and had a manic episode this summer. During manic episodes I engage in sex with random people. From the last time I had sex till the time I had a regular test done for HIV at the clinic I go to, it was the 8 week mark. Every day I have stress and anxiety causing me to overeat because I think to myself I might still have HIV, despite testing negative at 8 weeks. I saw you wrote in a blog post to someone " Everything known about the speed with which antibody develops in response to a new HIV infection, and the ability of the tests to detect that antibody, indicate that the tests will pick up virtually all new infections by 6 weeks, and certainly by 8 weeks." So might you be able to give me a percent chance that I might have HIV but it was undetected at 8 weeks? And also some information for you, is that I did not contract Hepatitis A or B from my most recent bipolar episode because I have gotten immunizations for these.

Thanks so much,

Mari

[Teak]

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/HIV-Prevention/8-weeks-negative-for-HIV/show/2009996#post_9485826

[Sonia_Arjan]

An eight week negative is highly reassuring and unlikely to change. Some experts consider it conclusive. However at 8 weeks, it is not officially conclusive. CDC guidelines and in most countries, is that testing at 3 months or more after your exposure gives you a conclusive result. Follow up with your 3 months test. In the mean time, stay safe. :)