Please Help - Symptoms & Low WBC

[confusedtoolong]

Hello All,

Please Help Me. I have been worrying about this disease since 2001. I have not lived in 8 years. My risk was repeated unprotected sexual intercourse (STUPID RISK) with an African man who had then recently migrated to the US.

Since then I have had about 3 negative ELISA. Well my current boyfriend and I are having NUMEROUS similar symptoms, such as Peripheral Neuropathy/Tingling All Over, Yeast Infections, Repeated Colds, etc. TODAY I got my CBC results and WBC is low. 4.4 (normal range starts at 4.5 - 10) My Neutrophil was low and my Lymphocyte was normal.

Let me emphasize that this tingling/crawling is getting PROGRESSIVELY WORSE.

I am DYING to start a Family, but these symptoms have me worried. I love my boyfriend and we are both ready for children , but I would hate to put my child at risk. WHAT DO YOU ALL SUGGEST I DO? I feel that maybe I have a strain, such as O, found in Africa-where my ex partner is from. I have read where the Elisa misses these strains. COULD THE ELISA TEST HAVE MISSED THIS STRAIN?  My most recent test was 3 month ago. (BioRad HIV 1/2) Please advise. I am looking for truthful and honest answers only. No sugar-coating please.

CALLING ALL EXPERTS.........Thanking you all in advance....GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

[confusedtoolong]

Thank You All For your reply. I will honestly TRY VERY HARD to erase these thoughts from my life. It's just sooooooooo hard to do sometimes when these ugly symptoms appear.

To 'RegularJoey'...you're right ''poor thing'' sums it best. I have let this fear ruin my life for the past 8 years. I have abandoned friends and just stopped living. Please pray for me guys that I can PERMANENTLY put this behind me.

I WANT TO LIVE and HAVE CHILDREN. I was abandoned as a child and I have so much love to give.

THANK YOU GUYS.

[regularjoey]

My God, 8 years! You poor thing!!
First of all, please try to understand that HIV diagnostic tests are VERY sensitive and very accurate. Even when some new obscure strain is discovered, which happens all the time, it usually happens when people have a positive or at least an indeterminate test and only the follow-up genetic analysis reveals unique genetic characteristics. So for example, even before there were tests approved to detect strains that belong to HIV-1 Group O, people would test at least borderline positive with most tests. For sure, had you been infected, the tests you had would have picked it up!
Second (less important), had you been infected, odds are that after 8 years you would have had serious health problems, not just tingling and colds. And HIV should not affect neutrophil levels as far as I know.
Please try to accept your test results and move on! If you can't, I strongly recommend getting help from a mental health professional. You should not let guilt and anxiety ruin your life.

[mike_no]

Also, tingling sensations are classic anxiety symptoms. You are calling it 'neuropathy', needs to be validated by a doctor that it indeed is real neuropathy  

[mike_no]

Also, tingling sensations are classic anxiety symptoms. You are calling it 'neuropathy', needs to be validated by a doctor that it indeed is real neuropathy  

[mike_no]

You have pushed your self to a very dangerous zone of thought process. 'strains'. I understand that you are speculating but, let me burst the bubble - firstly, a little education here: HIV 1 is categorized in to 2 strains M (major) and O (outlier) the new upgraded HIV  tests are very competant to  detect this strain. Secondly, this strain is very rare. I don't thing you need to speculate HIV but find out the real cause of your disease. Blood counts don't  indicate HIV for god's sake. If you are still concerned, get your self tested on the specific strain and move on. FYI only- A western blot would detect.  

[Vance2335]

do not listen to still_testing on when to test.

You said the most recent test was 3 months ago...move on your are negative.

[confusedtoolong]

Please can someone else read my concerns, and respond to WHAT YOU THINK I SHOULD DO...based on the validity of the other strain, in light of all the Hallmark HIV sympoms.

[Rob73!]

Get tested for what? You are HIV negative. Seriously, I would take it to the anxiety forum. You need to accept that oyu are HIV negative.

[confusedtoolong]

Hi Rob,
Thanks for your reply...you guys who dedicate such time are true God-Sends. Seriously!!!

I am concerned because of other strains of HIV out there...especially AFRICA where the man was from.

Should I retest? I really want to get pregnant, but I need to be sure. Aren't these symtoms very alarming? 2 people with all the same symptoms? Isn't another strain possible?

Please HELP.

[Rob73!]

You say you had three ELISA HIV antiobody tests? When did you have them? More than three months after the last time you had unprocted sex with the dude? If so and the tests were negative then you didn't contract HIV from this episode. End of story. IN fact I can see form the last couple of lines of your post that you have had a test in June which was negative. You certainly don't have HIV from what you have describe in your post.

Symptoms mean nothing in diagnosing HIV infection. And if you hacne;t deen diagnosed as having all the symptoms you list by a compentent medical professional then chances are you don't have them.