testing accuracy

[scaredjimmy]

dear dr.
here is my story...
i engaged in protected vaginal.  i recieved prtected oral and i did unprotected oral (for a long time) on an csw  (asain massage worker) in the usa.  this was 6 months and 3 days ago.

i tested neg for hiv at the 3,5,7,8,9,10,12, and 21 week mark all with the oraquick rapid blood test (20 min test).
week 3 test was standard blood draw test  ....all tests were neg.

i was feeling fine about my situation until i read the post about that study that was done on the realibility of the rapid tests and i started to wonder if my tests could somehow be false negatives since they were all rapid tests that were mentioned in that post.

1.  is it at all possible that i coould have 8 false negatives?
2.  is it at all possible that i could have an undetectible form of hiv?
3.  is there any reason what so ever to retest??
4.  is there any chance that the sore throat, cold symptoms i have been feeling for the past couple of days could have anyhthing to do with hiv?
5.  i have had what appears to be a rash or something more that rosecha  (audlt acne) for a couple of months...is that hiv related?

thanks for your time and your consideration.

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

If anything, you have overestimated the chance you have HIV.  End of thread.

[scaredjimmy]

please dr....
allow me this one undulgence please....

basically what you are saying is that in order for me to have hiv:

1.  i would have to be the 1 in 10000 to ever get hiv from cunnilingus (does it even happen?)
2.  on top of those odds i would have to be 1 in 6,000,000 to have that many false neg tests.

1 in 10,000 x 1 in 6,000,000 = stop testing

[H. Hunter Handsfield, M.D.]

You had an extremely low risk exposure.  Even if the recent OraQuick research is accurate and the test picks up "only" 95% of infections instead of 99%, the chance that all your tests would be falsely negative comes to 0.05 x 0.05 ....(6 times, starting with the 7 week result).  That's 1 chance in 6 million.  And even that assumes you were infected in the first place, which is more or less impossible given the exposure you describe.  You did not need HIV testing at all!  The answer to all 5 of your specific questions is a resounding NO.

Stop testing.  If you are having trouble believing the test results despite all rational understanding, and especially after 8 tests (EIGHT for goodness' sake!), it strongly suggests a need for emotional support and/or professional mental health care.  I suggest it out of compassion, not criticism.

No follow-up questions, please.  There is nothing you can add that would change my opinion.

HHH, MD

[alienshadow]

you are NEGATIVE
YOU tested way to much my friend
Sorry Dr H but I had to say that