What are the odds of being positive?

[Womanworriednow]

Hi. I had receptive vaginal sex almost 6 weeks ago. I tested negative on a 4th generation Ag/Ab test on Day 18 and on the 4th week (Day 27). Shortly after that, I developed ARS symptoms - flat red spots (about a dozen) from the knees to the legs (started to fade after a week and did not multiply, i had a few on my arms that disappeared before i took my first test also) stabbing/ sometimes burning muscle aches and joint pains (this also started a few days before my second test and continued even after the test), stabbing headaches that lasts a few seconds (this lasted about 3 days), and a sore throat caused by post nasal drip. By the 5th week, the sore throat has turned into a cough. Needless to say, I got worried again so and since based on several health organization guidelines that an Ag/Ab test is only conclusive on the 6th week, I went to get tested again on Day 38. Unfortunately, the Ag/Ab test will take days to get the results, so they did an Alere 3rd generation Antibody Test first. It was negative. I know however that an Antibody test is not that reliable by Day 38 (since this is more reliable by 6-8 weeks and definitely by the 3rd month).

What are the chances of the results of my 4th generation test turning positive?? I'm deathly scared right now and I'm very very worried.

[zell_lin]

Duo test is considered to be conclusive at 28th day and yours was 27th so i think a day dosent make any difference.
Its very unlikely to turn positive later because at 27th day a duo test is very sensitive it shuld at least pick up the antigen part should you have not produce enough measurable antibody at that time.

[Womanworriednow]

I keep seeing that a duo test is conclusive on the 28th day. But everbody just seems to be ingnoring the symptoms??

[CurfewX]

Everyone is ignoring the symptoms because they don't mean anything.  Almost everyone who posts here think that they have HIV symptoms, even people with no risk for HIV.  None of your symptoms sound like HIV at ALL.

[Womanworriednow]

Post nasal drip, sore throat, cough? Aren't these typical cold symptoms? Don't ARS symptoms usually manifest in an illness that looks like the common colds? And they started on the 3rd week running on the 5th now which is when typically ARS symptoms manifest? This is why I'm so worried.

[RFGUSA]

Flu symptoms NOT cold symptoms. It's less runny nose cough post nasal drip and more  like massive body ache high fever diarrhea typical flu stuff.

[Womanworriednow]

Aren't stabbing headaches and muscle/joint pains symptoms as well?

So basically you're saying that results trump symptoms? My CMIA test was taken 27 days after the incident. It's 1 day short of the 28-day window period for a 4th gen test.

How about my negative antibody test at 5 weeks 3 days?? It's in no way in the window period I know. But will that at least mean anything??

[AnxiousNoMore]

Millions of negative people who have never had sex get headaches but those are obviously not HIV symptoms. An early test can't mean anything, otherwise there would be no reason to wait for the listed time period to end.

[Womanworriednow]

Are you saying that both tests were taken early? CMIA at 27 days and antibody test at 5 weeks 3 days?

I understand that millions of people who have never had sex get headaches and that does not mean that they have HIV. That's quite obvious because they had no risk. The difference is that I HAD a risk. There is a chance that what i'm experiencing can or cannot be related to HIV. Which is why I'm worried.

[RFGUSA]

Muscle pains and headaches are both also cold symptoms. What was your risk anyway? Protected or unprotected?

[AnxiousNoMore]

Your testing questions were already answered.
Your headache proves nothing so you are wasting your time studying it because of a chance - chances prove nothing as Vegas gamblers discover. In fact I have never seen anyone who posted they had ARS symptoms here actually ever be positive so they were all wrong in their guesses.

[AnxiousNoMore]

Was it unprotected vaginal?

[Womanworriednow]

Yes. Unprotected receptive vaginal sex with male of unknown status, which in my understanding is high risk. Today, I also got a mouth sore and the coughing has persisted. I was a little relieved when  I got the results of my 27-day CMIA test but developing this cold a few days after getting the result of that test made me think that maybe 28 days, or in my case 27 days, isn't conclusive especially since many experts cannot seem to have a concensus about the window period as well. Maybe the p24 wasn't at a detectable level yet? Is that possible at 27 days?

[Womanworriednow]

And the symptoms also started around week 4 which is the time when ARS symptoms usually start.

[zell_lin]

your 27th day negative DUO test is conclusive as the most hiv expert mentioned 28th day is conclusive,i dont see one day make a huge difference.
The antigen usually is detectable in the blood 14 days above with the duo test,its a very sensitive test that will screen all the hiv protein or antibody in the blood.

[Womanworriednow]

So you're saying that it's pretty impossible for p24 to be undetectable in the blood after 27 days (if antibodies weren't formed yet?)

[RFGUSA]

You are correct. If you still find yourself to be anxious get tested with a duo again if only to rid yourself of any extra anxiety.