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Dr. Andrew Rynne
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Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Is A Negative ELISA HIV Test 20 Weeks After Exposure Conclusive?

I m in desperate need for help regarding ongoing severe hiv symptoms for over 4 months. I had a possible exposure that consisted of unprotected heterosexual intercourse and I m female. This was over 26 weeks ago and i started developing symptoms 6 weeks afterwards that I still have today. I started feeling very fatigued, bed ridden, complete loss of appetite with weight loss and abdominal pain, night sweats, muscle & joint pain, severe oily scalp & face with cystic acne, severely dry hair that s falling out bad, feeling unable to think clearly, & red spots on arms. At 12 weeks I developed what I know is thrush because bitter taste with loss of taste and white tongue with white spots on gums, checks & also developed yeast infection a week later that will not go away with medicine. I went to er around 16 weeks and they just did basic lab work & said they didn t suspect hiv. My symptoms still consisted so I went to another er 2 weeks later that didn t suspect hiv and all basic labs normal. So I finally went to get my own Elisa 4th generation duo test at a lab at 20 weeks which was negative. But at 21 weeks I developed severe cluster headache that wouldn t resolve with medicine for a week and developed painful swollen lymph nodes behind both ears and neck with more severe night sweats. I also developed these small red spots on hands that turned brown but eventually faded away. Went to er they said my wbc was high & I had uti & gave me antibiotics that didn t really help but most of the swelling went down about a week & 1/2 later. I started having severe hot flashes that I am still having now that my body stays overly heated & my palms stay sweaty all the time. Have developed blurry vision & getting new brown looking freckle marks I never had all over my body with a sore lymp node swelling under armpit & sore groin area. I went back to er again about 2 weeks ago & they said my basic labs were normal and didn t suspect hiv. I went to a internal medicine doctor yesterday & he said he doesn t suspect hiv & wouldn t run another test. I also have gotten deeply vertical ridges in my fingernails and all my symptoms from the beginning are still with me, including the thrush which is driving me crazy. So I went & got a oraquick last night that was negative at almost 27 weeks. Do you feel there s a possibility of me not serconverting until around 22 weeks when the appearance of swollen lymph nodes appeared and severe headaches for 2 weeks and that my Elisa 4th generation duo test at almost 21 weeks could have been false negative due to late serconversion ? Also do you feel that a negative oraquick test at home at almost 27 weeks could be a false negative? I also went to clinic today and got a rapid insti hiv 1/2 antibody test that was negative. I keep running fever with severe night sweats though. It s just hard for me to believe I m negative with all these severe ongoing symptoms. I m just so tired of feeling I ll ever day, I want my life back. Any advice or help would be appreciated.
Tue, 8 May 2018
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HIV AIDS Specialist 's  Response
Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.

HIV 4th generation DUO test is highly reliable to the extent of 99%, 23 weeks after the exposure. You had a negative test 20 weeks after the exposure. Seroconversion cannot be delayed beyond 3 months in the presence of an HIV infection with normal individuals. It can be delayed up to 6 months in whom those are taking some immune suppressive drugs like steroids. Definitely not beyond 6 months in any case. You had your negative Oraquick 27 weeks after the exposure. There is no possibility of HIV in your case. Your symptoms are not due to HIV infection.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards,      
Dr. S. Murugan
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Is A Negative ELISA HIV Test 20 Weeks After Exposure Conclusive?

Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service. I have reviewed your query and here is my advice. HIV 4th generation DUO test is highly reliable to the extent of 99%, 23 weeks after the exposure. You had a negative test 20 weeks after the exposure. Seroconversion cannot be delayed beyond 3 months in the presence of an HIV infection with normal individuals. It can be delayed up to 6 months in whom those are taking some immune suppressive drugs like steroids. Definitely not beyond 6 months in any case. You had your negative Oraquick 27 weeks after the exposure. There is no possibility of HIV in your case. Your symptoms are not due to HIV infection. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Regards, Dr. S. Murugan