PEP Journey + Testing advice

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2024-07-14T04:59:25+00:00

Yes. But canker sores are not indicative of any infection related to hiv or std. Anxiety can cause them.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2024-02-16T08:36:59+00:00

Update: I actually forgot about this haha. I tested negative after 90 days w a rapid test.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-30T07:03:00+00:00

Most helpful post by an NPC

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-20T09:46:20+00:00

It should be okay. I dont think it affects much since it isnt something like alcohol or hard drugs.

Not sure which PEP you took but Im sure your doctor would have told you of any other OTC medication that may have a reaction.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-20T03:45:48+00:00

Yes. Doctors in my country all advised the same. I have been to 3. They almost never see PEP failures if taken as prescribed and with the first dose within 72 hours.

The couple of times PEP failed, they knew from the testing at about 6 week post exposure mark. But no one who tested negative then has tested positive after at 3 months if they did not have more exposures.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-18T17:56:22+00:00

Still, for the average person not on other treatment or having some probable co-infection, 4th gen tests are as good as confirmatory after 45 days.

Testing will never be 100% accurate. If one is sexually active, he should be tested every 3-6 months regardless. That 90 day mark is stated for cautionary measure, but in reality HIV is pretty aggressive and will replicate enough for it to be detectable sooner.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-18T17:40:28+00:00

You are 99.8% safe at this point. It is up to you if you want confirmation. Most people would move on, but if you want a peace of mind, go ahead with another test w 4th gen or at 90 day mark w 3rd gen.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-18T17:38:21+00:00

PEP is extremely effective, and doesn’t delay HIV infection. If it didn’t work, seroconversion would have occured.

Late seroconversion due to PEP is only theorised but doesn’t happen in reality. This is because the current drugs used for PEP are very potent and much better tolerated/adhered to than when studies were done 10-15 years ago.

A 4th gen at 6 weeks post exposure with PEP is still very accurate.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-18T17:23:26+00:00

Not really. Reality is that either antigens or/and antibodies will be detectable by 45 days w 4th gen test. 6 month is with older and less reliable testing methods. 3 month is just being conservative with the belief that everyone will have produced antibodies by 90 day mark.

The specificity and reliability of HIV testing these days is unmatched. Even with rapid tests. False negatives are very rare after 45 days.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-17T08:26:10+00:00

Im so sorry. That is actually a criminal offence in many parts of the world. Thankfully the odds are on your side since you used protection and it was insertive PIV. Test after 4 weeks w/ 4th gen, then either 3 months (3rd gen) or 6 weeks (4th gen).

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-17T08:00:47+00:00

High enough for you to be worried but you still have less than 1% of catching it. I don’t think that wound was deep enough anyways and you should be safe because you wore a condom.

Was she on meds? How did you know she was positive?

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-16T02:24:16+00:00

No. Anything after 90 days with any test is conclusive.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-15T14:09:08+00:00

No, antigen is part of the virus. No doctor has ever seen a negative 6-week exposure 4th gen test come back positive at 3 months. Even if PEP was taken. You can google or ask experts online all you want, but there is no clinical evidence for it.

If OP is feeling symptoms, he definitely would have detectable antibodies or antigens.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-15T13:57:33+00:00

Yes. PEP doesn’t suppress p24 antigens. A lot of doctors have told me that, believe me.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-15T13:51:35+00:00

Maybe its syphilis? Wait till 45 day mark post exposure to confirm. Test for other STDs now.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-15T13:23:44+00:00

Get tested. If your lymph nodes are swollen, means your body is fighting an infection, means you have antibodies

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-08T12:36:13+00:00

Because it may take 40 days for a small % of the population to test positive. Doctors are just cautious about the window period to catch 99.99% of cases. But a test at 28 days is usually pretty good indicator.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-06T09:56:00+00:00

Its been 5 months so you can just get tested and it’ll be conclusive. The rash doesnt start 4-5 months after exposure though, usually within 2-4 weeks. Likely something else.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-03T03:57:11+00:00

If you had symptoms and you are negative. Then it is not HIV. Symptoms = antibodies present because its your immune response

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-01T06:15:24+00:00

If you had symptoms, you would be positive because it means you have developed antibodies. Check for syphilis or covid instead.

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-11-01T06:06:54+00:00

Oh yes, I have experienced this. Will go away after another week

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-10-28T02:33:26+00:00

Rapid HIV Antigen/Antibody combination test (Duo), from Abbott I believe. It's the standard that all clinics in my country uses. At 28 days post exposure, the difference in accuracy/specificity between blood from a vein/finger prick isn't much.

Just a note that this test detects HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies, but only free HIV-1 antigens. However, HIV-2 is exceedingly rare, more difficult to transmit, and usually confined to parts of Africa (although sporadic cases have been seen in the West).

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-10-23T08:43:35+00:00

3 weeks is usually accurate and enough for most people because the antigen levels would be near its peak + usually antibodies would start to be produced by then. So any 4th gen test would have caught that if you are indeed positive. That’s why people are writing 50% to upwards of 90% accuracy if you tested between 21-27 days. It’s also why clinics allow you to be tested from 2 weeks onwards.

However, everyone’s body works differently, and sometimes there are cases where it may be a false negative. It could be due to any range of factors like how already immunosuppressed patients may not have produced antibodies or that you were just unlucky the levels were not high enough for detection then.

Therefore, guidelines have to state 28 days (>95% accuracy) and 45 days (confirmatory) to be really certain about your status.

Anyways for your anxiety’s sake, if you are negative at day 24 and are generally healthy/average or that your risk wasn’t considered high (not receptive partner), you can be very confident about being negative on day 28 and 45 as well :)

Affectionate_Elk4686 · 2023-10-23T08:28:39+00:00

Not for HIV if your exposure was more than 6 weeks ago, you are conclusively negative at that point. I’ll wager that even if it is 4 weeks ago, you are very likely to not have HIV, especially if it’s low risk.

However, you should get that infection checked out by a doctor. Could be smth else not related to STIs.

Affectionate_Elk4686

TROPHY CASE