In March 2010 I had a traumatic experience in which I do not know if I had sex with an unknown HIV status male. I was told that this was 'low risk' but experienced some worrying symptoms that I associated with seroconversion. These included: a swollen lump on my vulva which lasted approx 6 weeks (starting 2 weeks post-possible exposure), I assume this is a lymph node swelling, two sore white papillae in the middle of my tongue and a sore, burning on my tongue and later, at about 5 weeks post-possible exposure) and a pink lump in the centre of my tongue which disappeared after a few days. At about 8 weeks post-possible exposure I had a bout of 'chondritis' in my clavicle. Over the time seroconversion would have been expected I also had a mouth ulcer, and three stye's. I had a bumpy painless rash on the side of my cheek which lasted a few days and I also had some flakey dry skin by the corner of my mouth. I also lost my appetite and expereienced some sweating in the night (although I understand that these last two may have been caused by anxiety).
At about 4 weeks I had a swab test for STI's and this came back as negative. I did not have a blood test at this point.
I decided to have an HIV test at 58 days and at 81 days. Both were negative Insti tests and the 81 day test was performed at your clinic.
Upon recieving the 81 day negative I was told I could regard this as conclusive and that there was no need to re-test. This reassured me for a while but then my worries returned. I have never just 'forgotten' a period of time and so I think my drink may have been spiked. If my drink was spiked, then this guy is likely to have done this before and could have contracted any number of STI's along the way.
I have since found a lovely boyfriend and I want to be sure that I am safe and free from HIV. I just can't help but wonder why I had the symptoms above in the 'seroconversion' period and have not experienced them since. I have been told that the mouth symptoms may well be stress but I'm stressed now and I have not got these symptoms! It all just seems to much of a coincidence to me. I did come in for a consultation at your practice the other day but was not given the test. I was reassured that the second negative insti would be valid and so was not given another test. Whilst the kind and caring manner in which this was dealt with was reassuring in the hours immediately after the consultation I keep seeking additional reassurance and think the only way to do this is to get tested again. I am in no way denying the specialist expertise of any of the people I have seen throughout the course of this - I just cannot understand why I had these symptoms then and have not had them since!
All in all, my questions are as follows, where my symptoms likely to be related to HIV at all? If the symptoms were actually representative of seroconversion, would the antibodies have been detectable in sufficient quantities at the times I was tested? Is there any possibility that my status would have turned from negative to positive between 81 days and 90 days or later? And finally...Why oh why oh why is the '90 day' window not shortened if we now know that antibodies can be detected as early as 6 weeks - it would put so many people out of their misery.
Thank you very much for your post.
Your negative INSTI test at 81 days is definitely final and fully conclusive, and excludes the symptoms experienced as those of acute HIV sero-conversion, because by definition if they had anything to do with sero-conversion, the test had to be positive. Because it was negative, you can definitely conclude that the symptoms have absolutely nothing to do with HIV. I can assure that you do not have HIV.
Anyhow, the symptoms (even though some of them can be related to ARS) do not correlate with typical acute sero-conversion either. Thsy might have been caused by something totally unrelated compounded with all the stress and anxiety that you have been going through.
We know nowadays that these tests can be considered conclusive already after 6-8 weeks. However current guidelines still suggest 12 weeks or 84 days as the final window period. These guidelines will be changed but that always take time.
I hope this helps.
Best wishes,
José
Conclusivity with Insti despite symptoms
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