Testing hiv

[Mikeysanche]

Can it take more than 6 months to test positive?

Had tests at 9 weeks 12 weeks and just short of 6 months

Any chance the tests did not pick up hiv have frequent symptoms

[KaleidoNoo]

As far as I know HIV can be detected one month after being infected and certainly around 3 months after infection. Contact your nearest sexual health clinic, make an appointment and talk about the symptoms you are having and why you feel your have HIV. They will be able to reassure you and you can then go to your GP to discuss your symptoms. Good luck.

[Neolithicrumba in reply to KaleidoNoo]

Depends on the test used. Rapid testing, like the kind used at walk-in testing and mobile testing use second generation tests. Testing that sent out, like at a doctor's office or an emergency room, is fourth generation. 4th generation tests will show HIV in a couple of weeks. 2nd generation tests will show hiv in 12 weeks. In either case, you have a conclusive negative test. When people become positive, some people have symptoms, which are more likely to be something else. In any case, you can't diagnose HIV from symptoms.

[selonuk]

There are no actual symptoms for HIV though when you are first infected your immune systems comes under attack and you can have symptoms similar to a cold (some refer to it as f**k flu) however, there are many other reasons why people have colds. More than 95% of infections can be detected at 4 weeks and 99% after 12 weeks, so if you have still tested negative after 6 months then you can be certain that you are negative and should look to other causes for these symptoms that you are experiencing.

Are you just testing for HIV or having a full sexual health screening? And what reasons do you have for thinking that you have been infected, have you discovered that a previous partner has since tested positive?

As others have suggested the best advice is to go to a sexual health clinic and get a full screening and explain your symptoms and why you feel that you may have been infected with HIV, they can then give you advice and reassurance. Ultimately don't worry, in fact it could even be the stress of your worrying that is giving you these symptoms.

[jmendoza173]

Why is this guy keep asking about the test if he said he tested poz 2 years ago?? Is he just playing??