Hi, I'm new....

[xkhannax.livejournal.com]

I have a question.....I had an experience about a year and a half ago, where I was afraid I had AIDS and I was tested and it came up negative, but my question is, what is the window period, you know, before it will actaully show up in the tests....cause I'm going to the gyno in a few days and I'm wondering if I should get tested again.....thanks!

Comments

[mrshellion.livejournal.com]

The general rule of thumb is to be tested every six months for two years, just to make sure you do not have latent HIV that has not yet shown up.

It's good to do, just for peace of mind, you know?

[urania.livejournal.com]

I *think* it takes between 6 weeks and 6 months for the antibodies (what's tested for) to start shwoing up in your blood, depending on the person. So if your test was within 6 mos., it could possibly have been a false negative. I'd second what the person above said: several times over a period of a couple years will give you more definative results. (Caveat: the numbers are from what I remember, vaguely; I'm no doctor! :)

[firinel.livejournal.com]

I've always heard that it can take as long as 10/12 years to show up in some people.
We had a fairly extensive sexual education class in both highschool and college, and they always had people giving talks/seminars on it at uni as well, and both times were we warned that it can stay latent that long.

[urania.livejournal.com]

that's how long it takes for the *disease* to show up--for AIDS to emerge. the HIV virus has, however, been detectable in the blood for a long time by then, should the person take a test for it--if they are tested and it is found, they are HIV Positive, but do not have AIDS until the affects of the disease ("sickness") begin to start, years later (yes, up to 10 or 12).

[bonniebon.livejournal.com]

yeah, thats right. AIDS is not the desease itself, just the syndrome that occurs when the HIV virus has severley comprimised or destroyed the immune system meaning that normally minor bacteria and viruses etc. cause serious illness and can eventually be fatal. HIV can be detected in the blood years before AIDS develops.

[lolarennt.livejournal.com]

hey, let me set you straight.
i'm sorry, i'm late in finding this post.
anyway, i do HIV/AIDS work for a living. ok, so an HIV test will test you for any exposure you may have had in the past 3 months. so, say you go in for an hiv test. if you may have engaged in a risky behavior to possibly expose yourself to hiv 2 weeks before the test, it will not show up on the test. when you are exposed to HIV, it takes about 3 months for the antibodies to show up on a test (some people it takes less to show, some people longer). but generally, with more sensitive testing, it takes about 3 months to show up now.

so, if you did something a year and a half ago or so llike you said, and you have done ABSOLUTELY NOTHING ELSE that may have exposed you to HIV after that, and you go get tested, the results will be the correct ones.

rule of thumb:
if you think you may have been exposed, wait 3 months, go get tested.

:)

any other questions, contact me, the hiv expert

;)