Email 411: When to Retake the HIV Test?

Posted by Pozziepinoy on 7:36 PM

hi pozzie, i read ur blog about hiv and it really was informative. gusto ko lang itanong about sa hiv test. possible exposure ko kasi last feb 23,2013, nagpatest ako sa ritm last june 14, thank God negative yung result. balak ko magpatest ulit pra confirmation ndn, naprapraning pdn kasi ako. hindi ko lang alam kung august o september ako babalik. sa august na kasi yung pang 6th month post exposure ko, e nabasa ko dpat 3 months daw after ng last test, e nag test ako ng june, so sept pb yung balik ko? i really need ur advice, dko kasi alam kung kelan ako babalik para magtest pra tlga ma confirm ko ndn yung unang result.  

 napaparanoid na ako :(
TRANSLATION

Hi Pozzie.

I read your blog about HIV and it really was informative. I would like to ask about the HIv test. My possible exposure was last Feb 23, 2013. I took the test in RITM last June 14. Thank God the result turned out to be negative. I plan to take the test again also for confirmation. I feel a bit crazy. I don't know if I should take it in August or September. My 6th month post exposure is in August. I read that 3 months after the last test but I took the test last June so should I take it this September? 

I really need your advice. I don't know when to come back to take the test to finally confirm the first result.

I am getting paranoid :(

POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE

Hi.

Thank you for your email.

The timeline for HIV test is 3 months post exposure and 6 months post exposure. Some doctors say that 3 months post exposure is enough but most of the best HIV doctors and infectious disease doctors still advocate the 3 and 6 months post exposure. There is still nothing to lose by doing these two tests. My partner, Tag, took the 3 and 6 months post exposure and he takes it yearly as part of his annual medical check up.

In your case, you took the first HIV test 4 months post exposure. If you want to follow the rule, then take the test beyond August 23, which is 6 months post exposure. By then the full window period of HIV antibody production, just in case, is really evident. 

I hope I was able to answer your concerns. Feel free to email me again if you have other questions.


Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy







"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
NO PLHIV is alone with his or her struggle with HIV!"

-Pozziepinoy-



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