Question
Do tests tell someone when they contracted HIV?
27 February 2018. Related: All topics, CD4 and viral load.
Is it possible for the doctors to say for how long one had been infected?
Answer
Thanks for getting in touch.
Its not possible for a doctor to say when someone contracted HIV through testing. Be this a persons CD4 or viral load. This is why its important to think about situations where you may have been at risk.
Hi Raymond,
Finding out you’re HIV positive can be a difficult time for everyone. But how are you doing? It will probably take a while for the news to sink in.
Although finding out you are HIV positive may be a shock, it will get easier. Modern HIV treatment (called ART) means that you can still do everything you planned before you found out you were positive. You can also have as long and as healthy a life as if you were HIV negative.
You can use this time to think about starting ART. There’s a lot of information in this Introduction to ART. This link takes you to the section called, If you have just found out you are HIV positive.
Have just tested positive what next?
Hi Ms G,
Its common to feel like this when first diagnosed, do you have anyone who you can talk to? A close friend or a relative. Or is there a HIV support group near to where you live? This could help. There’s a link here about being newly diagnosed, this could help:
http://i-base.info/just-found-out/
Was tested hiv positive a month ago…. I am angry and worried
Hi Sarah,
An HIV diagnosis may be unexpected. Or may have been something you were worrying about for a long time. However, most people find this is a tough time. Here’s a link to the i-Base page about just finding out.
But you could still be feeling well on this CD4 count. So thinking about starting treatment, if your doctor says it’s not very urgent, means you have time to consider aspects of treatment that are better for you individually.
Here’s a link to Introduction to HIV treatment (ART). You can look at ART in Pictures too. This can help you understand HIV treatment.
I just find out that am positive and my CD count was low than 200…
!