Question
What are the most asked questions?
10 October 2016. Related: All topics.
Answer
About half of all the questions to i-Base are covered by the questions below.
Please check this page before asking a question. If your question is covered by the topics below, we forward you to these answers first.
Top questions
- Why doesn’t i-Base answer questions on HIV testing and transmission?
Important to answer this first. We do care but we also have limited resources. Instead we have published lots of online resources that already answer questions on testing and risk. This answer explains this and includes links. - Can I increase my CD4 count without ARVs?
Short answer – only ARVs can increase your CD4 count and keep them high. Not vitamins, not supplements, not so-called “immune-boosters” which are scams, not diet. Read the full answer for details. - What can make efavirenz (Atripla/Tribuss etc) easier – or should I change?
Side effects with efavirenz can be difficult. Efavirenz is one of the drugs in Atripla and the many generic versions that include Atenef, Atreslawin, Atroiza, Citenvir, Heftenam, Odimune, Tribuss, Trivenz, Truno, Trustiva and Viraday. - What happens if I am late or miss a dose of meds?
There is some flexibility in dosing, especially if you have been undetectable for some time. Aiming for the same time is a good habit but every one is late of misses a dose sometimes, without any harm. See the full answer for details. - How can one partner test positive and the other negative?
Sometimes this questions comes from the positive partner and sometimes from the negative partner. Often both partners can be confused because they might.have not use condoms, even for several years. The explanation in this answer explains this is common – and just the result of luck. - Can HIV positive people have a baby?
Sometimes this comes from a positive man and sometimes from a positive women. HIV treatment covers all situations. It lets couples conceive naturally if the man is positive and the woman is negative. It also protect the health of the mother and baby during pregnancy if the mother is positive. - What happens if I stop taking treatment?
Short answer: your viral load will rebound quickly and your CD4 will then start to fall – usually to the level before you started treatment. Please see the full answer for details. - What does the number mean on an HIV test result?
We don’t answer test question but we get this a lot from outside the UK. Short answer: less than 1.0 means you are HIV negative. See the full linked answer for details.
Hi Jake, swollen lymph nodes alone are not a sign of HIV. Lymph nodes can become swollen for a number of reasons most commonly other infections like covid or the flu.
As you have been on PEP it makes these swollen lymph nodes to be very unlikely the result of HIV.
To confirm your result you will need to do another test at 6 weeks after the last dose of PEP using a 4th generation antigen/antibody test.
More information about testing and transmission can be found here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Hey I was exposed to a hiv girl on 26th Nov last year but I started pep immediately. I finished pep on 23 dec and tested for hiv antigen antibody test on 8th January which came back negative…but I have swollen lymps.im worried
Hi Jade, a used condom is not a risk for HIV infection as HIV cannot survive long outside of the body (1-2 minutes). Being given a used too long would require more than a couple of minutes outside of the body.
For more information about testing and transmission please see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
I went to a spa to a sex worker ,i did not have sex with her infact i did not even put my penis into her vagina neither i touched it .i just masturbated and left . She provided me a condom and she only makee wore the condom herself to my penis . It just came into my mind next day out of nowhere that what if the condom was reused by someonelse and what if the hiv infected semen was in it . Is it possible that i would catch hiv if it was a used condom of the infectious person .thougj the condom was perfect in wearing and wasnt loose or did not get stuck inside my foreskin which i think used condom does .
DOES HIV VIRUS LIVE INSIDE THE CONDOM IN THE SEMEN.
I TESTED NEGATIVE AFTER 38 DAYA OF EXPOSURE USING HIV1&2 ANTIBODY AND P24 COMBO TEST
Please reply to this i am very scared
My doctor said i dont have to worry because i am safe also i turned negative
Do i need a retest at 3 months ?
Hi Lexi, no you do not have HIV. You can confirm your result with a 4th gen test 6 weeks after the last dose of PEP.
Oral sex carries little to no risk of transmission. Saliva contains antiviral properties making HIV transmission via this route very rare (there has never been a documented case).
A fever and swollen armpit can be a symptom of most common infections like a cold or the flu. As you only had an exposure via oral sex and had been on PEP, HIV is is not the cause of this.
For more information about testing and transmission please see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Hi, I had someone to give me oral sex, after 9 hrs i started pep, i tested (4th gen) 3 weeks after pep completed negative, but at week 5 i started feverish 36.7c and swollen armpit on one side. Do I have HIV?
Hi Alex, this is not a risk for HIV transmission.
For more information please see here: https://i-base.info/qa/factsheets/hiv-transmission-and-testing
Hi everybody!
I had an oral sex encounter with a prostitute about 45 days back. A day before I had been horny and was playing with myself to cause bleeding in my penis. The next day I went to her and gave and received oral sex. I fingers her and placed her fluid filled fingers on my penis. Not sure but probably our genitals did touch but I pushed her away. Though, the giving was for a little time. Since then, I have had the following symptoms:
1) enlarged single or double lymph node of neck. Left side of neck
2) Muscle aches especially in thighs.These haven’t been continuous but come and go. Maybe because I have been worried too much and walking around or is it due to the cold don’t know
3) a bump has developed on the roof of my mouth which I discovered yesterday. Don’t know when did it pop up. Isn’t causing pain
4) Fatigue. Still very subjective. I have gone to office regularly but have skipped it when I have been too worried thinking. But never felt like skipping work or task. Again has come and gone
5) Sore throat which got well in a couple of days probably. Mucus is being dropped in my throat so that I have a cough with mucus
Also, I got myself tested for hiv and syphilis on day 24 and then on day 35. Results were negative. It was an Ag/Ab test. Please can somebody guide me I am very worried wrt HIV.
Hi Nancy, I am sorry to hear about your relationship. Your doctor is correct in that stress is most likely the cause for the symptoms you have described.
Getting over a relationship that had lasted for 16 years is going to take time. There is no quick way to go about dealing with the stress and grieving the relationship. It is good to hear that you are seeing a therapist.
As the treatments your doctor has suggested have been working in addition to your ongoing stress, it does sound like your symptoms are being managed appropriately. Your risk of HIV is minimal – having sex 9 times in 16 years along with generally being well does not highlight that you are at risk for HIV. However, it is always recommended to have an HIV test when sexually active to be on the safe side. In your case this is more to be actively aware of your status rather than test for a suspected diagnosis of HIV.
Hi, six months ago my fiancé broke up with me. Also I was going through a lot of stress. I started having Caicos sores in my mouth and under my tongue, my doctor told me it was stress I am 70 years old. I’ve been started having a little bit of thrush on the middle of my tongue several months later. My doctor used the term call sewers, which were three of them very small on my chin. He gave me a prescription called acloiviar which did cleared up in a couple of weeks, so I’m still under stress because of the break up and other lifestyle circumstances I have had a couple times of diarrhea, I was in a relationship that was on and off for 16 years this person is 14 years younger than me, which makes him now 56 years old since he broke up with me six months ago, and we didn’t have much of a sexual relationship maybe nine times out of the 16 years . I kept telling my doctor I think I should be tested for HIV. I am genuinely healthy before the stress. I am also O positive as my blood type I am seeing it therapist also anxiety is causing all these things along with my doctor. I also have obsessive compulsive disorder, which makes it even worse. What do you think? Do you think I should go behind my doctors orders and get tested. Thank you.