Question

Should I wait 17 days to test or pay privately?

2 August 2010. Related: All topics, HIV testing, HIV transmission.

Hi

I fell so lost. I put myself in a very risky situation. I have been to my GP and they suggested if i was this nervous they would order me a multiplex test. I searched online and called the lab where they do the testing. They said the test is 99% accurate after 10 days however I have to wait 7 days from the day I send the sample back, so that would be thursday they get it and then if it takes 5 days to do – 11th august then 1-2 days for post? bringing my exposure to exactly 3 weeks, on that day?

Should i just test next monday with a duo for free – at 17 days would that give me a good indication or should i wait? or go for that test please any advice is greatly appreciated – this test is also costing me 96.00 which i don't mind but its the time frame.

Thanks

Answer

Answer: Simon Collins

The vast majority of people who test for HIV have been at very low risk of catching HIV.

Over 99% of tests each year in the UK produce HIV negative results.

While it sounds like you are worrying a lot about this now, HIV is a very difficult virus to catch sexually, especially if you do not know your partner was even HIV-positive. Even then the risk is estimated as perhaps 1 in 300 for anal sex any 1 in 1000 for vaginal sex. These are only estimated figures just to give you an idea that the risk from one exposure is generally low. If your partner was HIV-positive and on treatment, these risk would be even lower still.

I don’t know anything of your circumstances, but medically, nothing would be different if you found out you were positive a few days earlier.

Whether you want to spend £100 on a private test is your personal decision, but in the UK there is no need to do this, as routine fourth generation tests such as DUO will detect 95% of infections by 4 weeks after exposure.