Hand Hold HIV Test

[anxietycat]

Just a hand hold really & any advice.

I have recently found out that I have an auto immune disease picked up on a routine blood test. They are currently doing a number of blood tests to try & find out which illness but one of the tests is for HIV.

I'm absolutely terrified this will be positive. I have been with DH for 18 years & I know for a fact that I have not cheated & I'm as certain as you can be that he hasn't so not sure why i'm so frightened.

Is it possible to have it for that length of time & not know? I really don't think I can cope with having to wait for these results, my mind is all over the place

You're offended?

Since when is it all about you?
Every relative you have count have HIV and OP still has a right to be upset without you coming on to talk about your offence.

You need to take a step back and remember the earth doesn't revolve around you and your "offended".

I'm sorry OP, I hope you find some way to distract yourself during the wait.

Been there done it.

The anxiety was horrific, I read everything about the virus, the labs where its tested, the drugs, even told family and friends that it was likely I had it. I wasn't sleeping, wasn't able to work etc so I had to tell someone.
Turns out I was very ill, not with HIV, but a combination of autoimmune diseases (I have 3 at the last count) and my blood tested reactive for a protein found in HIV but I don't actually have the virus.

What I found most difficult was the not knowing. So the first test was 'reactive', the second test negative and the third test apparently takes a week to come back as it's sent to PHE labs in North London. Mine took longer to come back as the bods really wanted to know why I had tested reactive. Apparently my blood is quite fun. Who knew. Those 3-4 weeks were the worst and I wouldn't wish them on anyone.

OP you have my thoughts, I strongly believe yours will be negative too, and when it does come back as negative, you'll be able to live your life again with new found appreciation.

I hope you’re doing ok now ToBeOrNotToBe ?

@anxietycat hopefully you will hear soon too.

Try not to worry as it’s unlikely to be HIV. As PP mentioned many autoimmune conditions exist.

I worked in healthcare with patients with HIV in the 1990’s. Many had contracted HIV from tainted blood and plasma products. Even then the treatment was keeping them healthy and I believe the treatment now is so much more advanced. I know it is the stigma of HIV that creates such anxiety but you can still live a healthy long life with the condition if treated so hopefully knowing this will help with the wait.

It wont be HIV. But. On the very very rare chance that it is. Several of my friends are HIV and they take antivirals so they cant pass it on. They have normal sex lives.

Its not what it was in the 90s

Thank you. I think my anxiety about it is going out of control as I’m also thinking about the fallout on my marriage/life as well as dealing with a long term illness.

Op are you prone to anxiety? Are you not being tested for other things? But you’re not focusing on them? The odds of it being hiv is vanishingly rare, rationally maybe you know this?

hopefully the results come through quickly so you can reset mentally,

Believe me OP, if a HIV test comes back positive they are going to phone you to discuss it with you……they are not going to let a positive HIV result casually show up on the NHS App to let you find out that way without having spoken to you first.

No phone call is good news.

You haven’t understood what the OP is worried about at all, have you?

I think everyone understands what the op is worried about. Including the poster you are having a go at.

I completely understand that the OP has terrible anxiety.

Health anxiety must be horrendous to suffer from but it cripples people's loved ones. My mother suffers from it and it has destroyed every one of her relationships. Every month there is a different reason she is going to die, she is happy to share these fears with everyone including her young grandchildren.

HA has left her alone, bitter and terrified. Unapologetically, I believe that people who suffer from HA who don't seek treatment are incredibly selfish.

OP is so, so unlikely to have HIV that yes, I am offended on behalf of a relative who has an actual life threatening illness.

Health anxiety is real and I don't doubt that it must be horrendous to live with because I've seen the fallout from it for nearly 40 years.

In this case the OP stated that the HIV test isn't because her health professionals think she has it, it's part of a wider screening process. I've had that many times due to my own life limiting condition. Every time I used reason and logic to understand that the likelihood of having HIV was vanishingly small.

I am simply encouraging the OP to do the same.

And I think more people should.

Again - seek treatment for HA because it literally can destroy your life and make people around you distance themselves forever.

OP do you have children? As they most likely tested you for HIV then. I was routinely tested for it when I was pregnant.

Good luck. Health anxiety is awful.

Well evidently not, judging by their next post.

So we don't all agree that the OP is suffering from health anxiety here? Fine.

I'll step away. Pandering to people in situations like this is incredibly unhelpful to them. Trust me!!

She’s most worried that it would mean that her husband has cheated, recently, which makes your “you would be dead” comment redundant. And being worried about her actual diagnosis and its possible causes is within the bounds of normal anyway.

Not all anxiety about health is unfounded.

I’m going to bow out , I can’t understand why you’re repeatedly attacking the poster, it is non sensical. She’s worried about all of it, not just what she’s most worried about.

It is not in the "bounds of normal". At all. If the OP had caught HIV from her husband then he would also have HIV. Do you know what HIV is? What is does? Obviously not.

Blocking this thread as the temptation to explain quite how ignorant and dangerous some of you are being is too much.

@anxietycat I found I had blood tests positive for autoimmune issues just as I found I was pregnant with my daughter. I booked a private appointment with a rheumatologist as I had no symptoms just the positive blood test and RO antibodies (which are not great to have when pregnant). The rheumatologist checked me over, did a few more blood tests and diagnosed I have a connective tissue disorder but as no symptoms they don't know what. I may develop symptoms and I may not, just see how I go and head back to the gp if I need to.

I can't offer thoughts on the HIV test, I can't remember if that has ever been tested in the past. Hope all comes back quickly so you know the answer

Yes I do. Blocking is so grown up. FFS.

Her first post was insulting and completely missed the point. It’s not my fault you can’t understand that.

Don’t stress too much about the time it’s taking to come through. My serum B12 took 2 weeks longer than my other tests to come through because they sent it to a different trust for analysis.

Take care of yourself and try not to worry too much.

Yes OP as said previously they test for HIV in pregnancy, so you've already been tested twice and been found negative.

Without downplaying the seriousness of an HIV diagnosis, you can live a very long and happy life with HIV now. One of my very best friends has HIV and proclaims themself a 'medical marvel!'

Not true. If you had AIDS for 18 years you'd be dead by now. Not HIV.