Dont Get Tested for HIV too soon

If you get tested for HIV too soon your test may come up negative even if you are infected with HIV. This is because the blood test to detect HIV does not detect the actual virus. In order to detect if a person has a HIV infection that person must have developed the antibodies to fight the virus. The blood test for HIV is designed to test for the specific antibodies produced to fight HIV and not the virus itself.

Make sure you work out accurately when your possible HIV encounter was in order for the test to be taken at the right time. The HIV will be undetectable in around 6 to 12 weeks after the infection; this is known as the acute stage of infection. If your test is negative and you were tested within 12 weeks of possible infection you should ensure you get tested again when you are sure 12 weeks have passed. A negative test does not mean you do not have HIV if you have provided the doctor with inaccurate timescale information so make sure you don’t get tested for HIV too soon.

Around 70% of people infected with HIV will suffer some flu like early stage symptoms in the acute stage of the infection. These symptoms can be an indicator that you will need to get tested for HIV however, these symptoms only occur during the acute stage when the virus is undetectable so you will need to wait before taking the HIV test. If you get tested for HIV too soon and you think you are or have shown the early symptoms of HIV then seek further medical advice for future testing.