Do you know YOUR status?

So today I went and got HIV testing and it made me think of how many young people who are at risk (even low risk) don't know their HIV status.

I want to encourage everyone here to get tested. Education and knowledge of status are our most powerful weapon to date in slowing and, perhaps even stopping, the spread of HIV/AIDS.

If you live in the US, go to www.hivtest.org to find out about free, anonymous HIV testing near you. The services are ANONYMOUS, which means that they are done by first name only and there is no possible way that your results (or even the fact that you ever had a test) could ever be linked to your medical, employment, or insurance records.

If you're squeamish about needles, a new test called "Orasure" is available at many testing centers. It involves a swab taken of from the inside of the mouth that looks for so-called IgA antibodies against HIV. No needles. Some centers may charge a small fee for this service (US$10 or less, in most cases).

For those in other countries, contact your doctor's office and ask them for information, or do a web search.

Please go get tested. It only takes a few minutes, and it makes a world of difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

yay! good post lighting. i know my status.

That's a great post and thanks for the info. Testing is really important. But it's also important to know that HIV is not something you need to freak out about. The media makes us feel that it ruins your life and we should all be afraid. This does not have to be the case. Of course it's a serious disease and needs to be treated accordingly. But it's not a cause for panic - or discrimination - like the ads want us to believe.

I like going to my gynecologist and declaring: "Test me for everything. Yep, everything you can think of." They do the swabbing and bloodletting, and I go home happy and wait for my postcard of joy.

Regyt, the only problem with getting tested at your doctor's in the U.S. is that the fact that you got tested is part of your medical records, and insurance companies have been known to hold that against people by reasoning that if you're getting tested a lot, you must be high-risk.

That's why I recommend anonymous testing.

Yup, I know MY status.

You rock Lightning. Keep up the good work.

i know my status as well. good thinking on this thread lightning

I got tested at an anonymous testing center at school a while back. I heard lately that they've had to fight to keep that service, some conservative group doesn't think a public university should have such sex related resources apparantly.

And get a hepatitis C test while you're at it

maybe i'm being dumb here, but if noone in my family is +ve and i've never slept with anyonw who was +ve then how could i be?

do i really need to get tested?

How can you know that tho?

Maybe you had a blood transfusion - unlikely but has happened - or a dirty tattoo/piercing needle?

Maybe one of those people you slept with IS +ve and doesn't know it, 'cos they presumed that noone in their family was, and they'd not slept with anyone who was so they think they're fine and keep infecting other people?

etc

EVERYONE thinks they're safe, that they've not been with anyone who is, and why should they bother getting tested.

That's why it's approacing epidemic proportions. If EVERYONE got tested and EVERYONE was honest about disclosing their status then tomorrow could be the last day anyone is infected with HIV.

But people won't do either

FrostyPaw is exactly right! If you've ever had sexual contact with another human being, then you are at risk. By sexual contact, I mean any part of your body touching their genitals or vice-versa. (I wear gloves when I examine patients' genitalia because I assume that all patients are HIV+ or infected with something else I don't want (herpes, etc.).

Besides, I'm asking people here to join a movement of young people who can stand up and say: I know MY status!

And admittedly, I don't know my status right now, but I will on March 2. My last test was in June and I know my status from then.

Stay safer, everyone.

Van, to answer your question, the "lag time" is a function of the human immune system's delay in developing IgG and IgA antibodies against HIV, which takes a couple weeks, minimum, and six months, maximum. In general, by one month after exposure, you should seroconvert (meaning demonstrate antibodies), but it can take as long as six months in theory.

ok, i just did a google and it came up with loads of home hiv testing diy jobbies,

i'm assuming this is a very bad route to take - am i right?

ya you never know. there was a case (and sorry to scare people about this, but it did happen) here in the States about a dentist who was HIV+ and accidentally infected some of his patients by an accidental needle prick. it's not just tattoos and piercings, it's anything where you might have an exchange of fluids (we're not talking kissing here with the exception of open sores/blood).

that being said, don't freak out. ya it's a scary disease, but if you freak out, you're more likely to start acting negatively towards people with HIV and just cause yourself unnecessary stress anyhow. the rate of infection is actually incredibly small, and i have the exact figures at home, so as soon as i go home i'll post them. but even with a needle prick (highest risk), it's like under 2% or something like that.

I had a patient who was having unprotected sex with her (unbeknownst to her) HIV+ partner for one year.

It's been two years and she has never tested positive, nor has she ever had any symptoms of AIDS.

Please don't misinterpret me as saying that it's OK to have unprotected sex because the risk of transmission is low. I just thought it was an interesting case.