How to get an hiv test by mumus

"Take a good book to a cheap clinic"

How I did it: I went into a low cost STD clinic once with a male friend.  Women's appointments take more time and we are considered low risk: he was seen, I was not.  That put me off for a while.  Later, an ex-partner told me that he may have been exposed.  That got me "priority" status at the county clinic, including 30 minute results.  Bloodpressure raising, but certainly worth the certainty.  Take a good book and go!  (Get a full STD screening!)


 

Nov 16, 2008, 10:56PM PST | 3 comments


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Nov 17, 2008, 12:38AM PST

mumus

The clinician at the county health clinic told me that most HIV infected persons will “sero-convert” and test positive within 2-8 weeks of contracting HIV; however 3-6 months is the standard waiting period after possible exposure before test results are considered conclusively negative. In other words, once infected, you’ll normally test positive within 2-8 weeks , but it could take as long as 6 months! (My possible exposure was more than 3 months before I was tested.)

The OraQuick test takes 20 minutes to return results. It is more expensive than other testing methods, and used at the county clinic only with “high risk” persons (i.e. persons with HIV+ partners, men who have sex with men, IV drug users, ect.)

The whole appointment took about an hour, as there was a long sexual/medical history form to fill out with a counselor.

Nov 17, 2008, 01:02AM PST | Thread | Respond to this

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Nov 17, 2008, 01:05AM PST


 

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