How Do I Know I Got Hiv

Increased Outbreaks Of Other Sexually Transmitted Infections

For people who already have another sexually transmitted infection , HIV can lead to worsening symptoms.

Human papillomavirus , which causes genital warts, is more active in people who have HIV. HIV can also cause more frequent and more intense outbreaks in people with genital herpes. Their bodies may not respond as well to their herpes treatment, either.

HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids. This can happen through sharing needles during drug use or through sexual intercourse. Key ways to reduce the risk of HIV include the following:

• not sharing needles when using injected drugs
• taking pre-exposure prophylaxis the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends this preventive medication for people with known risk factors for HIV
• not douching after sex it can alter the natural balance of bacteria and yeast in the vagina, making an existing infection worse or increasing the risk of contracting HIV and STDs
• using a condom, properly, if not in a monogamous relationship with an HIV-negative partner

Women without HIV who have HIV-positive partners arent at risk of contracting the virus if their partner uses HIV medications daily and achieves viral suppression, though ongoing use of a condom is recommended.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Trusted Source, HIV-positive people pose effectively no risk of transmitting HIV when their viral load is consistently measured at fewer than 200 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood.

Take Time To Process The News

• Receiving an HIV diagnosis can be life changing. You may feel many emotionssadness, hopelessness, or anger.
• Allied health care providers and social service providers can help you work through the early stages of your diagnosis. They are often available at your health care providers office.
• Learn more about what a positive test result means.

Types Of Condomless Sex And Risk Of Hiv

During condomless sex, HIV in the bodily fluids of one person may be transmitted to the body of another person through the mucous membranes of the penis, vagina, and anus. In very rare cases, HIV could potentially be transmitted through a cut or sore in the mouth during oral sex.

Out of all types of condomless sex, HIV can most easily be transmitted during anal sex. This is because the lining of the anus is delicate and prone to damage, which may provide entry points for HIV.

Receptive anal sex, often called bottoming, poses more risk for contracting HIV than insertive anal sex, or topping.

HIV can also be transmitted during vaginal sex without a condom, although the vaginal lining is not as susceptible to rips and tears as the anus.

The risk of acquiring HIV from oral sex without using a condom or dental dam is very low. It would be possible for HIV to be transmitted if the person giving oral sex has mouth sores or bleeding gums, or if the person receiving oral sex has recently contracted HIV.

In addition to HIV, anal, vaginal, or oral sex without a condom or dental dam can also lead to transmission of other STIs.

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Contaminated Blood Transfusions And Organ/tissue Transplants

• receiving blood transfusions, blood products, or organ/tissue transplants that are contaminated with HIV. This risk is extremely small because most countries test blood products for HIV first.

If adequate safety practices are not in place, healthcare workers can also be at risk of HIV from cuts made by a needle or sharp object with infected blood on it. However, the risk of occupational exposure, is very low in most countries.

If you think you have been exposed to HIV, the only way to find out if you have HIV is to have an HIV test.

What Are The Symptoms Of Later Hiv

As HIV weakens someones immune system, they may experience signs of other illnesses:

• weight loss
• an increase in herpes or cold sore outbreaks
• swollen glands in the groin, neck or armpit
• long-lasting diarrhoea
• tiredness.

But remember: people who dont have HIV can also get any of these they can be the signs of other illnesses.

A weakened immune system may leave someone more open to serious infections such as:

• tuberculosis

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Can You Still Live A Healthy Life With Hiv

Thanks to advances in research and medicine, medication is available that allows you to manage an HIV diagnosis on a daily basis.

“Antiretroviral medicines come in the form of daily tablets that work by stopping the virus from replicating inside your body. This allows your immune system to repair itself and prevent further damage. That said, HIV can easily become resistant to a single form of medication, which is why most HIV-positive people take a combination of medications,” says Dr Dutt.

Without treatment, your immune system can become extremely damaged. This makes you more susceptible to life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer and other severe infections.

“However, someone with HIV who is taking effective treatment can definitely live a healthy life,” Dr Dutt says.

“The goal of medication is to get the level of the virus in your body so low that it’s undetectable by a test. With effective treatment, you will also significantly reduce your risk of passing HIV on to others.”

In fact, if your virus levels are undetectable on treatment, there is no risk of passing on the virus through sex – as the undetectable = untransmittable campaign has sought to highlight.

HIV is a long-term illness and it can affect your life. Dr Dutt explains how those with HIV cannot donate blood or organs, join the armed forces, or visit certain countries. You may also struggle getting life insurance to cover a mortgage loan .

Should You Consider Preventive Medication

How quickly a person is able to see a healthcare professional after exposure to HIV can significantly affect their chances of contracting the virus.

If you believe youve been exposed to HIV, or have a high risk of being exposed to HIV, visit a healthcare professional within 72 hours. You may be offered an antiretroviral treatment called post-exposure prophylaxis , which can reduce your risk of contracting HIV. PEP is typically taken once or twice daily for 28 days.

PEP has little or no effect if taken more than

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What If My Hiv Test Result Is Positive

If you had an antibody test and the result was positive, the first thing to do is get a follow-up test to confirm the results. If the follow-up test is positive, it means you have HIV. We know how stressful this diagnosis can be. You will feel many emotions such as anger, fear, or sadness.

Having HIV does not mean you have AIDS, which is the most severe and advanced form of the illness. Please know that millions of people live decades with HIV and have full, happy, productive lives. To start down that path, the next step after your diagnosis is to get HIV treatment immediately.

Antiretroviral therapy is the process of taking medication to treat your HIV infection. While ART cannot cure HIV, it can keep your symptoms from progressing. Reducing the HIV in your body also means that you lower the risk of transmitting the disease to someone else. Everyone who has HIV, no matter their symptoms, typically takes medications to lower the viral load in the body.

Today, we have a variety of medications available to treat your HIV. There are seven classes of drugs, all with different effects on the body, so talk with your doctor about a personalized drug therapy regimen designed specifically for you, your body, and your treatment goals.

A diagnosis of HIV, while serious, doesnt mean your health has to decline. Get tested, and talk with the team at the Orlando Immunology Center about your options.

How Do You Get Hiv

HIV is carried in semen , vaginal fluids, anal mucus, blood, and breast milk. The virus gets in your body through cuts or sores in your skin, and through mucous membranes . You can get HIV from:

• having vaginal or anal sex

• sharing needles or syringes for shooting drugs, piercings, tattoos, etc.

• getting stuck with a needle that has HIV-infected blood on it

• getting HIV-infected blood, semen , or vaginal fluids into open cuts or sores on your body

HIV is usually spread through having unprotected sex. Using condoms and/or dental dams every time you have sex and not sharing needles can help protect you and your partners from HIV. If you do have HIV, treatment can lower or even stop the chances of spreading the virus to other people during sex. If you dont have HIV, theres also a daily medicine called PrEP that can protect you from HIV.

HIV can also be passed to babies during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. A pregnant woman with HIV can take medicine to greatly reduce the chance that her baby will get HIV.

HIV isnt spread through saliva , so you CANT get HIV from kissing, sharing food or drinks, or using the same fork or spoon. HIV is also not spread through hugging, holding hands, coughing, or sneezing. And you cant get HIV from a toilet seat.

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How Soon Can Hiv Be Detected By A Blood Test

The window period refers to the time between when a person is first exposed to HIV and when it will show up on different types of HIV tests.

The window period can last anywhere from 10 days to 3 months, depending on your bodys immune response and the type of test that youre taking.

During the window period, a person may test HIV-negative even though theyve contracted HIV.

A person can still transmit HIV to others during this period. In fact, transmission may even be more likely because there are higher levels of the virus in a persons body during the window period.

Here is a quick breakdown of different types of HIV tests and the window period for each.

Hiv: A Brief Overview

HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is a sexually transmitted virus that spreads through exposure to certain body fluidsâlike genital secretions or blood. HIV transmission can also occur from a mother to a child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.

HIV attacks and impairs the bodyâs immune cells, which weakens the immune system and can eventually progress to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome if it isnât treated. AIDS can be a life-threatening condition, particularly if HIV treatment is not initiated promptly, which is why HIV testing is crucial for protecting your health.

Learn more: What is the difference between HIV and AIDs?

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Talk To Your Partner About Their Drug And Sexual History

Learning more about HIV risks can help you stay healthy. Even though it may be hard to do, ask your partner about his or her sexual history and whether he or she has ever shared needles. You might ask: Have you been tested for HIV? Have you ever had unprotected sex? Have you injected drugs or shared needles with someone else?

Where Can You Get Tested For Hiv

Many places offer HIV testing, including your healthcare providers office, hospitals, community health centers or clinics, local health departments, and substance abuse clinics. Many pharmacies also offer testing.

Under the Affordable Care Act, HIV testing is covered by health insurance without a copay. If youre uninsured, check the CDCs HIV service locator to find free or low-cost testing options.

• Rapid Self-Test This is done completely at home and can provide results within 20 minutes. The only rapid self-test currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration is OraQuick, an oral fluid test.
• Mail-In Self-Test With this finger-stick test, you send your sample to a lab and test results are given to you by a healthcare provider.

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I’m Worried About Hiv And Aids

FAST FACTS

• There are only a few ways you can get HIV. Know the facts and be aware of the risks so you can protect yourself and others.
• Testing is the only way to know for sure whether or not you have HIV. Whatever the result, you can get on with your life.
• Antiretroviral treatment means that people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives. The sooner you get on the right treatment, the better your long-term health will be.

Are you worried about HIV and AIDS? We can help by talking you through some of the most common things people are concerned about when it comes to HIV.

Where Can You Find Support As You Manage A Long

Being diagnosed with HIV can lead to feelings of anxiety and depression, as it can be very difficult news to take in. There is still a lot of shame and stigma surrounding HIV. Stereotypes from the 1980s about HIV and AIDS being a death sentence often prevent people from getting tested our of fear. Depression is actually twice as common in people with HIV however, help is available and you don’t have to face this by yourself.

Counselling and psychotherapy can help you to understand underlying issues and make longer-term changes to shift your perspective on life. Your GP will be able to help you find a trained counsellor or psychologist to talk to. You may also benefit from antidepressants or anti-anxiety medication, which your doctor can prescribe.

Alternatively, there are specialist helplines designed to help people with HIV.

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Third Stage: Aids Symptoms

AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV infection. This is usually when your CD4 T-cell number drops below 200 and your immune system is badly damaged. You might get an opportunistic infection, an illness that happens more often and is worse in people who have weakened immune systems. Some of these, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma and pneumocystis pneumonia , are also considered âAIDS-defining illnesses.â

If you didn’t know earlier that you were infected with HIV, you may realize it after you have some of these symptoms:

• Being tired all the time
• Swollen lymph nodes in your neck or groin
• Fever that lasts more than 10 days

How Would I Know If I Have Hiv

Are you looking for signs? Dont fool yourself. Dr. Demetre shares how you know for sure if you have HIV.

As with many other sexually transmitted diseases , HIV often shows NO symptoms initially. As a result, people who have HIV often dont find out until much later when the disease is further along and treatments may be less effective.

You cannot rely on symptoms to tell you whether or not you have HIV. The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested.

#AskTheHIVDoc is a video series from Greater Than AIDS featuring top HIV doctors providing answers to commonly-asked questions about HIV prevention, testing and treatment.

This information is shared for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. The views expressed are those of the featured medical professional and reflect information available to that professional at time of filming. Always consult a health care provider for any personal health decision.

While we make every effort to keep the medical information on our website updated, we cannot guarantee that the information reflects the most up-to-date research. Also, please note the views expressed by individuals who appear in Greater Than AIDS videos and other content are their own and are not made on behalf of any groups/organizations/associations.

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What Types Of Hiv Tests Are Available

HIV tests look for either HIV antibodies , both antibodies and antigens , or genetic material from the virus.

Which test you take depends on how recently you think you may have been exposed to HIV, how long you want to wait for results, and where you take the test.

Nucleic Acid Test : 10 to 33 Days After an ExposureAntibody/Antigen Test: 18 to 45 Days After an Exposure Antibody Test:23 to 90 Days After an Exposure:

Hiv Symptoms Every Woman Needs To Know

Human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, attacks the bodys infection-fighting immune system. Without treatment, HIV can lead to AIDS . At the start of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, people who were infected with HIV quickly progressed to serious disease. But todays treatments help lower the amount of virus in the bloodso people who are HIV-positive can live healthier, longer lives and not necessarily progress to AIDS.

More than one million people in the US live with HIV, and scarily, one in seven of them dont know they have it. HIV symptoms can be hard to detect. Within a month or two of HIV entering the body, 40% to 90% of people experience flu-like symptoms known as acute retroviral syndrome . But sometimes HIV symptoms don’t appear for yearsor even a decadeafter infection.

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“In the early stages of HIV infection, the most common symptoms are none,” Michael Horberg, MD, director of HIV/AIDS for Kaiser Permanente, in Oakland, California, tells Health. As many as one in five people in the United States with HIV doesn’t know they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control . That’s why it’s so important to get tested, especially if you currently have or have had unprotected sex with more than one partner or use intravenous drugs.

HIV symptoms for women and for men are often the same here are 16 of the most common signs.

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Does Hiv Always Show Up On Testing

No, if someone was recently infected, it might not show up with testing. How quickly HIV shows up on testing depends on the type of test done:

• Testing that looks for the virus itself can find HIV 728 days after infection.
• Testing that looks for HIV antibodies can find HIV antibodies 312 weeks after infection.