• HIV/DNA by PCR test by a private company

n early March 2006, I had an unprotected sexual encounter with a woman whom I met in a bar. We engaged in both vaginal (about 10 min.) and oral sex (about 5). About 3 days later, I began to feel very tired. The day after that, I came down with some harsh exudative tonsillitis, along with a fairly high fever. Went to the doctor who did a strep test – it was negative. I was put on a 10 day course of antibiotics and prednisone. While taking the medication, I had a couple evenings of night sweats, but felt better after a few days. About four days of completing the medication, I came down with another round of exudative tonsillitis and fever (about the same severity as before). This time I went to an ENT, who gave me a monospot test – negative. He put me on another 10 day course of antibiotics (a stronger one) and prednisone. Had a couple of night sweats again, but not as severe as before. My ENT ordered a CBC and it came back with a WBC of 17k, but a 6% lymphocyte count (about 1020-1050). Again, I felt much better after a few days of meds. Near the end of finishing the second round of meds (now three weeks post-incident), I had a day of pain behind my eyes with slight dizziness and nausea. A few days later, I started seeing waves/floaters in my field of vision. I went back to the ENT for follow-up to my tonsillitis and he then diagnosed me with nasal polyps. At about this time (4 weeks post incident), I began to consider the possibility that what was going on was related to my unprotected encounter. I had lost about 15lbs. (from 175) during the two rounds of tonsillitis. I was able to locate and contact the woman whom I had the encounter with. We spoke several times over the course of the next two weeks and each time she said that she did not have HIV. My last call with her ended no to great – I expressed doubt in her veracity and she said “You’re so convinced I’m HIV positive. I’ll tell you what – you keep testing and testing until it turns positive, but it won’t be from me.”

At the end of May, I went to the eye doctor for my vision problems and was diagnosed with a vitreous detachment. It was at this time (about 8 weeks post) that I began HIV testing. Over the course of the past 10 months, I have been:

• Ora-quick Advance 1/2 rapid finger (blood) tested about 10 times (at the 8, 12, 15, 18, 25, 27, 29, 34, and 43 week mark) at a local HIV clinic – all non-reactive/negative
• Orasure Oral swab HIV Antibody test at the week 25 mark – non-reactive/negative
• Blood draw HIV ELISA test by my GP (Quest), private service (Labcorp), and local HIV clinic (at the 19, 23, and 25 week mark) – all non-reactive/negative
• HIV/DNA by PCR test by a private company (Labcorp) at the 23 week mark – non-detected
• HIV/RNA by PCR by local HIV clinic at 8 months – non detected (under the reference range of <400 copies)
• My most recent WBC count was (August 30) down to 4300 with Lymphocytes at 36%

Over the course of the past 10 months, I’ve had some other troubling symptoms, such as: fatigue; what looks to be like minor folliculitis on my scalp (sorry for being so graphic, but when I pick at the bumps, I notice a very small hair in the pus); very senistive skin, especially after working out; skin in neck, face, and scalp areas in general is redder – when scratched, and an increase in small red spots that don’t go away. Also, for about the last three months I’ve experienced an on/off tingling/burning sensation on my tongue, waking up each morning with a white pasty film on it, and have moments when my mouth is very dry – what spittle I can muster resembles white foam. During the last week of December, I had a week of mucus in the stool. And now this week was diagnosed with a UTI (discharges and extreme burn while urinating). All of these things taken all together, in a relatively short time, suggest to me some immune dysfunction.

This year I've been sick more than any other recent years conbined. Prior to this year, a broken wrist - that's it. Despite my testing history, I can't shake this fear that HIV may be causing my ongoing problems and that the testing may have missed it. Is there any test I can take now that would be completely conclusive. and will help get me over the doubt once and for all?? I would like to trust the testin, but I've read recent personal stories on several websites where folks thought they were ok at the 3, 6, or one year mark, or thought their risk wasn't a risk, but were eventually diagnosed positive. I'm trying to determine whether I should keep testing "just in case." Any advice would help. Thanks for understanding.