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How do I know if I have HIV?
The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. You can not know with certainty if you have HIV just because of how you feel, since most people with HIV do not have symptoms for years.
It is recommended that you do the tests if you had unprotected sex or if the test of your partner is positive. You should also perform a test if you shared needles with someone (to inject drugs, make body piercings or tattoos). If you are pregnant, get tested for HIV at the first prenatal visit.
Fortunately, the HIV test is quite simple and painless. What is the best thing about getting tested for HIV? Well that once overcome, you can rest easy. And in case you DO have HIV, it is better to know it as soon as possible to take the medications that will help you stay healthy and decrease the chances of transmitting HIV to others.
How do HIV tests work?
When you contract HIV, the immune system makes antibodies that try to fight the infection. The most common HIV test looks for those antibodies in the blood or in the cells of the cheek.
In general, the body takes three months to make enough antibodies so that they can be detected in the test, although it can take a little longer. This period during which the infection is not detected despite having already contracted it is called "window period". If you do the test during this period, it is possible that it is negative, even when you are infected. During this period you also have the highest chance of transmitting the virus to other people.
What types of HIV tests are there?
The rapid tests give the results in 20 minutes. Others take longer because they must be sent to a laboratory. In general, HIV tests are painless. They simply consist in making a soft scraping on the inside of the cheek with a swab. Sometimes a blood sample is taken.
You can take the HIV test yourself with a home test kit. For the OraQuick In-Home HIV Test , take a sample of the gums with a swab and analyze it yourself. The results are in 20 minutes. For the Home Access HIV-1 Test , you should prick your finger and remove a small amount of blood. You send the blood sample to a laboratory and you get the results in about a week. The tests done at home are completely anonymous: only you will know the results. Both help you get in touch with counselors who, if you are HIV positive, can provide support and guidance on treatment.
If a rapid HIV test, performed at home or at a clinic, indicates that you are infected, you should have a second test to verify that the result is correct.
Where can I get tested for HIV?
You can get tested to see if you have HIV infection or other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) at your doctor's office, at a community health clinic, at the health department or at local Planned Parenthood health centers . You may prefer to take the test in a place that also provides HIV counseling (such as Planned Parenthood).
You can get an "anonymous" or "confidential" HIV test, according to the laws of the state in which you live. A "confidential" test means that your name will be carried and the results will be filed in your medical record. Your doctors and the insurance company can also see the results. If the test is positive, the results are sent to the local health department, so they can keep the HIV statistics in your area.
However, the results of the tests are protected by privacy laws, so that no other person can know them without your authorization. An "anonymous" test means that your name does not appear on the test, they will give you an identification number that you will use to look up the results.
The results are not filed in your medical record and are not sent to the insurance company or the health department; only you know them. STD testing, including HIV testing, is not always part of the usual medical or gynecological check-up; so you may have to ask for them. Be honest with the nurse or doctor so they can help you determine what tests you need. Do not be ashamed: your doctor is here to help you, not to judge you. (If the doctor judges you because you ask for an HIV test, it may be time to change it.)
The idea of taking a test may scare you a bit, but try to take it easy. STD testing is part of being responsible and taking care of your health. HIV tests are rapid and, usually, painless. And in case you DO have HIV, it is better to know it as soon as possible to start the treatment.