When to Get Tested For HIV? : The best time to get tested for HIV is NOW. It may arrive as a nightmare but if you have been acknowledge with the fact that you are exposed to the dreadful news about your exposure to HIV then the first and foremost thing you are required to do is that you should opt for confidential HIV test in any nearby health unit. The best advice will be to go for an HIV RNA Test. You can take HIV RNA Test after 9-11 days of exposure. If your test comes out positive don’t panic, there are ways you can live a healthy normal life even if you’re HIV positive. It is highly advisable that you should take a follow test to confirm that the results from the last test was correct.
If you see any of these Symptoms in you after you’ve an unprotected sex, you must go for an HIV test.
Seroconversion
Seroconversion is the period of time during which HIV antibodies develop and become detectable. Seroconversion generally takes place within a few weeks of initial infection. This time frame consumed by the infector to learn about the disease is called “window period”. None of the HIV test required the same time frame and hence is dependent upon diverse window period. HIV RNA Test has the lowest Window Period and can be taken after 9-11 days of exposure. Antibody test require time frame of few weeks to detect HIV infection.
Accuracy in result
The accuracy of test results differ test to test. If you would like to know your status early, RNA Based tests are the only options for you. Antibody tests can give you accurate results only once you have developed enough antibodies to HIV. Although all kind of HIV tests gives more than 95% of accurate results. It is highly advisable that you must take a follow up test even if you’ve been diagnosed HIV positive.
Why you should go for it?
It could be any moment that you may realize that you have been expose to the virus of HIV and without missing a single second you should approach to a nearby trained counselor of HIV for testing. By taking this step you are not only protecting yourself from any further damage but also helping your would be sexual partner or partners. The sooner you learn about it, sooner you should come into action for further protection.
How to know that you are safe?
In case if you are detected negative on any kind of antibody test within a minimum span of quarter year or more after you thought yourself to be exposed to HIV then you can feel relieved that the virus of HIV has not affected you by any means. In case if you still have doubts and have undertaken the test in three months then for your satisfaction you can opt for another test with a gap of another three months. If the result is still negative then you can be sure that you are not infected with this virus.
This reason somewhere clarifies that those who are having unsafe sex or sex with multiple partners or abnormal sex, homo partners or any such abnormality then they should go for this routine test after every quarter year. It gives you no pain rather gives an opportunity to be treated as quick as possible.
