Hi So Scared Now If you were HIV positive but tested negative for p24 ag, you must have created neutralising antibodies. This would mean that you would have created IgG antibodies. Generally if HIV positive and seroconverted you woul have twice the normal levels of IgG. Delayed seroconversion is extremely rare without PEP or PrEP. My only advice is to get the reactive home sampling test confirmed. I suggest that the only way to do this is through a visit to a GUM clinic. What have the home sampling people suggested? I am sorry that I can't give you more clarity. Kind regards, Gary Carpenter

So it was a finger stick collection test that I sent to a lab in the post. My symptoms kept coming up and paranoia made me continue to test, 1 exposure on 26th may... anxiety and typical symptoms made me retest again and again also reading cases of delayed seroconversion etc even though I had a negative test at 138 and 172 days I continued to have a number of persisting symptoms, that I never had before....i was told my tests were conclusive at a clinic outside the window but now that seems to have changed as I have had a reactive test from a blood sample sent to the doctors lab but also had a negative biosure test at 84, 95,120, 137 and 208 days I know that is over testing and wish I didn’t continually test but this 4th gen test and symptoms concerns me clearly!Also the test is ordered from Superdrug you prick your finger then collect the blood in a mini tube, send to the lab and they analyse it for you (4th gen) I did not do a self test at home was a self sample. Ce marked I’m sure..... Agree 7 months is a long time, hence the fact I’m so worried about it....delayed seroconversion is now my huge worry!!! No pep taken went to get that but was told my risk exposure was too low and didn’t warrant it. I was also tested 3 times in a clinic out to 114 days (@2 days 30 days and 114 days all neg) on top of the numerous biosure tests...can I potentially just not have reacted to the IgG element, and only produced igM antibodies? I have invested a lot of money and time into this episode and fear all irrelevant now....I know over the net it is difficult but was pretty sure your tests are conclusive at 12 weeks, the worry now is all this window period chat may not be relevant to everyone and that the test may have missed my true results due to lack of ab’s, that said I had immunoglobulin tests all were in normal range (wonder if they are higher than they would normally be due to an active hiv infection?)

It sounds like multiple negative tests via labs and biosure and then a 4th generation test came back positive from a blood sample Self collected and sent to a lab by superdrug The last biosure test was negative on the day the results were received. The concerns are from a protected exposure 7 months ago

Hi So Scared Now It's a difficult one to answer. I do not now how you have got a 4th generation test to do at home. There aren't any CE marked for self testing, so that test result may not be accurate. You have effectively already undertaken confirmatory testing through the self-sampling at Superdrug. 7 months is a long time to be negative for with a single exposure. Did you take PEP at the time of the exposure? Can I also ask why you have taken so many tests? I would always recommend getting a confirmatory test for ANY positive HIV self test result, no matter where you got the test from. As you have already undertaken self-sampling my advice would be to wait for the result of that testing to come back. However, if you feel unable to wait for those results to come back, best bet is your local GUM clinic. There is a clinic finder on the www.hivselftest.co.uk website. Please let me know how you get on. If you require anything else please don't hesitate to get in touch. My email address is gcarpenter@biosure.co.uk. Kind regards Gary Carpenter BioSure (UK) Limited

So can I not trust the biosure negative result on the same day? This was a self sample then send to a lab through Superdrug, clearly spinning out a little! Not a great situation to be in albeit one that I put myself in, even if it was protected

Hi So Scared Now Thanks for getting in touch. Firstly, you shouldn't be scared. HIV is a entirely treatable and manageable condition. Treatment is very simple and you can go on to have an entirely normal and healthy life. In the end the most important thing is that you know your status. Testing is the most important part of that process. My advice would be to go to a clinic and get a confirmatory test for the positive test result(s?) that you have. Having said that there aren't any approved 4th generation HIV Self Tests, that I know of, so not sure how reliable that result would be, but regardless I would get any positive HIV self test result confirmed by a healthcare professional. If you require any additional information please don't hesitate to contact me. Please let us know how you get on. Kind regards Gary Carpenter BioSure (UK) Ltd