01
Aug 20
Relieved after 3 and a half years
3 and a half years ago I had a sexual assault experience whilst at uni. I woke up in my own bed extremely hung over, nauseous, bad headache, and generally disorientated which never happens when I drink but especially not when I drank the amount I had (which was not a lot and I had a heavy meal and hour before to line my stomach). I apparently left the club with a man all of which I have no recollection of but my friends told me and I blacked out pretty much the whole night after his group had given us a drink in the VIP area. Long story short, I was never sure of what took place that night and the only memory I have is walking home from his house after I was woken up abruptly because he had to go out – this may have been around 6am. I got tested for the common sti’s which were negative but was always too scared to test for HIV. He was a lot older than me, by around 10 years and I tried to put it behind me after not getting any symptoms. I was sleeping with someone at the time casually, who then told me he had slept with another person and so he went and got tested for everything – I saw his results which were all negative including for HIV and this was over 3 months after exposure (it was a 4th gen test) – so I always took that as ‘I am negative too’. In 3 years I have not slept with anyone new after this person, but I suffer from severe health anxiety so decided to take a rapid test because after 3 and a half years if I was exposed I would definitely have antibodies. I work in science so I am pretty confident of that fact and done my research into CE approved tests and every article and NHS website pointed to biosure. So I went to boots pharmacy and picked up a test and done it in my car – done everything correctly and was able to get a lot of blood and my result showed negative after 15 minutes. I now feel I can put my mind at ease. Needless to say, since that event that happened to me at the club 3 and a half years ago I have never accepted a drink from anyone when I am out, and I have not slept with anyone new so don’t have to worry about recent risks. Thank you biosure, in future I will be sure to test for everything, again with any potential partners