HIV anxiety: how to handle fear afta possible exposure

You no dey overreact, but di numbers dey your side

To fear afta condom comot, afta one-night stand or afta needle injure you na normal tin. HIV na serious word. But di fear dey usually run far pass di real risk, and e go help you to look di real numbers.

Dis na di calculator estimate for one act, based on CDC data:

• Oral sex (to use mouth for private part) wit partner wey get HIV and no dey take treatment: 0.01% (around 1 out of 10,000)
• Vaginal sex without condom, man wit woman wey im no sabi her status, for US: <0.0001% (around 1 out of 1,500,000)
• Di same tin, wit condom: <0.0001% (around 1 out of 7,300,000)
• Receptive anal sex (di person wey dem enter) without condom wit partner wey get HIV and no dey take treatment, di sex exposure wey get di highest risk: 1.4% (around 1 out of 72)

If partner wey get HIV dey take treatment and im viral load (how much HIV dey di blood) don undetectable (di HIV for blood don low reach where test no fit see am), e no dey pass HIV through sex. See U=U.

Some tins wey dey worry pipo no get any risk at all. HIV no dey spread through saliva, sweat, tears, kissing, hugging, to share food or drinks, toilet seat, insects, or wen skin wey no get cut or wound touch am. Read more for how HIV no dey spread.

Test na di way out

Fear dey grow wen you no sure. Test wey you do for di right time go clear am. Once you don pass di window period (di time afta infection wen test neva fit show HIV) for one test, negative result mean say you no get HIV from dat exposure, as long as you neva get anoda exposure since dat time.

• Negative result for lab antigen/antibody test (blood wey dem draw from vein) don be final from day 45.
• Negative result for NAT (nucleic acid test, wey dey look for di virus itself) don be final from day 33.
• Negative result for rapid antigen/antibody test (wey dem prick finger) and for antibody tests, plus most self-test for house, don be final from day 90.

If you take PEP, follow di testing plan wey your doctor or nurse give you instead. CDC recommend test about 4 to 6 weeks and 12 weeks afta di exposure.

To test early fit help too. Negative result for middle of di window period don already reduce di estimate well well. For receptive anal sex wit partner wey get HIV and no dey take treatment, negative lab test for four weeks go bring am down to 0.18% (around 1 out of 540). See how HIV test dey accurate week by week make you plan your own.

Once you get negative result wey don be final, to test again for di same exposure no go change di answer. If you notice say you dey feel to test again and again, na di fear dey tok, no be di facts.

Why your body be like say e dey send signal

Anxiety dey cause real body symptoms. NHS (for UK) list am: heartbeat wey you dey feel pass before or wey no dey normal, stomach problem, to dey feel tense, to tire quick, to feel dizzy or say your head dey light, and sleep wey no dey come well. Afta exposure, e normal to see each of dem as sign of HIV.

Symptoms no fit tell you weda you get HIV or you no get am. Plenti pipo wey get HIV no get any symptom for di early time, and di sickness wey be like flu wey some pipo dey get, na oda sickness dey cause am most times. Na only test fit tell you. See early signs of HIV.

Tins wey go help you as you dey wait

• Fix your test date and put am for your calendar. Dat way, you no go need to decide again every day.
• Reduce how you dey search. To dey read forum and list of symptoms for late night no dey bring relief most times. One source wey you fit trust don do.
• Tok to somebody. Friend, sexual health clinic or helpline. Clinic staff don use to dis kind questions.
• Take care of di basic tins. If you dey sleep and chop for regular time, di hard few weeks go easy small to pass.
• Think ahead. If e fit happen say you go get exposure again, ask about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis: HIV medicine wey you dey take before any exposure to protect yourself). If you take am as dem prescribe, e dey reduce di risk from sex by about 99% for anal sex and about 90% for vaginal sex.

Wen you suppose find help for your mind

Find help if di fear still dey afta negative test wey don be final, or if e dey affect your sleep, your work or your relationship. Doctor fit help, and talking therapy (to tok wit trained person about wetin dey worry you) na one option. For England, adults wey register wit GP fit refer demselves to NHS talking therapies for anxiety, without dem first see di GP.

Wetin to do now

1. E neva reach 72 hours since di exposure? Ask for PEP first.
2. Check your real risk wit di calculator.
3. Choose one test and one date based on im window period.
4. Test again one time afta di window if your first test fall inside am, or follow your PEP testing plan, den stop.
5. Find support if di fear no reduce afta result wey don be final.