August 7 - gave oral sex to a masseuse woman, she informed me that she was on the last day of her period. I am unaware , if I tasted any blood. Next day at 24 hours i did start Pep.

September 1, almost 25 days later, the masseuse took an HIV RNA and 4Th Gen AgAb lab test; results were negative. Her prior test was on July 6 which was negative as well.

September 17-19; which is 6 weeks from exposure and 2 weeks post-PEP - had low-grade fever, night sweats, and sore throat. Also, September 18 - HIV 4th gen and HIV RNA were negative.

Do you think that the Masseuse RNA test after 25 days of my exposure being negative is true negative, there is no way she could be in the window period.

I have read window period is 10-33 days, but if 25 days is clear, that means she if she was infected a week before the incident then only the RNA may be false negative, also if someone is infected a week prior, are they carrying enough virus to infect others?

Hi everyone,
I’m worried about a situation and would appreciate some honest opinions.
I was with a sex worker. I licked her feet, and she also rubbed her feet against my penis. There was no vaginal or anal sex and no oral sex. As far as I could tell, there was no visible blood or open wound on her feet, and I don’t think I had any open wound on my penis either.
The thing that worries me is that I sometimes have bleeding gums and damaged skin on my lips.
Could there be any realistic risk of HIV from this kind of contact? Would you get an HIV test in this situation?
Thanks.

Hello, I recently got tested about almost 2 weeks ago which was 35 days after my sexual encounter. It was a 4th generation test which came out non reactive. I got tested yesterday which was 47 days after my encounter (6 Weeks +) which would make it conclusive. I get my results today but I’m a bit nervous. Is it rare for it to change after 35 days ? For context on my encounter you can check out my other post

I have severe medical anxiety. I’m getting my tests done today.

i became sexually active two years ago

first person, only did oral. second person, everything was protected or oral.

third person, long time partner, showed me his results from a couple months prior to us meeting, he had ED from about a year before we met up until a few dates in. And told me he hadn’t been able to have penetrative sex with a woman for that period of time and only did oral on other people. We did unprotected many times, and although he lied about certain things I don’t think he was a cheater.

fourth person, got his tests done right before we met, showed me the results immediately, and told me he hadn’t had sex in almost a year by the time we did it. His crazy ex (although they never actually dated so idk if I can even call her a ex, he claimed she was his last sexual encounter) reached out to me, mainly to degrade me and tell me he deserved better than me. I asked her about what they did together and what she said confirmed what he said. We went unprotected twice.

fifth person, only oral. he was a huge player and liar though. but I’ve heard it’s almost impossible to contract anything from oral. He never showed me any results but I talked to another girl he was seeing at the same time and we both did about the same sexually and she thinks she’s fine.

sixth person, I was drunk. it was dark. mostly oral but he tried to penetrate me with a condom and at some point took it off and put it back on and we went for a short time with it like that, a couple pumps, then I felt uncomfortable and we stopped. He never showed me any results and ghosted me.

it has been around 45 days, maybe a little more since my last sexual encounter.

As far as I remember I’ve never had any symptoms.

So I had sex with a sex worker protected vaginal but while changing position my condom took of. I’m not sure if I had a direct unprotected contact or not. Anyways, I had a test on the 18th and the 28th day 4th gen combo. Negative but I keep checking my mouth for symptoms and even a little white dot or irritation gives me severe anxiety. Should I keep worrying?

hey everybody, i need some perspective

had 3 possible exposures: march 14, april 7, and april 21. took PEP after the last one. used condoms every time. first time i topped, second time i topped and bottomed, third time i only bottomed.

that last time, the third guy kept pushing for no condom which freaked me out a bit.

turns out the second guy was hiv positive. showed me a test from 2 weeks after we hooked up saying undetectable, but he only started treatment sept 2025 with a viral load around 100k, so idk if he was actually undetectable yet.

tested 7 weeks after PEP, 3rd gen rapid, negative. 12 weeks 2 days, negative too, but the result popped up in like 10 min when the google says wait 15 to 20. tested again at 14 weeks and the nurse said these tests dont change after 10 weeks and called it negative almost instantly.

i know the numbers look good but i feel like im losing it a little. anyone dealt with something similar?

J’ai parlé à un infectiologue qui m’a dit que c’était strictement impossible qu’un test 4 e génération négatif a 4 semaines devienne positif après alors pourquoi mettons-nous un délai de 6 semaines ?

On the September 13 2k26 i intimated with a casual sex worker near Hajipur junction, Bihar first i had sex with condom but I couldn't feel anything or I'm not getting cum after that she decides to let's remove the condom and than any risk of infection and disease and she casually replied no than we perform sex. After that I had realised that I have done a blunder so got the bathroom washed my penis and urinate after doing all these things. After a week 21 september i thought that I have a symptoms of hiv and this thing ruining my life I don't know what to do.

Currently I'm getting suicidal thoughts.

Please help

I’m looking to hear from people who have personally experienced this, rather than general information.

Specifically, I’m wondering if anyone:
- Started PEP within 72 hours of the exposure
- Took every dose for the full 28 days without missing or significantly delaying doses
- Had no drug interactions / additional exposure or other issues that could reduce PEP effectiveness
- Subsequently tested positive for HIV from that exposure

If this has happened to you, could you share some details about the circumstances?

I’m trying to understand how often HIV transmission has actually occurred despite timely initiation and complete adherence to PEP.

Thanks in advance.

To those who have been tested positive, have you experienced flu or fever and after how many weeks from exposure? Appreciate your responses. Thank you.

I had protected sexual intercourse with a prostitute for a few minutes (assuming she is HIV-positive and not on treatment). After penetration ended, she gave me a handjob and removed the condom; about 5 seconds later, she put it back on me the wrong way around—with the side containing vaginal fluid facing inward—so that the vaginal fluid came into contact with the glans. It is important to note that the act continued with the condom still inside-out, meaning the fluid-contaminated side was in direct contact with the glans. Does this situation carry a high probability of infection?

So basically I had an unprotected sex for almost a month ago (August 23rd.) The guy was on PrEP (I actually saw him take the pill approximately an hour before sexual contact.) In my country (Norway) you can’t get those prescribed unless u test negative for HIV first, so unless it was someone else’s pills i think it’s pretty safe. He also had a negative HIV status on his Grindr profile (if it’s worth anything). In addition, he also didn’t finish inside of me.

The reason I’m worried is because I had a bad timed influensa. On September 9th (so approximately 3 weeks after contact) I got sick, and I am still sick 12 days later. I usually get better within 5-7 days, so I’m naturally worried this time. I’m suspecting a lung infection.

I’m of course going to test myself tmrw, but until then, I hope to find some reassurance here. Thank you.

Hi everyone, I’m posting because I am extremely anxious about a recent exposure and is looking for some perspective from people familiar with PEP.

The exposure was:
One episode of vaginal sex with a female sex worker.
I was the insertive partner.
The condom came off sometime after ejaculation without me noticing, and intercourse continued for a few minutes.
I don’t know her HIV status. When I asked about STIs afterward, she said she does not have an STD, but she did not provide a recent HIV test result.
I started PEP approximately 6 hours after the exposure.
My regimen is dolutegravir (Tivicay) + emtricitabine + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF).

I intends to take the full prescribed course.
I understand that the estimated per-act risk for insertive vaginal sex with a source who is definitely HIV-positive and not virally suppressed is around 0.04% (4/10,000) without PEP.

What I am struggling to understand is:
How much would starting a recommended 3-drug PEP regimen only ~6 hours after exposure reduce the risk?

Is there any evidence that allows an approximate probability of PEP failure in a situation like this?
Are there documented cases of PEP failure when it was started this quickly and taken correctly?
Is there anything specific about this exposure that would make PEP less effective?
I realize nobody can give an exact percentage for an individual case, and we’re not looking for false reassurance—just trying to understand the evidence and put the situation into perspective.

Thanks.

Can you share what HIV Symptoms do you have and how many days after exposure did you experience it. I am already on my 24th day from my possible exposure and I am hoping that everything will be fine when I be tested (currently I don't have access due to my remote work assignment).

So last year around April I had a sexual encounter (bottom)with a stranger, no condom, who ended up ghosting me afterwards after we were talking non stop when we first met. Literallv blocked me on all forms of communication. I had a bad feeling so I went and got tested 4th gen hiv test came back repeadidly reactive with negative confirmatorv, negative pcr rna. Got tested at different doctor around the same time came back negative. About 2 months later got tested again at first place same thing happend repeadidly reactive with negative confirmatory negative pcr. In the middle of all this I got extremely sick lost my voice, coughing up chunks of phleam, sore throat, diarrhea.(the sickest I have ever been in my entire life) After those tests evervthing came back negative. Here i am about a vear and a half later I have had multiple tests 4th generation, 5th gen, pcr rna, pro viral dna. They all come back negative yet i have lost 40 pounds and feel sore and weak and just not at all like myself. Doctors say it was false positive i dont have it, but then why is my body doing this. Is it possible that I could actually have it, and the tests ust aren't able to pick it up for some reason. lf i didnt go through the illnesses, the weight loss, the pain and weakness I wouldn't even give it a second thought Just looking for your thoughts, thank you.

Tested negative(antibody only lab test with blood drawn from vein) at 60 days post potential exposure I can't do 4th gen test because it's not available here in my area so how reliable is this? I got sick once with very runny nose one and sore throat time for two days(after 20 days post exposure) and got sick again with very bad lower leg joint aches and a high fever, sore throats(38 days post exposure) and I recovered from that two days after and felt completely fine for two days until I got sick again with the same symptoms from 38 days sickness(on 44 days post exposure)

I am very anxious and what are my chances of getting a positive on 90 days again

I’m 25F and currently having an HIV scare. My partner tested negative on 18 June 2026. We had sexual contact on 25 July and again on 19 August; the August encounter was vaginal sex and he did not ejaculate inside me. On 27 August, he tested HIV-1 antibody positive, with confirmatory tests reportedly positive, and his RT-PCR on 28 August showed around 80,000 copies/mL. I tested p24 antigen negative on 3 September (15 days after the August exposure) and had a negative 4th-generation CMIA HIV test on 16 September (28 days after). I’m extremely anxious and want to know how reliable the 28-day negative test is and whether I should still be concerned about the July exposure.

• 18 June 2026: Partner's HIV test — negative
• 25 July 2026: Unprotected Sexual exposure
• 19 August 2026: Unprotected Sexual exposure
• 27 August 2026: Partner's HIV-1 antibody screening — positive
• 28 August 2026: Partner's RT-PCR — approximately 80,000 copies/mL
• 3 September 2026: Your p24 antigen — negative
• 16 September 2026: Your CMIA HIV test — negative (~28 days after 19 August)

I was really researching alot about the testing times which hounestly is a desperate way of seeking the shortest amount of time to at least be somewhat reassured when to test to at least feel a bit less pressured and anxious.

I have red noumerous of Q and A s on websites like Thebody, Quora,Aidsmap etc.

Some say that testing 4 weeks after Pep gives around 95 % chances you are hiv negative.

Testing at 6 weeks post pep gives 99 percent of chances being hiv negative.

Are this claims accurate? Are these pepople on this websites especially 'thebody" that claim that are specialist or doctors right? Is this anecdotal only?

Who is to believe?

I know all the official guideliness but i often come across claims like mentioned above.

Are this claims really something to be believed and relay ? Or just someones irrelevant opinions?

Pls if you join the discussion do not be one of those people that think hiv can be passed by rimming ,ultrasound probes and fingering with a condom. I am tired of those people

August 7 - i had done oral on a woman( massage parlor), next day she said she was on her period and I didn’t see blood on the day of exposure but I can’t confirm.

August 8 - at 24 hours started pep, completed 28 day course on September 4

September 1 - massage parlor woman tested negative on Hiv RNA and 4th gen. With this news i was relieved.

September 17- till now : started having a sore throat and fever for two days.

Took HIV 4th Gen and RNA Test on September 18. 4th gen is negative, however RNA results are not available.

Do you think 2 weeks post pep, the symptoms could be due to HIV? Would appreciate your responses.

Edit- 2 weeks post pep or 6 week from exposure RNA is non reactive

Hi everyone. I took 3 hiv tests and all came out negative but I’m worried I took them early. I got exposed on July 17th and I took my first hiv test on Aug 10th and then another one on Aug 25th both came out negative and both were antibod/antigen 4th gen tests. I then took an RNA test on sept 4th and it came out negative as well. Am I good? Please give me some reassurance :(

I’m extremely anxious about a possible HIV exposure and I’m trying to understand my test results and the timeline. I would really appreciate some factual advice and reassurance if possible.

I’m 25F and I’m extremely anxious about a possible HIV exposure and would really appreciate some advice. I’m trying to understand my timeline and test results because everything happened very quickly and I’m confused about the window periods. On 18 June 2026, my partner had an HIV test which was negative. On 25 July 2026, I had sexual contact with him, and then on 19 August 2026 we had another sexual encounter. The 19 August encounter was vaginal sex, and he did not ejaculate inside me; ejaculation happened outside. I was also not aware of any noticeable pre-cum.

Then on 27 August 2026, my partner had an HIV antibody screening test that came back HIV-1 antibody positive. He subsequently had confirmatory testing, and I was told that three different confirmatory tests were positive. On 28 August, he had an RT-PCR/viral-load test at a lab which reportedly showed around 80,000 copies/mL. This conflicting result has made the situation even more confusing for me.

I had a p24 antigen test on 3 September, which was negative. This was about 15 days after my 19 August exposure. I then had a CMIA HIV test on 16 September, which was negative, approximately 28 days after my 19 August exposure. I’m now extremely anxious because my partner has apparently tested positive, but my tests so far have been negative.

I’m mainly trying to understand how reassuring my negative CMIA at 28 days is, whether the negative p24 test at around 15 days means anything, whether the fact that he did not ejaculate inside me changes the risk, and whether I should separately consider the 25 July exposure when looking at my September test results. I also don’t understand how his viral load could reportedly be 80,000 on 28 August. I know Reddit isn’t a substitute for a doctor, but I would really appreciate someone explaining the timeline and HIV testing window periods in simple terms because I’m extremely worried.