False Positive HIV Test!!!!

[rapunzel87]

Has anyone ever had a false positive HIV test?

I recently went to my ob/gyn for a regular check up and she informed me very casually that my blood work came back and my tests were reactive for HIV! She could see I was absolutely distraught. She assured me that it was a false positive and she sees this happen. My antibodies were negative and she said that's a good sign. She sent me for repeat bloodwork and the tests came back the exact same as before! One part is inconclusive and the other is negative. Again she reassured me that this can happen in pregnancy, however she has referred me to an infectious disease specialist. Guys, I am FREAKING out! Everyone is trying to reassure me but nothing is helping

Btw, I have only ever had intercourse with my husband. We were both virgins when we married and I trust him wholeheartedly. I got a test done last year for HIV (was pregnant) and tested negative. I don't do needles, tattoos or drugs and am in a loyal relationship. I also have had no blood transfusions.

Trying to stay positive and just enjoy my pregnancy and time with family but I can't help but think of this impending appointment with the specialist My mind is running wild with all the things that could happen. Soooo worried. Any advice or similar experiences?

 

[MindUtopia]

I'm so sorry you're worried and so sorry you had a doctor who sounds like a bit of a moron. More than likely, she doesn't really know how to interpret the results herself and that's why she's left you hanging like this, which is really irresponsible on her part.

I am an HIV researcher myself. I'm not a doctor and don't do any clinical care, but I do work with people with HIV and I've trained as an HIV test counselor, so hoping I can provide you with some reassurance and information. Yes, you can definitely get a false positive HIV test result. It's not common, but it does happen, and things like pregnancy, other infections, or other chronic conditions, like certain autoimmune diseases. It can also happen if your doctor doesn't know how to do the test correctly (which considering it's happened twice in a row, could be a factor). It can also happen in the very early stages of infection before your body produces enough antibodies for the test to work. Sometimes it also happens because there isn't enough of a sample or the lab screws something up too.

Do you have your test results? You said the antibodies were negative (I think it should say "non-reactive"). What was the reading that was inconclusive? Do you have any other health conditions that you know of? Was the reading the same on both tests? Antibodies being negative and then the other whatever it was being inconclusive? I can try to take a stab at trying to tell you what that might mean. Do you know if they repeated the exact same type of test the second time or did they do a different kind of test? It might say the name of the test on your results. I'll try to help if I can.

But yes, just to reassure you, false positives do happen. It's worrying though that she hasn't attempted to figure out the answer for you though, and seems to have instead pushed you off onto another doctor without trying to provide any reassurance or explanation for what's happening. It might be that she just doesn't know, but that's just a crappy situation to have left you in. When are you seeing the specialist? Could you take yourself someone else to request another test in the meantime? You might find someone who has a bit more specialist knowledge and more experience administering the test. I'm guessing you're in the U.S., in which case, Planned Parenthood is an excellent resource and they may even do it for free, and they'll certainly have trained testers who pretty much only do HIV tests, so they'll know what they're talking about.

Also, here is a good post that explains a little bit about how a false positive is established, which might be helpful: https://goaskalice.columbia.edu/answered-questions/false-positive-hiv-test

 

[rapunzel87]

Thank you for your reply! I actually live in ON, Canada and don't have the results with me. However, as far as I can tell my ob/gyn is pretty much convinced I don't have it. She said that because I tested inconclusive again, by law she has go refer me to an infectious disease specialist. This doc may then decide to test me with more specific blood work. However she herself assured me that she isn't concerned at all.

Also, both of these tests were done 4 months apart from each other.

To answer your q, I don't have any other illnesses that I can think of and from what I was told it was the exact same test done again and the exact same results. One part negative and the other inconclusive

 

[MindUtopia]

How very strange! Hopefully you get some answers. These things definitely do happen and it's really good she's not concerned. It seems most likely that pregnancy is triggering something weird and your body is producing antibodies to something that is causing the test to pick something up and/or your doctor isn't handling it properly or a combination of both. Hope you don't have to wait too long to see the specialist and figure out what's up.

 

[rapunzel87]

How very strange! Hopefully you get some answers. These things definitely do happen and it's really good she's not concerned. It seems most likely that pregnancy is triggering something weird and your body is producing antibodies to something that is causing the test to pick something up and/or your doctor isn't handling it properly or a combination of both. Hope you don't have to wait too long to see the specialist and figure out what's up.

Thank you! I have to wait til March 31st Since you do have some experience in this field, would you mind if I ask you a few q's? Without sex, drugs or blood transfusions, how else can HIV be passed on? I have googled this to death, and these three + mother to child seem to be the only way of transmitting HIV. The only encounter I can think of is giving blood for blood tests or when I was giving birth in the hospital last March. But everything here is pretty sterile so I can't imagine being infected that way!

 

[laila 44]

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I've also researched a lot on the topic of false positives in pregnancy and it can and does happen. The only way to know for sure is to do a viral load or Western blot test. That's probably what the infectious disease dr will recommend. I wouldn't worry too much although I know it's impossible to do right now. It does happen I've read about it quite often actually. Ask about a western blot test and you'll understand more. You definitely don't sound like you are at risk at all! hope your test comes back totally negative! Every time I have to take that test during a pregnancy it freaks me out so I can't imagine how you feel right now. Sending you hugs I'm sure you are just fine! Xx

 

[rapunzel87]

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I've also researched a lot on the topic of false positives in pregnancy and it can and does happen. The only way to know for sure is to do a viral load or Western blot test. That's probably what the infectious disease dr will recommend. I wouldn't worry too much although I know it's impossible to do right now. It does happen I've read about it quite often actually. Ask about a western blot test and you'll understand more. You definitely don't sound like you are at risk at all! hope your test comes back totally negative! Every time I have to take that test during a pregnancy it freaks me out so I can't imagine how you feel right now. Sending you hugs I'm sure you are just fine! Xx

Thank you! I think pregnancy is already an anxiety-ridden state for me, this news just added to it. I keep thinking of the worst and I really shouldn't!

 

[laila 44]

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I've also researched a lot on the topic of false positives in pregnancy and it can and does happen. The only way to know for sure is to do a viral load or Western blot test. That's probably what the infectious disease dr will recommend. I wouldn't worry too much although I know it's impossible to do right now. It does happen I've read about it quite often actually. Ask about a western blot test and you'll understand more. You definitely don't sound like you are at risk at all! hope your test comes back totally negative! Every time I have to take that test during a pregnancy it freaks me out so I can't imagine how you feel right now. Sending you hugs I'm sure you are just fine! Xx

Thank you! I think pregnancy is already an anxiety-ridden state for me, this news just added to it. I keep thinking of the worst and I really shouldn't!

I understand it's already stressful enough as it is! Just try to think logically, you haven't had any exposure that would put you at real risk so it's not possible. Look up false positives during pregnancy on the body.com you will see tons! If the western blot is negative then you don't have to worry even if others are inconclusive. I'm sure you will be fine Hun just try to relax and take it one day at a time. What does your husband think of all this?

 

[rapunzel87]

I'm so sorry you have to deal with this. I've also researched a lot on the topic of false positives in pregnancy and it can and does happen. The only way to know for sure is to do a viral load or Western blot test. That's probably what the infectious disease dr will recommend. I wouldn't worry too much although I know it's impossible to do right now. It does happen I've read about it quite often actually. Ask about a western blot test and you'll understand more. You definitely don't sound like you are at risk at all! hope your test comes back totally negative! Every time I have to take that test during a pregnancy it freaks me out so I can't imagine how you feel right now. Sending you hugs I'm sure you are just fine! Xx

Thank you! I think pregnancy is already an anxiety-ridden state for me, this news just added to it. I keep thinking of the worst and I really shouldn't!

I understand it's already stressful enough as it is! Just try to think logically, you haven't had any exposure that would put you at real risk so it's not possible. Look up false positives during pregnancy on the body.com you will see tons! If the western blot is negative then you don't have to worry even if others are inconclusive. I'm sure you will be fine Hun just try to relax and take it one day at a time. What does your husband think of all this?

Oh goodness, I think I may have driven him crazy with my worries. He thinks it's illogical and nothing to worry about. Deep down inside I know he's right. I will keep you guys updated on what happens!

 

[laila 44]

Please do! I'm 100 % sure u are fine!

 

[Rozie_1985]

I am so sorry you have to go through this, try and relax as no good for bubba thinking of you and i am sure all is fine xxxxx bloody hormones no doubt xxx

 

[awnmyown]

So the screening test came back as one inconclusive and the confirmatory one negative?? Or did you actually get a positive on one of the tests?? A true positive?

Really, false positives are not that rare. And inconclusive results really don't mean yes or no. Also, most screening tests for HIV are highly sensitive but not very specific. This means they're really good at picking something up, but don't always pick up the right thing. Because of this, I wouldn't be surprise, if like the other poster said, there's something else there cross-reacting giving you your positive or inconclusive, but it's not HIV.

 

[rapunzel87]

So the screening test came back as one inconclusive and the confirmatory one negative?? Or did you actually get a positive on one of the tests?? A true positive?

Really, false positives are not that rare. And inconclusive results really don't mean yes or no. Also, most screening tests for HIV are highly sensitive but not very specific. This means they're really good at picking something up, but don't always pick up the right thing. Because of this, I wouldn't be surprise, if like the other poster said, there's something else there cross-reacting giving you your positive or inconclusive, but it's not HIV.

From what the doctor said nothing came up positive. She said the screening is inconclusive and antibodies are negative. I don't know what the name of the exact tests are though. She said that she sees patients like this and she has never seen any of them have a positive test in the end.

However, the nurse called it a false positive, which scared me because of the word positive lol. Ahhh. I can't believe I have to wait til March 31st to see the specialist

 

[laila 44]

I think you got a reactive ELISA and a negative western blot. The negative western blot means you are hiv negative. In order to be hiv positive you would need a reactive ELISA and a positive western blot. The first test they use is the ELISA if that's reactive meaning they detect some sort of antibodies then they always follow up with a western blot which if positive it means hiv positive and if negative then you are not. However if western blot is inconclusive then u need to repeat in a few months.

 

[rapunzel87]

I think you got a reactive ELISA and a negative western blot. The negative western blot means you are hiv negative. In order to be hiv positive you would need a reactive ELISA and a positive western blot. The first test they use is the ELISA if that's reactive meaning they detect some sort of antibodies then they always follow up with a western blot which if positive it means hiv positive and if negative then you are not. However if western blot is inconclusive then u need to repeat in a few months.

Oh I see! Perhaps! I had my first test in October and the second one in February. Both were the exact same. Maybe because I had a reactive both times they want me to do specific tests? Anyway, should find out at the end of March. But if I were a true positive wouldn't both tests have been positive the second time around?

 

[laila 44]

I think you got a reactive ELISA and a negative western blot. The negative western blot means you are hiv negative. In order to be hiv positive you would need a reactive ELISA and a positive western blot. The first test they use is the ELISA if that's reactive meaning they detect some sort of antibodies then they always follow up with a western blot which if positive it means hiv positive and if negative then you are not. However if western blot is inconclusive then u need to repeat in a few months.

Oh I see! Perhaps! I had my first test in October and the second one in February. Both were the exact same. Maybe because I had a reactive both times they want me to do specific tests? Anyway, should find out at the end of March. But if I were a true positive wouldn't both tests have been positive the second time around?

Yes exactly! U would have had 2 positives by now after the 3 month window for sure! Let us know what the infectious disease dr says xx

 

[Nadja86]

So the screening test came back as one inconclusive and the confirmatory one negative?? Or did you actually get a positive on one of the tests?? A true positive?

Really, false positives are not that rare. And inconclusive results really don't mean yes or no. Also, most screening tests for HIV are highly sensitive but not very specific. This means they're really good at picking something up, but don't always pick up the right thing. Because of this, I wouldn't be surprise, if like the other poster said, there's something else there cross-reacting giving you your positive or inconclusive, but it's not HIV.

From what the doctor said nothing came up positive. She said the screening is inconclusive and antibodies are negative. I don't know what the name of the exact tests are though. She said that she sees patients like this and she has never seen any of them have a positive test in the end.

However, the nurse called it a false positive, which scared me because of the word positive lol. Ahhh. I can't believe I have to wait til March 31st to see the specialist

Focus on the word FALSE instead of the word POSITIVE.

Sounds scary but I'm sure all is fine. xoxo

 

[bettybee1]

Sorry your going through this,


1) I would ask your husband to get checked if he's negative then you have nothing to worry about

2) if you have ever had blood products or needle stick injury ?

I wouldn't worry Hun though

 

[awnmyown]

Honest, there's two tests BECAUSE this can sometimes accidentally happen. If it didn't, they wouldn't need both. Just another comforting reason not to worry about it. You should see some of the algorithms of tests labs have to use to actually determine if someone is truly positive for some diseases!

 

[rapunzel87]

Sorry your going through this,


1) I would ask your husband to get checked if he's negative then you have nothing to worry about

2) if you have ever had blood products or needle stick injury ?

I wouldn't worry Hun though

I completely trust him! And at this point he would definitely have said something. However last he checked a year ago, he was negative

And no needle stick injuries or transfusions. The only thing I can come up with is when they stick a needle into your arm to take blood for a blood test. But I doubt they would use unsterilized needles here in Canada!