What are the reasons that the window period could be extended beyond 6 months? I have read that it only applies to those on PEP or with another serious pre-existing autoimmune disorder, but is this true? Could drug use at the time of exposure and recreationally cause a persons immune system to be damaged enough to need more than 6 months to show up positive?
Also, does the route of transmission have any effect on the window period (i.e. needle exposure, sexual exposure etc) ? Most cases of delayed seroconversion I've read on the internet (I know you can't believe everything you read, especially on the internet) have been from those with needle exposures. I am wondering if the needle exposure itself was the cause of delayed seroconversion, or if it was PEP etc.
Thank you for reading and answering my questions.
Yes, well not confirmed but possible. It was a shared needle exposure. I tested negative 4 times between 18 and 26 weeks post exposure and I know this sounds excessive, but symptoms including reoccuring yeast infections and remembering a partner developing all of the symptoms of ars. I am concerned that recreational drug use at the time of exposure as well as recreationally could be extending my window period.
They would not effect the window period. now if you had hiv symptoms you would have tested positive for sure but as they were negative you can be 100% certain you dont have hiv.
Hope that helps snoopy
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“Morality is only moral when it is voluntary.”
"Being defeated is only a temporary condition; giving up is what makes it permanent".
Thank you for your quick response it's greatly appreciated. I haven't been able to stop worrying and have convinced myself I have this disease with the high risk I foolishly took as well as my partner at time and my own symptoms. I really want to stop worrying and start living my life and I have tried to, but reading about the drug i was taking that night as well as recreationally pretty often being immunosuppressive it has me very worried.
I can understand the concern you have,but as you said yourself, your not sure you even had a risk. That said, you are certainly negative and your 26 week test is as good as you can get. Delayed sero dosnt really happen, its very very rare indeed. It was possible for people to test postive after 3 months, but with modern tests and a better understanding of hiv it just dose not happen.
You can relax, you dont have hiv
__________________
“Morality is only moral when it is voluntary.”
"Being defeated is only a temporary condition; giving up is what makes it permanent".
I am going to try to take your advice and believe my test results..the person who had used the needle about 2 weeks before was a frequent drug user and injecter which I didn't know at the time..I have been scared sick. Especially because of the symptoms in not only myself but the person I was with at the time. So scared for myself and that I could have infected someone else..I just really pray that I am not a case of late seroconversion because of the drugs I was stupidly doing around that time. I read online that the drug specifically affects t-cells which is also why I have been very concerned..that my tcells would have been very low at the time of infection and that I could be experiencing seroconversion that a damaged inmune system would experience
Testing Question 
