"Could I Have HIV? "

I'm at my wits end with the way in which my local NHS services seem to just ignore peoples concerns pre-diagnoses.

I had an exposure to at least one STD that was Diagnosed and treated in March this year. But after my treatment finished, not all but some of my symptoms came back.

I decided it would be wise to have an HIV and other STD test, at this time it was around 7 weeks post exposure. They came back clear. I went on to have a load more general tests for things like Diabetes, Glandular Fever, Sarcoidosis Hep B Hep C. This was becuase my main symptom was (and still is) Peripheral Nueropathy, a painful condition of the nerves at the extremities of the body (Hands and Feet).

I continue to be ill on and off with a multitude of symptoms up until this day As a result of much research of my own it seems clear to me that most of the tests I had could have been taken prematurely,for example The Terence Higgins Trust quoted to me that in fact only 75% of people will test positive for HIV, 6 weeks post exposure. This is contradictory to what the doctor told me at the Renton clinic in Darenth Valley. After my test he said "dont worry about HIV we have never had a person test positive beyond 6 weeks...your fine!"

Its subsequently became evident to me that in fact most of the tests I took could be premature.

Whats dissappointed me immensely with the NHS, is not just the lack of care, for me, but the failure to recognise the fact that in my case complacency could cause a public health issue, if a contagious person is told they are fine when they are not, they are likely to live their life as they had previously.

Getting a diagnoses for an infection from the NHS was for me like getting blood out of a stone. They didnt appear to take my symptoms seriously, nor do they they take care with "window periods" (The time between infection and being able to get a clear diagnoses).