Dear Doctor Bob,

Well I hope you are doing good. It's been quite a while the last time I emailed you and the result of our last conversation lead to a WOOHOO that you advised me.

Yesterday I just found my last EIA Screening test result from the hospital last March 3 which indicates NON-REACTIVE. So I just decided that I submit it to a doctor (Internal Medicine) for him to read since anxiety started to creep on me again for no apparent reason. At one point in our discussion he said that HIV could sometimes be detectable only after 7 years! is this true? I thought you said 12 weeks would already be definitive and conclusive. Please enlighten me what he is talking about?

This is with regards when I pointed out that I had to get tested since I developed Sebhorreic Dermatitis. Then he said, it is not actually an indicator of HIV and that "sometimes" HIV can only be detectable after 7 years. So if it is negative today, it may be positive after seven years? Does this mean all people tested negative after 12 weeks are not really assured they are negative?

Thank you. Donation on the way.

Regards, Ryan

Hello Ryan,

How can I enlighten you as to what another physician might say when I have absolutely no idea what the hell he's talking about? My previous comments to you remain my professional opinion as an HIV expert with over a quarter of a century of experience: A negative HIV test at the three-month mark is considered to be definitive and conclusive. I have no idea where your internal medicine guy dreamed up that seven-year figure. (You might want to consider switching to a more competent doctor!)

Thanks for your donation to the Robert James Frascino AIDS Foundation (www.concertedeffort.org).

Stop worrying. Start WOO-HOOing.

Dr. Bob