I once got a free rapid HIV test with my friend, just to be safe. Even though I had bareback sex a few times with people I trusted, I almost always used a condom and considered myself safe. My friend gets the oral swab test done and it comes back negative; he is free to go. Then my number is called, and I take the oral swab test after the nice woman explains to my the procedure. I wait 20 minutes for my result. I come back, and it comes back positive. She explains that I just have to take a second, rapid finger prick test and it was probably just an error. I wait 20 minutes slightly shaken up, but content that I am negative. She calls me for my results and is a bit tense. My results show an indeterminate result, and that I was possibly infected with HIV and seroconverting. I get blood drawn right there and am promised determinate results in a week.
The entire week, I am extremely tense and my entire outlook on life changes. I honestly consider if I am indeed HIV positive, about committing suicide. I've never been that scared in my entire life. I get sick from stress and anxiety.
On Friday, I get a call into the doctor who took my blood's office, as they cannot release results over the phone. I wait 10 minutes for him, extremely anxious, and he leads me into a room. He tells me: "...you tested negative for HIV."
I have never been that scared in my entire life. I since have gotten rapid tests after that and tested negative, no idea what was up with that.
