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Getting Married in Puerto Rico? Don’t Forget Your Blood Tests!

Written by Megan on October 31, 2011 — Leave a Comment

Q: Hello, and please help, my fiancée and I are getting married in Puerto Rico next month. We just found out that one of the requirements for getting married is to get tested. We are worried we are going to run out of time, I think we need some kind of a doctor’s exam, and doesn’t it usually take a few weeks to get results?

Amber and Joe, Midtown, NYC

A: Meeting the requirements for getting married in Puerto Rico can seem like an unexpected step and an extra expense. There are a few specific requirements that you will have to meet, but it is easier than you think. If you have a travel agent or wedding planner at the hotel they should be able to help.

You can request the marriage application and get your blood tests ahead of time. You have most likely requested your marriage application from the Puerto Rico Department of Health. As far as getting STD Testing, you still have plenty of time to get tested and get the results back on time. A local clinic will take longer, but there are STD test locations that can test you quickly and also get your results to you quickly. Getting a more comprehensive STD test before you get married is a good idea, but marriage requirements in Puerto Rico usually consist of one simple blood test, the VDRL syphilis test. This test must be performed by a lab that is federally certified, and make sure not to get tested too early. You will have to make sure that the test was collected no more than 14 days prior to your actual wedding day. You will need to bring a copy of your lab results to a doctor in Puerto Rico so the doctor can confirm you are both negative and sign the application. Once this is done, you will have to get your documents authenticated and purchase two license stamps through the demographic registry. Again, your travel agent or hotel can most likely help you with this.

These requirements may be different if you or your partner is not a U.S. citizen. I understand they also require proof that you are not currently married.

Good luck and Congratulations!

Posted in Syphilis

What Drugs Does a Hair Follicle Test Screen For?

Written by Megan on October 31, 2011 — Leave a Comment

Q: Hello, I was recently informed that I need to take a hair drug test before I can be hired for a new job. I don’t use any illegal drugs, but about two months ago my doctor prescribed me some painkillers for a small accident I was in. Is this something I should be worried about? What drugs are checked for in a hair follicle test?

Chris, Atlantic City, NJ

A: Hi, sorry to hear about your accident – hopefully everything is okay. Hair follicle testing can screen for a wide variety of drugs, but the most common will check for five substances: amphetamines, marijuana, cocaine, opiates and PCP. The test can detect drug usage within the past 90 days.

In your case, most painkillers are considered opiates. However, the opiates test used currently was originally designed to detect heroin and morphine – not the newer age prescription opiates. Light usage of these drugs tend to not get detected with the hair follicle test; however, heavy use/abuse has a better chance of showing up. Most likely your prescription will go unnoticed considering you were taking a relatively light dosage and not a consistent regular dose.

Even if your prescription does happen to be detected, you should still having nothing to worry about. Most drug testing companies incorporate a medical review officer (MRO) into their services. The purpose of the MRO is to make sure that positive results are not being caused by a legal prescription, such as in your case. Generally, if someone can provide proof that a prescription was filled in their name the result will report out as a negative.

Hope this helps, and good luck with your new job!

Posted in Drug Testing, Hair Follicle Drug Test

How Far Back Can a Hair Follicle Test Detect Drug Usage?

Written by Megan on October 27, 2011 — Leave a Comment

I have a job interview coming up and a friend of mine who works there said they do hair follicle drug testing before they hire you. I’m not much of a drug user, but I did partake a while ago at a party I was at. Is this something I should be worried about? How far back can a hair follicle test detect use?

Generally speaking, a hair follicle drug test can detect usage up to 90 days ago. By no means can it detect any usage within the past 90 days. For example, recent consumption tends to not show up on hair follicle screens. This is because it takes around a week or so for the metabolites to actually become embedded within the hair follicle. Also, consider that human hair grows at different rates from person to person. On average, human hair grows 0.5 inches per month. Most laboratories only analyze the first 1.5 inches of hair. If you do the math, it equals to roughly 3 months worth of hair.

In some cases a specimen cannot be collected from the scalp (usually due to baldness), so what happens is they choose another part of the body to take hair from (i.e. underarm, chest, leg, etc.). Because body hair tends to grow at a different rate than head hair, it can be said that body hair carries a longer detection window than head hair.

If you have hair on your head, and the party was more than three months ago – chances are everything will be fine. However, if you’re not entirely sure or you’re still skeptical about it, you might consider getting your own personal hair follicle test before going in for the job. The process is easy, and it’s an effective way to get the answers you need.

Posted in Drug Testing, Hair Follicle Drug Test

How Do You Get HIV?

Written by Megan on October 26, 2011 — Leave a Comment

Hi,

I’ve heard a lot of people talk about different ways of getting HIV, and frankly it’s beginning to seem a little scary. Is it true that if you have sex with someone who has it, you’re guaranteed to get it also? What about oral sex? What is the risk of transmission? I guess overall I just want to know how do you get HIV?

Well, it’s understandable that you’re feeling a little anxious about this. First let me start by saying that HIV is not contracted as easily as a lot of people tend to think. No, you are not guaranteed to contract HIV if you sleep with someone who has it. Yes, you can get HIV from oral sex (performing or receiving), but it is highly unlikely in most cases. Let us take a minute to explain just how exactly HIV is transmitted from one person to another.

HIV is carried in blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. To contract HIV one must have been exposed to at least one of these fluids that is infected. However, having a mere exposure to one of these fluids does not automatically constitute a successful HIV transmission. In fact, it’s a little bit difficult. You see, HIV is not the type of virus that “digs” its way through the skin. It actually needs a direct route to the bloodstream. This is usually going to involve some type of cut or tear in the skin. The fact that HIV needs this opening is the very reason that certain groups of people experience higher rates of HIV. Take intravenous drug users for example – if they use an infected needle, that needle is puncturing their skin and directly entering the bloodstream. Another example is individuals who participate in receptive anal sex. The anal lining is extremely susceptible to tearing; thereby creating the pathway to the blood.

As I mentioned before, contracting HIV from receiving oral sex is not very probable. Saliva is not a fluid that carries HIV, so essentially the person performing oral sex would need to be actively bleeding from their mouth/lips, then that blood would need to enter through a cut/sore located on or near the receiving party’s genitals. It is definitely not a very common means of transmission.

If you are ever concerned about contracting HIV, the best thing to do is have an HIV test performed. And now that you know, the next time someone asks “how do you get HIV?”, you’ll be able to give a truthful answer.

Posted in HIV and AIDS, HIV Transmission | Tagged HIV and AIDS, HIV Transmission, Oral Sex, Risk Assessment, Safe Sex Tips

When to Test for HIV

Written by Megan on October 19, 2011 — Leave a Comment

Q. I have spent all morning researching and I am still confused about when to test for HIV. Some websites say to take the HIV test at six weeks, and others say six months.

A. This is one of those posts that I like to start off by saying “you are not the only one.” That is, not quite sure when to test for HIV. Consider that there is more than one HIV test. Some tests look for your immunological response to the virus. These are commonly referred to as HIV Antibody Tests, or the HIV ELISA test. This test is the traditional screening test for HIV. Chances are if you have had an HIV test in the past, it was the HIV antibody test.

When you ask the question “when to test for HIV,” you are really asking “when will my immune system create a detectable immune response if I had HIV?” We call this the window period. For most people, this usually happens between 4 and 6 weeks post exposure. For some individuals it can take up to 3 months, which officially makes the window period 6 to 12 weeks. By 12 weeks, for all practical purposes, a healthy individual should show a detectable immune response.

However, there still remains a small portion of the population that suffers from immune deficiency, such as someone on chemotherapy or taking immune suppressive medication. These individuals can take up to 6 months or longer to create an immune response. It is this very situation that you will still hear people suggest waiting 6 months to be sure. It is important to understand that if you were one of those individuals that fell in to the 6 month category, you would most likely know this.

As I stated earlier, this antibody test for HIV is not the only testing option. There are other tests (known as antigen tests) that look directly for HIV. There is the HIV DNA PCR test, HIV RNA test and HIV p-24 test. All of which are not dependent on when your body would create an immune response, and therefore an obvious choice for those that are concerned they have not seroconverted yet, or they’re not sure when to test for HIV and simply don’t want to wait that long to know their HIV status.

Posted in HIV and AIDS, HIV Testing | Tagged 12 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 6 weeks, Antibody Test, conclusive, HIV and AIDS, when to test for HIV, Window Period

Tests For HIV

Written by Megan on October 19, 2011 — Leave a Comment

Q: Tests for HIV, why so many? I am in Philadelphia area and I have been looking at the options for my HIV test, there are so many how do I choose?

A: As covered in a previous submission, there are multiple tests for HIV. If you have questions about which test you should be taking please see “When to Test For HIV” for more information.

Your question seems to have more to do with what HIV testing site to use. The obvious choices might include testing with your doctor, free STD testing, or an organization that specializes in private HIV testing.

Testing with your doctor of course is a trustworthy option. If you use your doctor you can most likely use your health insurance so that you won’t have to pay out of pocket. This will likely require your doctor’s normal wait for an appointment, and perhaps another few weeks for the follow up appointment to get your results. The most common reasons people don’t use their primary care doctor is they want fast results, or may not want to chance having a positive reported to their insurance. Other simply don’t want to discuss their sexual health with their family doctor.

Another option is low cost or free HIV testing. This is usually a public service provided through your local health department. This may be offered to the general public for free or a very low cost. In some cases, you may have to qualify for assistance before they will provide health services. For some this is a great option to have, others prefer to spend a little more for a quick result turnaround and convenient times and locations. If you choose the health department, be prepared to wait as long as 2 to 4 weeks for your test results. Some health departments use a 20 minute rapid HIV test instead of an HIV lab test.

Your final option is private HIV testing. If you are concerned about privacy, convenience, or quick result turnaround this is a good option. At a private testing center you can usually get tested right away and also get quick lab results. You will notice there are many organizations to choose from so don’t be afraid to compare prices and look for the Better Business Bureau stamp of approval.

Posted in HIV and AIDS, HIV Testing, STD Testing Requirements

How to Test for Herpes

Written by Megan on October 19, 2011 — Leave a Comment

Q: I just got a call from my ex-girlfriend and she seems to think that I gave her genital herpes. I have never had an outbreak so of course I told her that it was not me, but I was her last partner and she says that she has only had sex with one other person in her life, so I guess I need to know if this is possible and also how to test for herpes if I don’t have symptoms?

A: Well, if you want to know how to test for herpes if you have not had any outbreaks, the good news is there are simple blood tests that can help. The not-so-good news is, yes it is possible for you to have herpes and not have symptoms.

Let’s focus on this first. Unfortunately, you can have an STD and not have symptoms. It is the very reason people get an STD screening from time to time. Now understand the fact that you have not had an outbreak means one of two things. Either you have been exposed but have not had a noticeable outbreak, or that you just don’t have it. This is good. If you have been exposed and just not had symptoms, or those symptoms have not been severe enough to pay attention to, there is a good chance you will continue to not have severe symptoms.

The test that can help answer these questions is the Herpes type 2 test. This is a blood test that checks to see if your immune system is responding to the virus that usually causes genital herpes. If you take this test and it is negative, it is likely that you have not been exposed in the genital region. If this test is positive it is likely that you have been exposed to herpes in the genital region. This test can be an incredible useful tool when you are not having symptoms, but understand this test is only a guide, and should be used in conjunction with a patient’s full clinical profile. More specifically, they can be positive if a person has been exposed to type 2 orally only. When you get tested they will explain this a little more in depth.

Posted in Herpes | Tagged Blood Test For Herpes, Herpes, how to test for herpes, type I, type II, Window Period

HIV Testing New York – What to Expect

Written by Megan on October 12, 2011 — Leave a Comment

I live in Manhattan, NY and recently visited my doctor for a regular check up. When I was there he asked if I would like a test for HIV! Why would he ask? Do I have symptoms of HIV or the appearance of someone who has it? He said it’s just standard practice for doctors, but I’m not entirely sure – what do you think?

In an attempt to make HIV testing in New York more readily available and as straight-forward a process as possible, the state has made some changes to their policies. Many doctors recommend regular HIV testing on their own, but now they and other test providers are required to at least offer it to anyone between the ages of 13 and 64.

Anyone who accepts the offer is informed of all the details regarding their HIV test, including what exactly it checks for and the confidentiality of the testing. Additionally, if the test result comes back positive they are given options for counseling and treatment.

Many people are not necessarily comfortable with talking about HIV testing, so the idea of a person going into great depth about it may be nerve-racking. However, these policies are in place for the tester’s benefit. There are a lot of misconceptions regarding testing, and healthcare providers want you to be well-informed. Also, testers may find that they are being asked for personal information such as a street address, phone number, or ethnicity. This information is for the most part used for statistical purposes and will all be held confidentially.

If you have a special concern for privacy, you may consider testing options other than your doctor or health department. HIV testing in New York and other states can be done through online companies that will have you collected in a private collection center and have results available in one or two business days. The same information will be covered and the same questions will be asked, but this way you’re not talking face-to-face with someone and none of it goes on your medical record.

HIV testing in New York may seem a bit more involved than expected, but nevertheless it is always private and easy to do.

Posted in HIV and AIDS, STD Testing

Symptoms of HIV?

Written by Megan on October 3, 2011 — Leave a Comment

Q: I had unprotected sex with a girl about a month ago and have been worried that I have HIV ever since. I started feeling sick a little after it happened and everywhere I look it says I have symptoms of HIV! I am extremely nervous now and I don’t know what to do, please help.

A: First, relax… chances are that everything will be okay. We have received this exact question many times from people just like you. Hopefully we can provide some insight/peace of mind for your situation.

The symptoms of HIV include things like swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, body aches, fatigue, nausea and countless others. By no coincidence, these are also symptoms for things like the common cold, the flu, and stress. HIV is a virus that weakens the carrier’s immune system, making them more susceptible to opportunistic infections. So, when someone is experiencing symptoms of HIV they are actually experiencing the symptoms of these opportunistic infections.

We often see people who, like you, are worried about HIV, so they go online and look up the symptoms. Then when a never-ending list of generalized symptoms appear they start to stress and worry even more. Stress, like HIV (though not quite as drastically), weakens the immune system; therefore causing more symptoms to appear. Then those symptoms appear on the never-ending list and they become even more stressed. It’s not too hard to see where this is going; it’s a long and strenuous repetition of stress about symptoms, when in reality it is simply the symptoms of stress.

The best way to ease your mind is to get tested for HIV. There are a couple different HIV testing options, with the most common way being the HIV ELISA antibody test. Hence the name, this test looks for the antibodies your body produces in an attempt to fight off the virus. The only downside to this test is that antibodies can take 6-12 weeks to develop to a detectable level. If waiting 6-12 weeks for a reliable test result isn’t your thing, there is another testing option available that is conclusive after 28 days.

The HIV DNA PCR is a test that instead of detecting antibody presence looks for the pro-viral DNA of HIV. This DNA is rapidly replicated from the moment someone has become infected, and by 11-16 days after exposure estimates suggest that the number of copies would already be greater than 1 million per milliliter of whole blood. The DNA PCR only requires ten copies to result as positive.

If you are concerned about having symptoms of HIV, contact a testing counselor to discuss your risk and what testing options are available. If you get rid of the stress, you can often get rid of the symptoms.

Posted in HIV and AIDS

How to Test for HIV

Written by Megan on September 16, 2011 — Leave a Comment

Q: I know that it’s the safe and responsible thing to do, but I never exactly knew how to test for HIV. Could you elaborate/explain the process for me? Thanks!

A: Many people are confused when it comes to how to test for HIV. There are a variety of ways to do it, and each way has its pros and cons. Whether you are genuinely concerned with a particular exposure, or if you’re just trying to have a check-up done, this article can help you decide which route is best for you.
Many people know that free testing exists. They just don’t always know where to find it. This service is usually offered through the local health department. While it is free, it can also be time consuming. Most of these clinics have very limited and specific hours for which the clients need to be there. The visit often involves arriving early, waiting in a room with tons of other people who are getting tested, and then waiting to hear your results. Many times they won’t even call if the result is negative, so you’re stuck sitting on the edge of your chair until a significant enough amount of time has passed. But – it is free.
Another common way of testing is through your personal doctor. Tell them you want a test, they write the test order, you get your blood drawn and you wait for results. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple. Doctors like to ask questions, and many people are embarrassed to speak to their doctor about how to test for HIV. It can be a touchy subject, especially if you’re concerned about a recent exposure. Also, going through a doctor tends to involve insurance. Many people prefer to keep HIV and STD testing off of their insurance records, as a positive result can have some major repercussions on your insurance. This brings us to private online testing companies.
Fast, private, and local testing can often be found via an online company. The process is usually extremely easy. Many times they will have a private and general collection center in your neighborhood where they test for just about anything. There are no embarrassing questionnaires, no long lines, and no face-to-face conversation about your situation. Instead you are speaking over the telephone with a trained counselor who has no idea who you are, but wants to help you. You simply need to be registered to go in, submit a blood draw, and then wait for results. Many times results are available the next business day. These services can range in price and customer service quality, so it is best to look around before settling with one company.
Ultimately the decision is up to you on how to test for HIV. Is price or privacy more of a priority? Are you okay with speaking to a doctor about your situation? Answer these questions and then do what’s best for you – test for HIV.

Posted in HIV Testing

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Getting Married in Puerto Rico? Don’t Forget Your Blood Tests!

What Drugs Does a Hair Follicle Test Screen For?

How Far Back Can a Hair Follicle Test Detect Drug Usage?

How Do You Get HIV?

When to Test for HIV

Tests For HIV

How to Test for Herpes

HIV Testing New York – What to Expect

Symptoms of HIV?

How to Test for HIV

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