Why would my husband need an HIV test?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need to stop stigmatizing HIV tests. It’s really important if you are doing a thorough work up (swollen lymph nodes), unexplained fevers, chills etc. to test as part of a work up. We also test all adults now at least once in adulthood. It’s silly to ignore that this disease exists esp when it’s so treatable now. It’s sad to see people come in with cancers or other complications of HIV when it’s so treatable now just because of the stigma of testing for it! - doctor

“WE” need to also TELL PATIENTS what tests we are ordering and give them a chance to discuss the reasons.

-PP whose GP ordered this without informing it and you bet I fired her

Why would you care?

Sometimes you have to do your due diligence. You should understand that as a doctor if a patient’s symptoms warrant you to look into a deadly but treatable disease then you have to look into it. I’d rather you fire me then to end up with cancer and a host of complications couple years later because you wanted to pretend a disease doesn’t exist. I hope you find the care you are looking for.

+1. I don’t understand why the PP is so upset that their doctor was doing a full blood work up.

[Anonymous]

Get checked for all STIs. STAT. I do every year even though I am in a monogamous relationship for 10+ years. My spouse travels and I trust them, but you need to advocate for yourself and protect yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:this sounds like a take home test, not one your doctor orders as part of your blood work. Nothing routine about this one.

This. The ones from your doctor or labcorp or the travel medicine clinic don’t come with a pamphlet and stickers.

[Anonymous]

Is it Kaiser? I have to get a Hep C test but it’s just a one time screening now recommended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need to stop stigmatizing HIV tests. It’s really important if you are doing a thorough work up (swollen lymph nodes), unexplained fevers, chills etc. to test as part of a work up. We also test all adults now at least once in adulthood. It’s silly to ignore that this disease exists esp when it’s so treatable now. It’s sad to see people come in with cancers or other complications of HIV when it’s so treatable now just because of the stigma of testing for it! - doctor

“WE” need to also TELL PATIENTS what tests we are ordering and give them a chance to discuss the reasons.

-PP whose GP ordered this without informing it and you bet I fired her

Why would you care?

Why would I care what I’m being tested for? I like to participate in my own life?

I’ve gotten blood work plenty of times and I’ve never gone line by line asking what tests they are running.

Not everyone wants to stay ignorant.

DP. Did you make sure you knew what the MCH was, or whether they were doing an absolute count on the basophils or just the percentage, when a basic CBC was done? Do you care if a transferrin is run instead of just a ferritin?

[Anonymous]

Nobody has said this clearly so I will. HIV is not a "gay" disease anymore. Our gay brothers take care of themselves. It's not stigmatized at all and there are measures that can be taken and are often discussed.

So, if this is about extramarital sex, i doubt he's with a man.

And nobody's called troll. So I will.

[Anonymous]

HIV is not a standard test. When I had to get it for immune system deficiency, I had to sign off that it was ok and I approved. There was a section on the document about privacy, etc. The nurses have to be alerted you are being tested for HIV in most labs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get checked for all STIs. STAT. I do every year even though I am in a monogamous relationship for 10+ years. My spouse travels and I trust them, but you need to advocate for yourself and protect yourself.

You don’t trust them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need to stop stigmatizing HIV tests. It’s really important if you are doing a thorough work up (swollen lymph nodes), unexplained fevers, chills etc. to test as part of a work up. We also test all adults now at least once in adulthood. It’s silly to ignore that this disease exists esp when it’s so treatable now. It’s sad to see people come in with cancers or other complications of HIV when it’s so treatable now just because of the stigma of testing for it! - doctor

“WE” need to also TELL PATIENTS what tests we are ordering and give them a chance to discuss the reasons.

-PP whose GP ordered this without informing it and you bet I fired her

Why would you care?

Sometimes you have to do your due diligence. You should understand that as a doctor if a patient’s symptoms warrant you to look into a deadly but treatable disease then you have to look into it. I’d rather you fire me then to end up with cancer and a host of complications couple years later because you wanted to pretend a disease doesn’t exist. I hope you find the care you are looking for.

+1 agree here malpractice insurance is expensive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need to stop stigmatizing HIV tests. It’s really important if you are doing a thorough work up (swollen lymph nodes), unexplained fevers, chills etc. to test as part of a work up. We also test all adults now at least once in adulthood. It’s silly to ignore that this disease exists esp when it’s so treatable now. It’s sad to see people come in with cancers or other complications of HIV when it’s so treatable now just because of the stigma of testing for it! - doctor

“WE” need to also TELL PATIENTS what tests we are ordering and give them a chance to discuss the reasons.

-PP whose GP ordered this without informing it and you bet I fired her

Why would you care?

Sometimes you have to do your due diligence. You should understand that as a doctor if a patient’s symptoms warrant you to look into a deadly but treatable disease then you have to look into it. I’d rather you fire me then to end up with cancer and a host of complications couple years later because you wanted to pretend a disease doesn’t exist. I hope you find the care you are looking for.

I hope so too. Patients deserve to know why you are ordering a test or doing anything else.

Medical errors are the third leading cause of hospital deaths. Involving patients in their own care (along with a bunch of other measures, like introducing and actually following checklists), would reduce this risk.


https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28186008/#:~:text=Recent%20studies%20of%20medical%20errors,third%20leading%20cause%20of%20death.

[Anonymous]

Np- Is he one of the people who believes that COVID vaccines cause hiv symptoms?

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for all the responses. My husband did apply for life insurance recently. I decided to Google the company “ExamOne,” and indeed it is a company that provides services to the insurance industry. I’m relieved as this sounds totally reasonable — just odd that DH never mentioned this test. But he did leave the pamphlet lying around so it’s not like he was hiding it from me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was tested for hiv by my ob when I was pregnant. I was 36 and had never been tested. It was negative, as expected. Not all men are cheaters and fewer are high risk cheaters. Perhaps op's dh has a good explanation.

I'm willing to bet he's not pregnant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HIV is not a standard test. When I had to get it for immune system deficiency, I had to sign off that it was ok and I approved. There was a section on the document about privacy, etc. The nurses have to be alerted you are being tested for HIV in most labs.

Depends on the state. In my state, we can override this if it is for medical necessity. Sometimes patients have such stigma against HIV but the alarm bells are going off and we have to make a judgement call to test for it. Or we have a patient come in with acute leukemia and we have to check before doing emergency treatment. For routine HIV screening with no risk factors we have to ask. I do think we shouldn’t have to ask and normalize it as part of a routine work up. sometimes it takes years for HIV to rear its ugly head. I’d rather us catch it early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody has said this clearly so I will. HIV is not a "gay" disease anymore. Our gay brothers take care of themselves. It's not stigmatized at all and there are measures that can be taken and are often discussed.

So, if this is about extramarital sex, i doubt he's with a man.

And nobody's called troll. So I will.

That's actually not accurate. HIV is much more prevalent among gay men. There are biological, phyical reasons for this, though stigmatization remains a contributing factor. But yes, HIV still is largely a "gay" disease, as you say.