HIV Symptoms

How do you know if you have HIV?

The only way to know for sure is to get tested for HIV, but there are several HIV symptoms that may be a good indicator that you have become infected.

HIV symptoms may not be apparent for years after the infection occurs, which is why HIV testing is the only sure way to know if you are HIV-positive. If you've had unprotected sex or shared a needle with someone and have not been tested for HIV, now is the time to test yourself and find out for sure.

Symptoms of HIV:
HIV infection progresses in stages, which are based on your HIV symptoms and the amount of the virus found in your blood. The initial stage is called the incubation period - the time between original infection and when early HIV symptoms develop. These early HIV symptoms can take a few days to several weeks to develop, but they include mild to severe flu-like symptoms such as:

Diarrhea
Fever
Headache
Muscle aches and joint pain
Skin rash

Sore throat
Weight loss
Enlarged lymph nodes in the nec, armpits and groin
Abdominal cramps, nausea, or vomiting

The next stage, which is the established stage, may come after years without any sign of illness following the initial infection with HIV. Once HIV symptoms come back, they may be vague and hard to pinpoint. If flu-like symptoms persist for extended periods without an identifiable cause, a health professional might suspect HIV. These possible HIV symptoms include:

Confusion
Dry cough
Constant fatigue
Fever
Loss of appetite
Mouth sores
Nail changes
Night sweats
Diarrhea or other bowel changes
Difficulty concentrating

Changes in personality
Swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpits and groin
Pain when swallowing
Recurrent outbreaks of herpes simplex
Shortness of breath
Tingling, numbness and weakness in the limbs
Unexplained weight loss
Yeast infection in the mouth

The late stage (often called the last stage) of HIV symptoms and HIV infection is when the disease has progressed to AIDS. Symptoms of AIDS include fatigue, weight loss, diarrhea, fever, night sweats, and thrush (mouth infection). When someone has AIDS, it is easy to develop many infections or illnesses, such as pneumonia or cancer, because of a weakened immune system.

Those who do not treat their HIV symptoms or infections may develop AIDS within 12 to 13 years after they are initially infected, although a small percentage of people have developed AIDS within 3 years of becoming infected with HIV. Treatment of HIV may delay or even prevent AIDS, which is why it is so important to find out as early as possible if one has become infected.

One Way to Know

Think you might be having early HIV symptoms?

Order Your HIV Test Kit today, and be sure about your health. The only way to know for sure if you've been infected with HIV is to take an HIV blood test. The Home HIV Test Kit is completely confidential and extremely accurate. The test kit arrives in a discreet package, and you can get accurate results back in just three days.

Since HIV tests actually test for the presence of certain antibodies produced specifically to fight HIV, the test should take place approximately three months after the possible exposure. Another test after six months is also recommended, as it rarely takes longer than six months for the antibodies to be present.

An HIV infection can lead to AIDS, so the best thing to do in the event of an HIV infection is to first know you have HIV, and second, to receive early treatment to combat the HIV infection.

Take the first step and know your status. Are you HIV-positive? Order your Home Access Home HIV Test Kit and test yourself.

For more information about HIV and AIDS, visit www.unaids.org.