Doctors and HIV

[that_dude]

Hey I was wondering if doctors do HIV testing without asking. But if they took a blood sample from you for other testing and they found somthin arent they suppose to tell you if somthing is wrong?

 

[mindseye]

Originally posted by that_dude@Apr 19 2005, 03:53 AM
Hey I was wondering if doctors do HIV testing without asking. But if they took a blood sample from you for other testing and they found somthin arent they suppose to tell you if somthing is wrong?

[post=301986]Quoted post[/post]​

Under most conditions, doctors can't just 'do things' without obtaining informed consent. (Emergencies are a big exception, of course.)

If you want to find out your HIV status, get tested. If you're feeling any kind of stigma about approaching a doctor, even anonymously, for testing, let me recommend getting tested at home. Home Access makes an FDA-approved blood collection kit that allows you to get tested in the privacy of your home. It's not cheap ($44) to purchase the kit, but it's a small price to pay for peace of mind.

I've tried the Home Access kit before and it's easy to use. I'll be glad to answer questions if you have any.

 

[Dr Rock]

they can test for HIV with any blood sample if it's requested, but I don't think it's a standard procedure - while any viral load or potential viral load in the bloodstream will show up on certain spread tests, you would then need a series of specific tests to establish whether the virus is HIV or something else.

I have HIV tests every 4-6 weeks, and I've quite often had blood tests for other purposes done at the same time for convenience, so if they were gonna test for HIV anyway I doubt they'd bother taking a blood sample for it specifically. there are thousands and thousands of pathogens and function indicators that you can test blood for, but you can't run all those tests on every blood sample that goes through your lab, or the patient would be waiting 20 years for the results

 

[dickbulge]

Originally posted by that_dude@Apr 19 2005, 01:53 AM
Hey I was wondering if doctors do HIV testing without asking. But if they took a blood sample from you for other testing and they found somthin arent they suppose to tell you if somthing is wrong?

[post=301986]Quoted post[/post]​

I don't know where you are but most cities have AIDS support groups that do testing with results in 20 minutes. In Salt Lake City, a couple of groups get together to offer testing any evening of the week.They usually ask for a nominal donation and anonomy is assured. Public health clinics in many American cities offer free testing occasionally with no names asked. Look in the phone book or the local gay rag for info. Do get tested if you are sexually active, gay or straight.

When I get physicals for work I sign so many releases I don't know if I'm agreeing to AIDS test or not. Not really relevent.

I don't think AIDS testing is done routinely but it would be negligent not to inform a patient if it's positive, I really don't know. When I first told my doctor I was gay, and it is important he knows BTW, he said' "We're doing a Western Blot (is that the right name?) for HIV". Not exactly a request but that's what doctors are like.....

 

[jonb]

Yeah, the only time they'll test for HIV without your consent is if you donate blood. They also test for antigens without your consent.

 

[chris88]

Originally posted by jonb@Apr 20 2005, 05:23 AM
Yeah, the only time they'll test for HIV without your consent is if you donate blood. They also test for antigens without your consent.

[post=302397]Quoted post[/post]​

Actually, they test with your consent.

 

[jonb]

Yeah, I guess it's kinda implied by the fact that YOU'RE GIVING BLOOD.

 

[Pappy]

It's actually in the small print on the forms that you sign when giving blood.