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The HIV Test

If you think you’ve been at risk for HIV (see Risk Levels), it’s a good idea to get tested.

Why should I get tested?
HIV is not like the flu or a cold; often people go for years without feeling any symptoms. Taking an HIV test is the only way to know whether you’re infected or not.

If the test comes back negative, you can let go of some anxiety. If the test comes back positive, you can start looking into treatment and support resources while you feel healthy. There are many ways to manage your health, including nutrition, exercise, and alternative therapies. Medications significantly slow down HIV’s effects on the body and have significantly extended people’s lives.

When can I get tested?
After a high risk activity (the condom broke, you shared needles, you got caught up in the heat of the moment and forget your barrier) many people want to know their HIV results ASAP.

The problem is, the test looks for the body’s response to HIV. Once the virus has been transmitted, it reproduces in the bloodstream, and the immune system tries to fight it by creating antibodies. Unfortunately, these don’t work against HIV, but they can be used to detect it.

It takes at least three months for test results to be 98% reliable, and this moves up to 100% after six months.

What happens when you take a test?
A nurse or doctor will talk to you and then draw a small sample of your blood to send to the lab. It will be analyzed for HIV antibodies using two different tests, each of which is done twice.

You need to make an appointment one to three weeks later to get your results. They are not given over the phone because in the case of a positive test, the doctor can provide information about the different services available.

Many people find the waiting period difficult. It can help to talk to a trusted friend or visit an AIDS Service Organization for more information and support.

Where can I get tested?
You can get tested for free by your family doctor, at a clinic, or at a CLSC.

A confidential test and its results are included in your medical file. Only medical professionals are allowed to see it unless you give written permission. You do need to show it when you apply for insurance.

An anonymous test and its results are never included in your medical file. In Montreal, anonymous testing is available at the CLSC Metro and CLSC des Faubourgs.

Rapid Testing
Rapid testing gives results in about an hour, instead of waiting weeks. They can be expensive, and Health Canada no longer recommends these tests because they’ve produced false positive and false negative results. As well, it does not affect the window period of three to six months you need to wait for your test results to be accurate.