HIV Testing: Frequently Asked Questions

This is a list of frequently asked questions about HIV testing. If you have any specific questions about getting tested for HIV with Better2Know, please contact us.

How do I know if I have HIV? What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of an early HIV infection are very similar to many other diseases, including the common cold and can include fever, headache, rash, sore throat, chest infections, and vomiting. Given these symptoms occur frequently for many other diseases, the only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested! Click here for more information on HIV Testing.

When Should I get Tested?

If you just want peace of mind and your last risky exposure was more than 3 months ago, you can have an instant HIV test, which will give you a rapid result within 60 seconds. However, if your potential exposure was within the last 3 months but at least one month ago, you should get tested with the HIV DUO test. If your potential exposure was within the last 10 days, you can have an HIV DNA test, but you should have a follow up test at 28 days.

What is an Instant Test?

Instant HIV tests give you a result within a minute. However, most of these instant HIV tests are standard antibody tests and do not detect the p24 antigen. Therefore, most instant HIV tests cannot give you a reliable result for any potential exposure that occurred less than three months before testing. The most popular Instant HIV test is called INSTI HIV. Please ask our booking team whether your preferred clinic provides Instant HIV testing.

I am really scared - Should I get the 10 day HIV test?

The 10 day HIV test can take up to 7 working days to deliver results, which means it is roughly a week faster than waiting to take the 28 day test. While some people desperately want to get results sooner, this HIV test has a higher rate of false positives (giving a positive result when in fact there is no HIV infection). If you are opting for HIV testing using the HIV PCR DNA test, you should retest at 28 days with an HIV DUO test.

How long does it take to get results?

For the 28 day and 90 day HIV tests, results are typically available either on the same day or between 1 to 2 days, depending on the clinics location. Some of our clinics can give you sameday results for the 90 day HIV test. For the 10 day test, results can take up to 7 working days, except in the case of Solihull and Knowle (Birmingham) where a 10 day HIV test can take between 10-15 days.

Are my results confidential?

Yes. The results are 100% confidential and will be known only to you and the clinic. The results will not be shared with any third parties.