Please Help Diabetes Type 1, Low White Blood Cell HIV?

[Soren]

Ok so a family member of mine recently went to the hospital after losing 20kg in about a month and a half. He was extremely fatigued, thirsty all the time and urinating a lot. He had a blood sugar of 495 and was extremely dehydrated. They promptly diagnosed him with diabetes type 1 and began him on insulin. His blood sugar has started to stabilise and he feels a lot better. Unfortunately this has all happened while we are on vacation and it has not been the best quality hospital in the world. They've forgotten to give him insulin, given him insulin at the wrong time, forgetting that it was supposed to be taken out of the fridge to warm up before hand and the food they have given him has been the worst possible stuff to get his blood sugar down. About 1800 calories a day of bland crap as well as a bunch of starch.

They gave him a full blood work which he just got the results for and have told him his white blood cell count is very low and that they gave him a test for HIV and it came back positive. He has told us categorically that he has not ever used intravenous drugs nor had any unsafe sex etc (he is not gay) with anyone, he has taken other recreational drugs in the past but in no way is a heavy or habitual user. He never gets sick with cold or flu and has not experienced any cold or flu symptoms in years. They have said they need to send off his blood for confirmation but that will take two weeks. He does not know what kind of test they gave him but given the fact we are in Europe I would imagine it is similar to tests in the US. From what I have read initially the ELSA test is notoriously inaccurate and that many other diseases can cause a low white cell count and be mistaken for HIV.

He has for many years had a very poor diet full of PUFA and junk, excessive drinking and poor sleeping habits, which I think caused the low white blood cell count. I'm sure that he has high cortisol and estrogen as a result of this. Outside of that though his life is relatively stress free, no intense job or ridiculous hours.

He doesn't think the test can possibly be correct but understandably a bit shaken (as am I). Would very much appreciate some guidance in this regard as this is a subject I am not very well versed in.

What else could cause a low white blood cell count?

How common are false positives for HIV testing?

Could the rapid weight loss/diabetes/current treatment cause the low white blood cells?

What is the typical firs test done for HIV?

Many thanks.

 

[Soren]

The research I've done today on this subject has been eye-opening to say the least. The level of fraudulence with regards to HIV testing is shocking. The claim for accuracy is completely bogus and misleading. The anti-bodies that they test for can be elevated by over 70 documented diseases and issues. It is so bad that they have stopped using the rapid testing in Africa because there are so many other diseases that can elevate the same anti-bodies. Also the standards for testing are not established in any way. The standard for anti bodies numbers varies country to country. The claim that the test makers push of 97% or 98% accuracy is completely bogus. I'll post more in this regard as I find it but here is my current theory:

His immune system is in a horrible state due to chronically elevated stress levels caused by many years of eating lots of pufa and other junk as well as alcohol. The doctors claim that diabetes type 1 is an auto immune disease and so it would be logical to assume that his anti bodies would be very high and that is what has resulted in the positive hiv antibodies test. All they have measured for are anti bodies which are NOT HIV specific they have a BROAD array of diseases which they can be raised in. Lupus, influenza, alcoholism and many many more. Even pregnancy can cause a false positive.

He has told us he is categorically not in a high risk group for it. I've also read that the test manufactores now admit that positive tests in a low risk population are likely to be false. They also state that the test is not a confirmation and a second test is required and that most don't get second test and just go straight onto the anti virals that wreck the body

I've found many people where this was the case.

 

[mangoes]

False positives are entirely possible. What country is he in? In the UK as soon as an ELISA antibody test is done and shows a positive result, the blood is tested in a lab to confirm 100% with a western blot.

Just because he isn't gay doesn't mean he isn't at risk. I'm pretty sure the amount of cases of vaginal transmission is higher than anal, although anal has a higher chance of acquisition through just one exposure. (I think if memory serves.) That's not to say that men and women never partake in anal though. The income status of the country effects risk also. Fellatio also carries a much smaller risk, but still a risk.

If he hasn't had any sex whatsoever, then yeah I don't really see how he could have acquired it, as you said he doesn't use intravenous drugs, but if he has had sex, particularly unprotected, then yeah he's at risk, likely low if protected and vaginal, but low risk doesn't equal immunity.

It must be a scary time for both you and particularly him, he should get a 100% confirmation before freaking out as he might be negative, but even if he isn't, HIV isn't a death sentence.

 

[Soren]

Not in the uk, in southern Europe on a small island in a small hospital. No lab here to speak of. It was basically the same anti-body test twice. Western blot is also not accurate from what I have read as those anti-bodies also are elevated in a number of other conditions. I'll ask him if he has had any kind of sex but I think he has been celibate for basically the past 4 or 5 years. He basically has no libido (which I think is down to chronic pufa and high estrogen).

 

[mangoes]

Oh I was under the impression that Western blot was 100% because it tests HIV specific proteins. I'm not sure though. There's another test you can do, but only in a window period, a few weeks after exposure.

If he's celibate then yeah it must be a false positive.

I remember reading on here before a bit about HIV and the conspiracy of it all, and I think Ray has some similar thoughts on it, so maybe a forum search will be helpful to you. My knowledge of HIV goes as far as mainstream knowledge.

 

[Soren]

Yea I've read the stuff on the forum as well as Ray's thoughts. The western blog test is more accurate but it is not without its flaws as it is just another anti body test for anti bodies that are not HIV exclusive.

We've already been told by a very renowned doctor that he is very doubtful that he has HIV. He said that unless he is in a high risk category there is virtually no risk that he would get it. He said that they should not have even done the test. They would have seen an immune panel all over the place due to the diabetes. He said given his symptoms he shouldn't have even been tested. The hospital and doctors really were a joke.

 

[Soren]

Still we'll wait and see what the results are and I am blown away by how unreliable the testing is at this stage.

 

[mangoes]

Oh wow that's insane! I always thought it was 100%.

It must be really really traumatic to receive a positive HIV test, so that's pretty effed up

 

[Soren]

Oh wow that's insane! I always thought it was 100%.

It must be really really traumatic to receive a positive HIV test, so that's pretty effed up

Its unbelievable. I've been reading more and more and it is truly shocking. Many cases of hospitals being sued for misdiagnosis etc. There is NO universal standard for testing. Europe has a different standard to America, to Austrailia, to Africa and many more. You could be diagnosed as positive in one country and negative in another. Doctors take into account your "risk factors" when giving a diagnosis of the ELSA and western blot. If for example you get an "intermediate" reading but are in a low risk category you could be told you're negative but if you're in a high risk category and you get the same reading you could be told you're positive. You can send the same blood samples to different labs and get different results. It is unbelievable. There are some real horror stories out there.

 

[Soren]

Test came back negative. Doctor said it was an outrage that they even gave him the initial test when he was not in a risk category and did not ask for it.