So along with my 3 month AIM (
adult industry medical) test, I found out about this little ditty:
http://www.homeaccess.com (
which is the ONLY FDA APPROVED at home HIV test kit)
and I just tried one of those out as well...
the clean AIM test I needed for my upcoming time out in LA... but for my own personal desire to double check I snagged a home access kit...
this thing was nice, easy and most of all anonymous... (is it really? read more heh)
anyway, I ordered a kit and got it in about 2 days from home access directly...
the use of the kit was easy and totally painless as you just get a packet full of 2 capped pinsticks, swabs, gauze, band aid and a mini packet with a target on it...
it's an interesting system, but its easy and anyone can pretty much figure it out :p...
you take the pinstick which is in a rectangular tube, you stick your fingertip over it and put a bit of pressure on it... the pin sticks out and then you bleed drops at a time...
as you bleed little bitty drops, you use these drops to fill in a circular target on some sort of tissue paper type thing... (and yes you can color outside the lines... IN BLOOD hhahaha...)
let it air dry, seal it up and send it back with the pre-marked envelope to the test spot...
so as easy as that is, whats the confidentiality?
well the test kids come with an 11 digit pin, you write the # down on the card you send in, and you keep the copy of the pin that you have as well... and you just call an 800 # for an automated message (also the results are read to you via automated service as well)...
so basically the service itself is pretty secure and anonymous...
now what about me who has a bit of paranoia about everything?
this package can be store bought from cvs, walgreens, etc... however good luck in finding it there as stores within 60 miles of me didn't have it in calling it seems, or else i was asking for the wrong thing heh... but if you buy it from a store, the face to face checkout might be a bit embarassing so buying it realtime might be a bit much...
but what about ordering it?
although the results ARE anonymous... whoever orders it from somewhere has their name, billing info, etc on file... so thats really not so anonymous is it? then again you could be ordering it for someone else right?
fingerprints/dna match....
well even if the most sceptical types wear gloves to hide all fingerprints within the packaging, testing and sending... your DNA is still within this blood splot you just sent in... dried or not, its still readable by modern technology...
now ALTHOUGH, as I seriously doubt a fingerprint/DNA match by anyone sending results in... I would still recommend this kit for ANYONE that is kinda freaked out in finding out if the have HIV and too freaked out to go to a clinic or tell anyone that they would be hesitant in being infected...
now I know I have been a bit "risky" in my past with people i've "encountered" as it were... but as I test regularly and have cleaned up my act by 100% (although my blogs might not sound it heh) its still f'n scary to wait those 3-4 days to see what the results are...
and thankfully, the care center at home access is there to also help in either case of positive or negative results... and also provide you with paperwork etc...
however if you are negative and you need the paperwork saying you are, then this wont help you as it is anonymous so you would need to do another test otherwise... but this would be a good starter if you're freaked out by other methods and would want to get tested this way first...
anyway, thats enough PSA out of me about HIV, DNA and AEIOU heh...
mmm coloring outside the lines in blood...
