Fast, confidential HIV testing in London

You might need PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) – emergency HIV medication that can greatly reduce the chance of infection if started quickly. It’s time-critical: it works best as soon as possible and must be started within 72 hours of the contact.

What to do now:

• If the contact was within the last 3 days, go straight to an NHS sexual health clinic or A&E and tell them you’re worried about HIV and PEP.
• Don’t wait for a routine appointment – this is an emergency treatment window.
• Once the urgent bit is sorted, you can book an HIV test with us later.

At this stage it’s too late for PEP, but still a bit early for a standard HIV test to be fully conclusive. If you’re finding the wait unbearable, an HIV-1 RNA “early detect” test can often pick up infection sooner.

An HIV-1 RNA test looks directly for the virus in the blood and can usually start to detect HIV from around 10 days after exposure. A positive result will be followed up with standard tests and a clear treatment plan. A negative result at this point is reassuring, but it does not replace a standard 4th generation HIV test.
What to do now:

• If you are 10–27 days from the contact and very anxious, consider booking an HIV-1 RNA early detect test for earlier information.
• Whatever the result, you should still have a 4th generation HIV-1 & 2 / p24 antigen test at 45 days or later after the contact for a definitive answer.
• If you’re already close to 4 weeks or more, your clinician may suggest going straight to a standard 4th generation test instead of an RNA test, and planning your 45-day confirmatory test.

If you’re unsure which route is right for you, book an appointment and a clinician can talk through your risk, your timing and the best testing plan.

This is the right time to think about a standard 4th generation HIV-1 & 2 / p24 antigen blood test. At this stage, many infections will already show, but the test is only considered fully conclusive from 45 days after the contact.

If you’re very anxious, you can have a 4th generation test from 28 days. A negative result then is very reassuring, but you should still repeat the test at 45 days or later for a definitive answer – especially after higher-risk contact or if you’ve had any other possible exposures since.

What to do now:

• If you are 28–44 days from the contact and struggling with worry, you can:
  • Book a 4th generation HIV-1 & 2 / p24 antigen test now, and
  • Plan a repeat test at 45 days or later for a conclusive result.
• If it’s already been 45 days or more and there have been no further risks:
  • Book a 4th generation HIV test now – a negative result at this point is generally considered highly reliable.
• If you’ve had several possible exposures over time, a clinician can help you work out the most sensible timing and whether you need more than one test.

If you’re unsure which option fits your situation best, book an appointment and we’ll go through what happened, your level of risk and the most reliable testing plan for you.

Short answer: you cannot rely on symptoms alone. Some people with HIV feel completely well for years, others get very general symptoms that look like lots of other common illnesses. The only way to know is to have an HIV test at the right time after any possible risk.

Plenty of people with HIV:

• Feel completely normal
• Have no specific “HIV symptoms”
• Only find out through routine or precautionary testing

So feeling well doesn’t rule HIV out – and feeling tired or run down doesn’t automatically mean you have HIV either.

A few weeks after infection, some people get a short illness (often called a “seroconversion illness”). Typical symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Sore throat
• Rash
• Swollen glands
• Headache, muscle aches, feeling generally unwell

The problem is these are nonspecific. Colds, flu, COVID and many other viruses can cause exactly the same thing. You can’t tell from symptoms alone.

If you’ve had these kinds of symptoms and a possible HIV risk (for example, sex without a condom or a condom failure), it’s sensible to look at the timing and book a test.

Without treatment, HIV can eventually damage the immune system and cause more serious infections and weight loss. In the UK, with testing and modern treatment available, we want to pick HIV up long before that.

If you wait for “typical HIV symptoms”, you’re waiting too long.

Base your decision on risk + timing, not symptoms:

• If you’ve had a possible exposure (for example, unprotected sex with a new partner), check our section on when to test and choose the right time for a 4th generation HIV test.
• If you’re unsure how risky something was, book an appointment – a clinician can go through what happened and recommend the most appropriate test and timing.

• If you’re unwell after a possible HIV exposure, we can assess you, look at the timing and arrange the right tests – for HIV and for other possible causes.
• If you feel very unwell (for example, severe shortness of breath, chest pain, confusion or can’t keep fluids down), seek urgent medical help via NHS 111, an urgent care centre or A&E.

Bottom line:
Symptoms on their own cannot confirm or rule out HIV. If you’ve had a possible risk and you’re worrying about it, the most helpful next step is to book an HIV test and get a clear answer.

Some HIV questions can’t wait. If you’ve had a recent risk or you’re worried about ongoing risk, this is how PEP, PrEP and urgent help fit together.

PEP (Post-Exposure Prophylaxis) is emergency HIV medication taken for 28 days to reduce the chance of infection after a high-risk exposure.

• It must be started within 72 hours of the contact – the sooner the better.
• It’s usually given by NHS sexual health clinics or A&E, not routine GP appointments.
• You’ll be assessed on what happened, when, and who was involved to decide if PEP is appropriate.

If your possible exposure was in the last 72 hours:

• Do not wait for a standard DocTap appointment.
• Go straight to an NHS sexual health clinic or A&E and tell them you’re worried about HIV and think you may need PEP.
• You can still book follow-up HIV testing with DocTap later to confirm your status.

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is HIV medication taken before and around times of risk to reduce the chance of becoming infected.

• It’s designed for people at ongoing higher risk, for example some men who have sex with men, people with HIV-positive partners, or those with frequent condomless sex.
• When taken correctly, PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV.
• You still need regular HIV tests and STI screens, plus occasional blood tests to monitor your health.

If you think you might benefit from PrEP:

• You can discuss it with a sexual health clinic or specialist PrEP service.
• DocTap can help with HIV testing and STI screening alongside any PrEP care you receive.

Seek urgent help (NHS 111, sexual health clinic or A&E) if:

• A possible HIV exposure was within the last 72 hours (you may need PEP), or
• You feel very unwell after a recent high-risk exposure – for example, high fever, severe headache, rash and feeling generally very ill, or any symptoms that worry you.

DocTap is here to:

• Provide confidential HIV testing at the right time after any exposure
• Help you understand your personal level of risk
• Arrange appropriate follow-up tests and referral into NHS specialist services if needed

If you’re unsure whether you need PEP, PrEP, or just a well-timed HIV test, book an appointment and we’ll talk through what happened and the safest next step for you.