Blood Drug Testing

Do regular blood tests show if a person is HIV positive?

I was in the hospital and they took a lot of my blood and put it through the lab so I think that this means if I have HIV they would have seen it when they were testing my blood for other things(I dont know what tests they were doing but they took a lot of my blood in different tubes or whatever you call them). If you are a doctor can you help me?

Public Comments

1. No, you have to sign special papers to allow them to check you for HIV. They will never find HIV, unless they do a SPECIAL HIV test!
2. I think they do check for HIV when you are pregnant and they draw blood for tests. Also, they check for it when you donate blood. That is all I know.
3. I'm not a dr., but I can tell you, they have to be looking SPECIFICALLY for HIV. They wouldn't see it by accident. I live in PA. I know that here we have to sign a consent form to permit anyone to look for HIV. They can't force or require it, and no one can look for HIV unless they have signed permission. That said...you sound worried, as if you might have it. If so, why not get tested so you can get help? You will live a lot longer and be a lot healthier if you have medical treatment.
4. Getting lots of blood test doesnt mean that they did test for HIV . If u suspect HIV due to your associated risks of yours then ask for it and get it done. Ask the hospital where u got the tests done to check if they really did for HIV or not.
5. HIV is an acronym for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It attacks your central immune system - inevitably leaving you incapable to fight infection. The main component of your immune system is White Blood Cells. Unlike Red Blood Cells, White Blood Cells main purpose is to attack foreign germs that enter the body. What HIV does is eliminate these blood cells by capturing and masking them, leaving the victim to eventually (about 10 years later) die of a common cold just because their body couldn't fight it off. The reason I'm telling you this, is, when doctors look at blood, if they see no white blood cells, or a low count of white blood cells - the first thing they suspect is HIV. So my answer is yes, they can tell if you have HIV via a common check up. Whether or not they're allowed to bring it to your attention or not, I'm not sure.