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Some gay and bisexual men who have previously decided not to test are now reconsidering their decision. This may be because there have been major advances in HIV treatments.
New drugs have greatly increased the quality of life and life expectancy of many people with HIV. Some men who thought they might be positive but decided they would rather not know are now going for HIV tests because, if they do turn out to be positive, they want to access these treatments.
There are other reasons why men might choose to go for a test a long time after they were at risk of catching HIV. Some men choose to delay testing until there is enough support and stability in their life for them to cope with the possibility of getting a positive result. Other men choose to go for a test because of significant changes in their life, for example, when starting a new relationship. Finally, men may choose to go for test because they have been experiencing illnesses which could be HIV related.
Although testing a long time after you may have caught HIV can reduce the effectiveness of anti-HIV medications, these treatments could still help you recover from the damage HIV may have done to your immune system. No-one at the clinic will judge you for going for a test a long time after you may have caught HIV - there are still likely to be significant benefits to knowing your status.
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