Personal story: Bandile

I had convinced myself I had HIV, but my tests came back negative!

Photo credit: ©iStock/andipantz. Photos are used for illustrative purposes. They do not imply health status or behaviour.

Man in pink hoodie — Photo credit: ©iStock/andipantz. Photos are used for illustrative purposes. They do not imply health status or behaviour.

"Hello, my name is Bandile. I was really scared to get tested, so I kept putting it off, but deep in my heart I knew I had to do it eventually. I was tired all the time and getting a lot of rashes and I just couldn’t stop thinking about HIV. After a year went by, I said: ‘You know what I'm going to go and get tested’, better safe than sorry.

Waiting for my results, I kept crying and walking around. I couldn’t sit down until I got my test results back. I had convinced myself I had HIV, but my tests came back negative! I was so happy, I started to praise God.

I want everyone to know that they don't have to go through these worries, just wrap it up and if the other person doesn’t want to play it safe then just tell them ‘Sorry no sex’. This will be my last time having sex without a condom because I was so scared. If you are out there and having sex, please be smart."

What we say

It’s easy to convince yourself that you have HIV, without ever having tested. Taking a test will let you put these worries to rest, and you can go back to living your life whether you’re positive or negative. Either way, facing the fear and taking a test is often the first step in getting your life back. See our page to learn more about HIV testing.

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These personal stories have been submitted to us anonymously by individuals who use our site. Some of the stories have been edited for clarity purposes and names have been changed to protect identities.