How does someone figure out that she/he has AIDS?

I'm writing a story. Do ppl figure it out from monthly doctor appointment checkups or do tests? How do they figure it out?

could be that they had sex with someone that they found out now has it. or maybe they donated blood and found out. or a dr. appointment. or they started to become ill.

Different people find their infection in different ways. I found out when I was in the hospital suffering with PCP (a pneumonia common to AIDS patients). I had been sick for a couple of months with what I thought was bronchitis. When several trips to the doctor and several rounds of antibiotics didn't get rid of my bronchitis, my doctor suggested an HIV test. Unfortunately this is how many people find out. In the state where I live, almost 50% of people who were diagnosed with an HIV infection were also diagnosed with aids at the time the virus was discovered or within six months.

The very best way to find out would be through regular testing at the doctor's office during a regular checkup. Unfortunately there is no requirement for doctor's to do HIV testing in routine checkups so the infection may go undetected until in advanced stages.

a blood test, rapid test is the only way to find out if you have HIV, the doctors look to see if your body is producing the antibody. Typically you have to wait 3 months after exposure for an accurate result. I would go to the cdc website, about recommendations for testing. I know plannedparenthood can give you a rapid test and you find out that day.

They take an HIV/AIDS test given at a clinic or doctors office. They can get a check up whenever they want at the clinic but have to schedule it with their doctor. You do not have to go that often.

The only way to be sure is to have a HIV test. People can be infected, but if they don't test they will not know. People who are HIV+ and do test can go 10-12 years before there are any major symptoms.

You can ask those hiv people on pozcupid .com

A blood test or saliva test. These are the only two ways. Also, they are being tested for HIV, not AIDS.