[Hiv Support Group] Living A Life Being Hiv+ & Living With Someone Who Is Hiv+ (Compiled)

[azuchan]

Here's a good website for all the general questions.

http://www.thebody.com/

For more specific ones, I think the best is to ask AfA or a doctor

You might want to refer to www.aidsmap.com to complement thebody.com

[sum1outhere_03]

I thought of sharing this with you guys:

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/stacylambe/14-intimate-portraits-of-people-living-with-hiv-an

[Poz+32]

it has been 8 months for me since i was diagnosed, well initially will be a rough ride. After a while just had to accept the fact that raw=hiv, and move on, most importantly taking good care of health and check ur cd4 regularly..... I may have the virus, but on the outside , i just look fine. and many others r doing fine too as long as they manage the virus..... Btwn is there any pos top to be friend with? can msg me to my inbox, thanx =)

[Guest what-i-do]

Are we able to share the same food with someone HIV positive? Like having meal together at the same table.

 

Yes, you can. From my understanding from readings done so far, this is not an issue.

 

If it does not involve direct contact of bodily fluids, then it's perfectly alright.

E.g. direct blood transfusion, semen to blood in the anus, etc. The virus is actually very fragile and will die almost instantly when exposed to air. So sharing food, sharing toilets, etc., are not modes of transmission.

 

For hygiene purposes, when having meals at home with family or friends, every dish has a serving spoon. My +ve friend is thus able to comfortably share a meal together without any inhibitions or fear of passing the virus.

[Guest 1989]

It has been almost 2 years since I was diagnosed with HIV & I can say, I am in good health. Just need to take the medicine regularly and keep up with ways to boost your immune system. Viral load has been undetectable (which is a good thing) & 2mr will be my last appointment for the year.

My body may have the virus but my spirit is still fighting & living. To all those who are positive, head's up, chin up & live your life positively. (No pun intended. Hehe!)

[Iampositive]

I am looking for a long term rs, prefer guys who are positive as I am also HIV+, pm me if u are interested to know me

[sum1outhere_03]

I think this should also be useful in terms of eating and health:

 

http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/y4168e/y4168e00.htm#TopOfPage

[Guest lostlost]

Hi guys..

I have been diagnosed with HIV 2years ago.

No medication was taken throughout and recently I have been feeling extremely fatigue and i m so scare that it is  turning into aids.

The thoughts of dying is terrifying..

I am so lost I dk what to do now. The price of medication, the price of going for medical checkups they are all so expensive and I can't afford them..

I am really on the verge of giving up. 

Can I survive long enough? What should I start doing now? Where should I go first? 

How much are the checkups and medications? 

I am so lost..

 

Somebody help me pls?

 

[Guest Raiden Alpha]

Contact AFA or all the gay help groups/organisation here.

Help him you all.

[journey]

Hi lost,

Pls speak to brian from oogachaga.

His id is briax but u need to be a bw member first though.

U can also go to afa website to get more info.

Good luck.

[Firday]

yes...AFA is your top urgent task bcz they are people able to guide u.

[IkuTube]

Do browse our Helpline For Troubled Minds.

Do take care and hopefully you'll find some peace of mind and the help needed. My prayers to you.

[darkflame]

Why didn't you seek medical help when you were first diagnosed with HIV?

 

I hope you will be able to get treatment quickly.

[Guest Raiden Alpha]

Is medical cost for HIV or AIDS really that out of reach for people in Singapore ?

To be deny of treatment because of this reason is very sad indeed.

Ministry of Health should review their panel laws/guideline to help people in need.

Don't marginalise people.

[Bern]

Hi,

 

If you have HIV and do not take any HIV treatment, the HIV virus will eventually weaken your immune system to the stage we call AIDS. When you were diagnosed, you would have been consulted to undergo regular checkups and CD4 testing for treatment consideration.

 

Please do not rely solely on the information given here, what you need now is professional medical advice and counselling on treatment and cost. AFA can provide you with very good advice on both. Don't wait any longer before contacting them. HIV is no longer a death sentence, with proper treatment.

 

Stay strong.

 

---

 

HIV HELP

Action for AIDS Helpline

Tel : (65) 6254 0212

Fax :(65) 6256 5903

Email : info@afa.org.sg

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri: 10am – 5.30pm

 

Address:

Action for AIDS, Singapore

Mailing Address:

9 Kelantan Lane #03-01

Singapore 208628

 

or

 

c/o DSC Clinic:

31 Kelantan Lane #02-16

Singapore 200031

[Guest Guest]

have you considered checking your thyroids also?

 

HIV usually does not develop into AIDS that quickly, although there is a certain group of people for which the condition does develop that quickly. The odds are however that you probably arent the minority so you should be looking at other things as mentioned.

 

[Guest insured]

If you have bought life insurance before being diagnosed hiv+, insurance company will honour full payment upon any death even if due to hiv related death.

[MenBtySpa]

Hi guys..

I have been diagnosed with HIV 2years ago.

No medication was taken throughout and recently I have been feeling extremely fatigue and i m so scare that it is  turning into aids.

The thoughts of dying is terrifying..

I am so lost I dk what to do now. The price of medication, the price of going for medical checkups they are all so expensive and I can't afford them..

I am really on the verge of giving up. 

Can I survive long enough? What should I start doing now? Where should I go first? 

How much are the checkups and medications? 

I am so lost..

 

Somebody help me pls?

 

Hi There

 

So sorry to hear about your status...... 1st, go to your doctor for your regular CD4 and VL count check... If you need to start your medication, I bet your doctor will give you the best advise and the lower cost rate of medication that is effective and under your budget..

 

If you medication has generic form, you can also contact AFA for detail where to get them... They will give you a few numbers to contact, and you can ask for their rates for your medications.. choose the best rates that suit you budget.... all of them are very friendly and understandable...

 

Another way is to get your medication from BKK.. AFA might also give the details where to buy your medication from BKK..

 

Don't worried too much, best is not to stressed up yourself cos it does not do you any good... Always keep and open mind and happy heart... Taking HIV medications regularly will make you longer and 15 to 20 years or maybe even all

 

All the best to you my dear friend...

 

Stay Claim and Be Happy

[lifeart]

Jiayou!

[Enelym1978]

DOn't give up, go seek help as suggested above and do something about it.
it's your life that's at stake here. As you can read here and there, being positive is not a death sentence anymore if taken care of and followed up correctly. If meds and follow ups are too expensive in Singapore, go to JB. I believe AfA has some contacts everywhere, from Thailand to Malaysia for cheaper treatment options.

 

I've been to AfA for anonymous testing and they are super helpful at explaining you what to do if are positive and all. The ang moh lady there was very calming. It's always stressful to get tested so I can imagine what it is like to be tested positive.

[Hotspunk]

Hi Lostlost,

 

Please don't be worried. Everyone is here to help you and has given you good advice in this post.

 

What you are going through now, I've been through all this before and much more

You are at 2 years since diagnosis. I was at 6 years before starting treatment. Everyone's body is different.

Best is to see a doctor first. Get your blood tests done.

 

At a subsidized rate for Singaporeans, it'll cost about $200+ for doc's consult, full blood count, CD4 and viral load baseline management.

I can recommend you to a doctor friend at one of our local government hospitals.

 

 

As for the costs of medication, yes you could go to Malaysia or Thailand to buy your meds, but the costs of airfare and accommodation will set u back a couple of hundred bucks. Friends of mine go to Thai Red Cross and buy 6 months meds, as that is the max TRC will sell to you per visit.

These generic medication are actually available in Singapore and have been for the past few years.

There are local suppliers out there and cost of medication is more affordable now.

 

So chin up, its not the end of the world. We are here to stay!

Just PM me and we can communicate further.

 

 

Hotspunk.

[sum1outhere_03]

Hi guys..

I have been diagnosed with HIV 2years ago.

No medication was taken throughout and recently I have been feeling extremely fatigue and i m so scare that it is  turning into aids.

The thoughts of dying is terrifying..

I am so lost I dk what to do now. The price of medication, the price of going for medical checkups they are all so expensive and I can't afford them..

I am really on the verge of giving up. 

Can I survive long enough? What should I start doing now? Where should I go first? 

How much are the checkups and medications? 

I am so lost..

 

Somebody help me pls?

 

lostlost,

 

I'm sorry to hear about your diagnosis.

For HIV to turn to AIDS, it'll take about 8-10 years.

 

HIV/AIDs may be incurable but it is a treatable disease.

 

For the medication wise, you may really want to get professional help from  AFA or hospitals. They will be able to assist you in what you should do.

For what I know, treatment will only start when your CD4 count is less than 350 or 200, depending on what the doctor suggests.

 

For food wise, like others said, get to eat food that will boost your immune system, like broccoli and foods that's rich in Vitamin A.

 

Don't take alcohol, quit smoking if  you do.

 

Don't stress yourself as this will decrease your CD4 cells (a chemical in  your body to fight viruses and bacterias).

 

Do start from AFA if you don't know where to start.

 

Peace,

[Guest ??]

To sum1out there_3

 

You said "For HIV to turn to AIDS, it'll take about 8-10 years".

My question is...what if medication has been taken religiously since tested for HIV+ since 10 years or longer ago ?

 

Can anyone care to share answering. Thanks.

[pozman]

To people out there who worried about getting tested, don't be.

 

HIV is more like a chronic disease rather than a death sentence. By getting tested early, your condition can be managed easily. There are many resources out that to tap on and everyone ready to lend a helping hand. 

 

Life goes on as per normal and if there is any consolation from this, I learnt to love myself more, treasure people more and live each day with more meaning. 

[Iampositive]

It's very comforting to learn that there are many people out there who show great support to us, the HIV+ people, thank you all, much appreciated

[Iampositive]

I am looking for HIV+ guys to befriend, if fated, to be my bf

[Guest pos]

Hi, my name is dave and I am recently diagnosed to be positive about one month ago..

I hope to know more positive friends as it pretty lonely out here..

My email is positive4pos@gmail.com.

Thank you.

[Iampositive]

Hi, my name is dave and I am recently diagnosed to be positive about one month ago..

I hope to know more positive friends as it pretty lonely out here..

My email is positive4pos@gmail.com.

Thank you.

Hi pos, I am interested to know u but am sorry that I cannot reveal my email add, will u be able to PM me here as I cannot PM u, thks

[Guest Minami]

Dear Friends,

 

You might want to browse/google around about coconut oil. It contains a antiviral component which can kill HIV-1 virus. There are quite some studies about the potential of coconut oil to help HIV/AIDS patients, even though it has no conclusion yet.

 

I read one article that there is one big coconut farm company which donate a huge amount of coconut oil to one temple in Bangkok, Thailand to help those HIV/AIDS people. 

 

There are some friends which are starting consuming this coconut oil too, but I do not know the result yet. I will keep you guys update if I found any good news. Hopefully you will keep us update when you find anything. However the most important thing is a balance in life, having enough sleep will also helpful

 

I wish you guys good luck.

[Iampositive]

I have researched that if yr cd4 count is low, can try take probiotic products like yogult to boost the level, hope it helps I will research on the coconut oils and try it if it indeed can reduce viral load, this will be beneficial to the newly diagnosed who might have high viral load count.

[Poz+32]

Any pos top below 40 care to be friend? 34 toned chn flex here, diagnosed pos a yr go

[Guest Minami]

I read some articles which says that some ppl reach a stage called undetected HIV. Anybody knows what is undetected HIV? Is it means that no virus anymore and can stop consuming medicine?

[fuzzy]

Undetected HIV is a stage where the medication is able to suppress virus from multiplying. It does not mean that the virus does not exist anymore and the medication that one is taking is effectively controlling the virus. Must continue to take the medication.

[oremus]

hi...

I am 36 yo... I am tested positive just 2 months ago.. hope to know more pple here with hiv...

[Guest Knowledge_Is_Power]

If is not the disease that will kill you.  It is your ignorance that would.

[Guest Guest]

hi...

I am 36 yo... I am tested positive just 2 months ago.. hope to know more pple here with hiv...

 

may we know how u got infected?

[sum1outhere_03]

the medicine sounds like a form of anitbiotics if not taken constantly without stopping the virus might mutated into  new strands,thus have to change another type medicine?but western antibiotics if taken over long term can  weaken body own immunity system.. and thus the medicine does not kill the virus at all..most western medcine merely surppress the virus or bacteria till the body own immune system can  get strong enough to fight back and kill the virus or bacteria infection on it's own..but the advancement of the medicine is already to the stage  that they have drugs to prevent  hiv  infection yet cannot cure it  is  very very suspicious..

Unfortunately this is really the case for HIV. It can be treated by it can't be cured. The medicine is used to suppress the virus from mutation as mentioned earlier, allowing the body to regenrate T cells but if medication is stopped then the virus may come back and will be more resistant to the medicines.

Edited March 9, 2014 by sum1outhere_03

[sum1outhere_03]

I happen to look through this article and hope this helps

http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/Testimonial_4944.shtml

 

I'm not going to pull a Pollyanna and say how great it is to be poz (HIV-positive), but in point of fact, in some ways becoming poz is one of the best things that ever happened to me. I'm not so sure I would have said that when I first had to face living on disability. But in the interim I have traveled and done things that would never have been possible otherwise.

I was probably one of the best (i.e. most psychologically) prepared and best received individuals when I got my diagnosis. I was in the company of virtually every one of my dearest friends, as well as two of my deepest teachers, and was staying at one of the radical faerie sanctuaries in Oregon when I got the news. They immediately formed a healing circle around me and did a laying on of hands. My Native American teacher actually did a "fleshing" with me, which was an incredible thing given that I was trying to come to terms with the idea that my sperm and my blood were now toxic. He actually cut pieces of my flesh (small ones, very small ones…didn't hurt a bit) as we sat and smoked a sacred pipe and all prayed together.

Nevertheless, I would have to say I was probably clinically depressed for the first two years of my diagnosis and was busier preparing to die than I was preparing to live. Among the things that woke me up was my dear friend David, who was also diagnosed about the same time as me and with whom I was traveling a good deal. We were taking the same meds, but he was having a hard time with his (I have never had a hard time with my meds.) Four years into his diagnosis David was walking with his sister and nephew in San Francisco and, as they were crossing the street, a car ran a red light and David, pushing his sister and nephew out of the way was struck by the car and killed. There are no guarantees. We can't even guarantee that you're going to die from HIV. I used to go to a discussion group with a lot of HIV+ men and I would listen to them talk about how they discovered that they were now poz and now they're going to die….like they weren't going to before? No one gets out of here alive. And there are other diseases that are a great deal more debilitating than HIV is anymore. If you're afraid of dying, figure out why and do something about it. If you're afraid of living, that's going to have some ramifications, too. Do something about it.

Here's what I know in no particular order:

We're all lab rats in this experiment with HIV. No doctor has the magic pill and no one knows what's going to happen next. We've barely been taking these meds long enough to know the long-term effects or benefits. Get used to that. That said, we're all a helluva lot luckier than our dear friends who were diagnosed in the first years of this epidemic. It still gives me pause to think of how many of my friends might still be alive if they'd just lived another month or two for the first protease inhibitors to come out. Be thankful, grateful for the meds we have. It's a whole lot better energy to be grateful for meds (and even their side effects) than the waste of energy to complain about all the side effects and worry about dying. Don't worry about dying—we're all going to do it no matter what.
  Because an HIV diagnosis is NOT a death sentence….Life is. Stop looking for Life to be "fair"…it isn't. You CAN, however, figure out how to write the story you want. If you need it to be a big drama, it will be. Life and HIV are more than capable of providing you with LOTS of drama. But if you need your life to be wonderful and filled with meaning and experience and joy and happiness….go for it! Life with HIV can do that, too. Here's the question I keep asking myself: Who would you be without the struggle? Me? I'm tired of the drama. I have better things to do with my energy.
  It isn't a choice between EITHER western medicine OR complementary or "alternative" medicine….it's an increasingly vast buffet table and you should pick and choose from all of it and take care of yourself and do what makes you feel comfortable and good. Listen to your doctor as your advisor, but YOU are the final arbiter about what is good for you and what isn't. There is no all-powerful, all-knowing person out there who knows what's best for you. You do. I do HAART, exercise, yoga, meditation and have traveled to the Amazon, for example. It's all good.
  Get healthy. Work out. Stop putting off going to the gym and start eating right. There's a direct positive correlation between lean body mass and survival rates. This isn't a bargaining chip, either. It's just about choosing to live—and living means taking care of yourself. Smoking is suicide. That's OK if that's what you want to do…crystal, drinking all night, irresponsible sex? Same thing…just don't lie to yourself or me about it. Make your choices and the consequences will follow like night and the day.
  I may not have achieved "enlightenment" but here's a flash light: a word about "Either/Or" versus "Both/And" decision making. "Either/Or" choices come from a view of the world that sees scarcity….not enough time, not enough of everything to go around. "Both/And" choices come from a view of the world that sees abundance…there's enough for everyone. When presented with a problem or a situation I can choose the Either/Or way of looking at it or I can pick the Both/And way of looking at it. It's about learning to live with life's contradictions. I've found that when I frame a problem in an Either/Or way it usually leaves me in a trapped place and if I can find the Both/And re-framing of the problem it tends to create options, open doors. I prefer that, i.e. "I can either have HIV or I can be healthy" vs. "I can both have HIV and be healthy." I'd venture to say that almost every challenge can be changed in this way.
  There are people out there who can love you even if you are poz. They can be poz themselves or not. Being poz in not a barrier to intimacy unless you want it to be.
  Ignore alarmists and those who would tell you that, for example, HIV doesn't cause AIDS. In a word: horse pucky. Or that the government is part of some vast conspiracy to infect us all…the government is barely capable of pounding sand into rat holes much less undertaking a conspiracy that would have been this vast. If this disease had anything to do with humans it was more than likely out of error than intent.
  Don't postpone joy. This is critical.
  You can't take care of (love) anyone until you learn to take care of (love) yourself. Learn how to ask for what you need and what you want. Learn now to say "No." Learn how to say "YES!"
  Learn about gratitude. In the final analysis this, for me, was the greatest lesson, the greatest spiritual awakening that was brought to me by HIV. It's easy to be grateful when things are easy. Like human relationships, it's easy when it's easy—it's when things get hard that you get the measure of the man. Learning to be grateful for all the lessons, especially the hard ones, will teach you more about Life and living than any other single thing, in my humble opinion. Life has a funny way of returning to the point, returning to the lesson until you learn it. Once you've heard it, embraced it and learned it, you and Life will move on to the next thing. Because Life is not a destination, it's a journey. Let Life surprise you and it will. I can make it a hard journey and suffer (god knows there are a lot of pay-offs in this society for being a victim and you can waste a whole lot of energy on righteous anger or righteous self-pity, but after a while it gets tired and so do you) or I can dive in and suck the marrow out of it all and live until I die.

I just re-read this and I realize there are some bumper sticker thoughts in here. Sometimes the truth can sound kind of tired and trite. But then again, so does all the fear and loathing I hear everywhere I turn. Given the choice I'll choose the positive thought. And that is a given. That, in the end, was how I came to be positive about being positive. Remember when "positive" was a good thing? It still is. It's all about the choices you decide to make. It always has been and it always will be. You can't control Life, but you can control your choices in it and your responses to it.

Credits

Bo Young is the Publisher and Editorial Director of White Crane, a quarterly journal on spirituality for gay men (www.whitecranejournal.com). He has written for POZ magazine, RFD, Fine Cooking and other publications. He lives in Brooklyn where is working on a biography of a contemporary Shoshone medicine elder and Two Spirit.

[Walking Dead]

Unfortunately this is really the case for HIV. It can be treated by it can't be cured. The medicine is used to suppress the virus from mutation as mentioned earlier, allowing the body to regenrate T cells but if medication is stopped then the virus may come back and will be more resistant to the medicines.

 

HI Sum1outhere.

 

Some clarification based on my understanding. The medication acts to prevent replication of the virus, and not to suppress the virus from mutation. The uncurbed viral replication is what eventually makes the host body succumb to the compromised immunity, leading to opportunistic infections. It seems that the Opportunistic Infections is what kills the AIDS suffers rather than the virus itself. What my doctor said regarding why the medication would not be able to fully eradicate the virus is that while it prevents duplication, there are still dormant virus hiding in the body, and can be 'awakened' once the opportunity presents itself to continue replication. This mechanism is supposedly used by many types of virus, the most common of which is HSV, another form of virus that causes Herpes (another STD).

 

Viruses generally mutate over time (due to some reason which I am not exactly sure) but in this case when viruses (like HIV for example) develop resistance to a medication, then a different medication targeting a different aspect of the replication process will be needed to control the replication.

 

they could not cure cancer too but a recently discover chinese herb is proven to kill cancer cell..so i think the cure lies in chinese herbs yet the chinese doctors don't seem to  be researching for a cure..which is  rather strange...as i do more research into the origin of this virus,tracing its time line,i came across  many suspcious informations regarding this virus.. many things don't add up..we should not so totally accept that they say it cannot be cure,but rather they did not do enough to try cure it!

 

Hi Nogan,

 

Would appreciate it if you could share any relevant links that might be of interest, thank you !

[Iampositive]

Dear guys, I need some helps! Anyone has bought medications from BKK Red Cross, need to seek some advices from you, hope you can assist me, do PM me please, thanks much!

[G_M]

Dear guys, I need some helps! Anyone has bought medications from BKK Red Cross, need to seek some advices from you, hope you can assist me, do PM me please, thanks much!

 

I am letting you post this ad here because I want those who can help, help you.

 

This will be the only exception which I allow ads by member.

 

Please don't make it a habit either.

 

Those who have info which can help the member, PLEASE PM HIM.

 

I am sure some of the info you want can be obtained at http://www.afa.org.sg/

[Guest jerome]

I am looking for a long term rs, prefer guys who are positive as I am also HIV+, pm me if u are interested to know me

 

the medicine sounds like a form of anitbiotics if not taken constantly without stopping the virus might mutated into  new strands,thus have to change another type medicine?but western antibiotics if taken over long term can  weaken body own immunity system.. and thus the medicine does not kill the virus at all..most western medcine merely surppress the virus or bacteria till the body own immune system can  get strong enough to fight back and kill the virus or bacteria infection on it's own..but the advancement of the medicine is already to the stage  that they have drugs to prevent  hiv  infection yet cannot cure it  is  very very suspicious..

hi

[Guest jerome]

hi

[Guest Js]

Hi everyone here ... I been positive since last year June and started meds immediately ... I hope to make frens with similar status ...

[Guest Js]

Hi, my name is dave and I am recently diagnosed to be positive about one month ago..

I hope to know more positive friends as it pretty lonely out here..

My email is positive4pos@gmail.com.

Thank you.

Hi, my name is dave and I am recently diagnosed to be positive about one month ago..

I hope to know more positive friends as it pretty lonely out here..

My email is positive4pos@gmail.com.

Thank you.

[Guest Js]

Hi Dave

I been positive since last year June immediately started medications but till today I also don't have a similar status fren. Hope to make some same status frens too...

Js

jsmuchacho@yahoo.com.sg

[Guest Guest]

Just want to share my story. I found out I was + more than 6 years ago. I had a high fever for over a week and eventually blood test revealed that I may have HIV. They made me take the ELISA test a few weeks later and it was confirmed. I think I was quite lucky because I detected early. I led a healthy life for 6 years without medications by eating right and keeping fit. Finally last year my CD4 dropped below 500 and it took me a while to decide to get on medication. I am now on Atripla which can be bought by my "runner" at S$160/mth. You can also get it from BKK (at ard S$120 I think) but from what I know, you need a prescription from a Thai hospital then the Thai Red Cross will allow you to buy it from them.

 

My advice is to anyone who got tested to be + is to keep yourself healthy and seek advice from the doctors and social workers. Speaking to the right people will help and going to AFA or DSC is the first step. Nobody knows what to do when it first hits you. I remember crying for days and not knowing who to turn to. I finally told a few closer friends who have been supportive all this while. It is also not the end of the world. When you first get diagnosed, if you are in the early stages, most likely you won't need to start on meds so soon.  You are still healthy and the most important thing is to keep yourself happy and not let it get you down. 

 

There are some side effects once you start on meds and it depends on which med your doctor get you on. For most people in Sg, the doc will recommend Atripla because it is just one pill a day. The side effects were horrible for me when I started 4 months ago but it is better now. You will learn to adapt and live with it. I cannot emphasize enough that you need to continue living and be strong. Till today, my parents do not know. Only my few close friends know and they do not treat me any differently. 

[Guest Guess]

FYI 

 

http://www.queerty.com/study-undetectable-guys-do-not-transmit-hiv-to-negative-sex-partners-20140305/

 

 

The study strengthens the belief that “treatment as prevention” is one of the most effective ways to stop new infections.

[Guest Raiden Alpha]

Just want to share my story. I found out I was + more than 6 years ago. I had a high fever for over a week and eventually blood test revealed that I may have HIV. They made me take the ELISA test a few weeks later and it was confirmed. I think I was quite lucky because I detected early. I led a healthy life for 6 years without medications by eating right and keeping fit. Finally last year my CD4 dropped below 500 and it took me a while to decide to get on medication. I am now on Atripla which can be bought by my "runner" at S$160/mth. You can also get it from BKK (at ard S$120 I think) but from what I know, you need a prescription from a Thai hospital then the Thai Red Cross will allow you to buy it from them.

My advice is to anyone who got tested to be + is to keep yourself healthy and seek advice from the doctors and social workers. Speaking to the right people will help and going to AFA or DSC is the first step. Nobody knows what to do when it first hits you. I remember crying for days and not knowing who to turn to. I finally told a few closer friends who have been supportive all this while. It is also not the end of the world. When you first get diagnosed, if you are in the early stages, most likely you won't need to start on meds so soon. You are still healthy and the most important thing is to keep yourself happy and not let it get you down.

There are some side effects once you start on meds and it depends on which med your doctor get you on. For most people in Sg, the doc will recommend Atripla because it is just one pill a day. The side effects were horrible for me when I started 4 months ago but it is better now. You will learn to adapt and live with it. I cannot emphasize enough that you need to continue living and be strong. Till today, my parents do not know. Only my few close friends know and they do not treat me any differently.

I pray for your happiness and good health.

But I do have something to ask the general public after reading similar life accounts like this one.

If taking medication daily for the rest of life is not daunting enough I also find it desponding and challenging that many HIV/aids sufferers need to go through such a troublesome procedure to acquire their medicine.

The medicine cost is a heavy burden for low income earners notwithstanding and still need to go bangkok to buy it?

Why can't MOH do something about the current system? It is so depressing to know and read on this topic.

And people don't bareback at saunas.

I shudder when I read those sauna threads.

Having HIV is like having a rich man disease.

The world really need to find a cure for this damn thing soon. 30 years already I can't believe the medical progress in this area is progressing so slow.

The pharmaceutical industry are just trying to milk the stricken population by giving them chronic treatments and not a cure.

Sigh

[Guest guests]

I pray for your happiness and good health.

But I do have something to ask the general public after reading similar life accounts like this one.

If taking medication daily for the rest of life is not daunting enough I also find it desponding and challenging that many HIV/aids sufferers need to go through such a troublesome procedure to acquire their medicine.

The medicine cost is a heavy burden for low income earners notwithstanding and still need to go bangkok to buy it?

Why can't MOH do something about the current system? It is so depressing to know and read on this topic.

And people don't bareback at saunas.

I shudder when I read those sauna threads.

Having HIV is like having a rich man disease.

The world really need to find a cure for this damn thing soon. 30 years already I can't believe the medical progress in this area is progressing so slow.

The pharmaceutical industry are just trying to milk the stricken population by giving them chronic treatments and not a cure.

Sigh

 

 

Making fast bucks from HIV medications...thats the trick .....many countries are there to subsidise and help such......