Positively Johnathan Blogs 2 and 3 up, And a question

[PositivelyJohnathan]

Hey guys for all of you following my video blog I just wanted to let you all know that episode 2 and 3 are up.  I talk about how I contracted the virus  and also a little bit about my family life.  Here is the link to my youtube page. http://www.youtube.com/user/PositivelyJohnathan.

I appreciate everybody's support and everything on the blogs as well as these forums and I enjoy listening to your stories both heartbreaking and uplifting.  I wanted some feedback from you all about the blogs and also I wanted to ask a question just for me personally.  If any of you are on medication, could you please tell me what its like to take it and what it has done for you?

[positivmat]

Great blogs. Thank you for sharing like that.

I am on atripla. I started 3 months after infection after a severe ars. I have been on meds now for almost 3 months. It caused severe side effects of dizziness dreams for a couple of days. Then it was like a high for a couple of weeks. I also think it exacerbated my anxiety about being positive for a while. Now, it seams alright. I feel normal. I used to be a night owl, but now I get tired earlier. Don't know if that is the virus or the meds. The meds are quite manageable though. If you had depression or were addicted to drugs before hiv, you should talk to your dr about alternatives to sustiva (central nervous system component of atripla). I like it because it crosses the brain barrier when it inhibits hiv progression.

Hope to see more of your blogs

Thanks,
Matt

[mecch]

Johnathan,
There are hundreds of threads in these forums discussing treatment experiences.
Everyone's exerience is different, individual.
I seroconverted last year and steadily declined. I started HAART during "acute" phase, the specialists decided it was the best choice for me.
I can tell you something, the morning after my first dose I felt MUCH better.  A few days later, dark clouds disappeared. 
Now months later, there have been problems but the HIV specialist slowly but surely finds a solution.

In a few words, since you have just serocoverted, and the drugs are so good, and you live in a country with very good HIV specialists, "don't you worry about a thing," dear. 

HIV is not going to destroy your health, nor is HAART.

ALWAYS keep in mind that HIV is a perfectly manageable condition and HAART is part of it, and that's that.

When you are feeling stronger, talk to some older people, who buried loved ones, with AIDS. Or long term AIDS survivors.  You'll quickly feel very fortunate and any little side effect is put into perspective.

[dingowarrior]

Hi,
For me taking meds had NO effect at all...Wait,no,the very first night of taking SUSTIVA (I have since switch to Atripla) I had a really speedy type of feeling,I couldnt sit still..it was very very uncomfortable..My wife just held a put a cool rag on my forhead and I was better after about a half hour..After that first night,all was just fine.....Good luck to you if its time for you.

dingowarrior

[RapidRod]

Hi,
For me taking meds had NO effect at all...Wait,no,the very first night of taking SUSTIVA (I have since switch to Atripla) I had a really speedy type of feeling,I couldnt sit still..it was very very uncomfortable..My wife just held a put a cool rag on my forhead and I was better after about a half hour..After that first night,all was just fine.....Good luck to you if its time for you.

dingowarrior

You are still taking Sustiva.

[dingowarrior]

You are still taking Sustiva.

Yes,RapidRod is correct..Sorry for typing to fast, as many may know, Atripla is a one pill form of SUSTIVA and TRUVADA.

[edfu]

what it has done for you?

Bottom line--and the simplest answer:  It saved my life. 

[elf]

My CD4 and % went down rapidly. I seroconverted in February 2008, and tested positive in September 2008 (CD4: 353, CD4% 13.2, VL=310 000). I decided to start my treatment immediately. It's brought peace and stability to me (because my numbers are good now  ).