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Author Topic: Wanted to say Hello  (Read 3508 times)

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Offline hcj90

  • Member
  • Posts: 46
Wanted to say Hello
« on: May 11, 2013, 08:45:18 pm »
I wanted to thank those of you who post here.  It has taken me a long time to post, but you will never know how much comfort and peace the information and caring gave me when I first found out I was HIV+.  It was this past July (2012).  Last spring I began to have numb feet, had a yeast infection in my mouth, and lost about 30 pounds in 6 weeks.  It was quite a shock, as I had been tested many years ago and it was negative, and then I was celibate afterwards.  My initial numbers were CD4  47, VL  37,000.  I am currently doing well on my meds.  I did have shingles in January...fun,fun.  My CD4 was 140 and VL undectable last month.  So I am very happy to be going in the right direction.  The first couple of months I was very unsure about the future, and I spent many days reading as much info on HIV as possible.  Also, reading here, and knowing that others had gone through everything I was...well, that was a big part of me seeing that I could have a bright future.  Thank you again for your willingness to be open and honest and all your encouragement. 

Offline mitch777

  • Member
  • Posts: 4,087
Re: Wanted to say Hello
« Reply #1 on: May 11, 2013, 09:37:29 pm »
Hey HC!

What a first post! :)
Welcome!

I feel the same way as you in regards to this forum.
It is nice to hear.

Great news on your numbers improvement! :)
Shingles. Yuck/Ouch.

Thanks for checking in with us on such a thankful tone.

m.
33 years hiv+ with a curtsy.

Offline hcj90

  • Member
  • Posts: 46
Re: Wanted to say Hello
« Reply #2 on: May 11, 2013, 09:42:57 pm »
Thanks Mitch...Your posts are some of the many that have always helped.   :D

Offline leatherman

  • Global Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 8,583
  • Google and HIV meds are Your Friends
Re: Wanted to say Hello
« Reply #3 on: May 11, 2013, 09:50:40 pm »
Welcome HCJ!
did you read through some of LESSONS section here? it's pretty educational about all you probably need to know.

Great news on your numbers improvement! :)
Shingles. Yuck/Ouch.
totally agree with Mitch!
your numbers are going the right way and it's good to hear that the meds and you are getting along.

Shingles - what a pain in the tush! Or wherever they broke out on you. LOL Think happy thoughts now that they are gone and pray you never have a 2nd or 3rd outbreak. :o ;D
leatherman (aka Michael)

We were standing all alone
You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker
Dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
And I think about it all the time
- Darren Hayes, "Chained to You"

Offline mitch777

  • Member
  • Posts: 4,087
Re: Wanted to say Hello
« Reply #4 on: May 11, 2013, 09:55:33 pm »
Thanks Mitch...Your posts are some of the many that have always helped.   :D

Very sweet of you to say.

It honestly makes me feel a stronger need to express my thanks to all of our forum members.
Sounds like an idea for a new thread. :)
(might take me awhile. ::).)
33 years hiv+ with a curtsy.

Offline Jmarksto

  • Member
  • Posts: 667
Re: Wanted to say Hello
« Reply #5 on: May 11, 2013, 10:16:41 pm »
Welcome HC,  It looks like you and I were diagnosed about the same time last year.  I understand that the first year is the hardest from an adjustment stand point.  It has been a roller coaster (more from an emotional perspective) for me, but not as much lately.  Now it is our turn to thank you for posting, so thank you.

I wish you well through the process,

JM
03/15/12 Negative
06/15/12 Positive
07/11/12 CD4 790          VL 4,000
08/06/12 CD4 816/38%   VL 49,300
08/20/12 Started Complera
11/06/12 CD4   819/41% VL 38
02/11/13 CD4   935/41% VL UD
06/06/13 CD4   816/41% VL UD
10/28/13 CD4 1131/45% VL 25
02/25/14 CD4   792/37% VL UD
07/09/14 CD4 1004/39% VL UD
11/03/14 CD4   711/34% VL UD
03/13/15 CD4   833/36% VL UD
04/??/15 Truvada & Tivicay
06/01/15 CD4 1100/50% VL UD
10/16/15 CD4   826/43% VL UD
??/??/2017 Descov & Tivicay
2017 VL UD, CD4 stable around 850
2018 VL UD, CD4 stable around 850

Offline hcj90

  • Member
  • Posts: 46
Re: Wanted to say Hello
« Reply #6 on: May 13, 2013, 10:45:50 pm »
Thanks everyone for the encouragement!  Went to a spine clinic today to check my MRI.  Have some arthritis in my lower back and a small amount of degeneration, but it's not as bad as I thought.

It seems to drain me mentally a bit, everytime I go to an appointment.  Being someone who rarely went to the Doctor...all of these visits are something new.  Sometimes I don't want to go...but I always do, and always will, because I want to live and be as healthy as possible! 

I am a 44 year old male, and I am walking with a cane.  It has been interesting to see the way people treat 'the handicapped'.  It does bring out a good side of a lot of them.  A young relative told me I could watch him ride at the amusement park, because I was too old to ride! LOL!  Gotta love children's observations. 

 


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