New York HIV?

[tokyodecadence]

So I'm making a move in a few months, and I was wondering what the services were like in New York. That's it :p Doctors, Centers, access to meds and whatnot. Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

[Miss Philicia]

GMHC -- you can register as a "client" and get ASO services there.  The offices are in Chelsea.  If you need to apply for ADAP to cover meds you can get the forms there, though IIRC you can also download them from the NYS Dept of Health and just do it on your own, or at least you could back when I lived in NYC years ago.

http://www.gmhc.org/

A lot of people prefer the clinic at Callen-Lorde over the one at GMHC, and just go to GMHC for ASO-ish information.

http://www.callen-lorde.org/

Callen Lorde also has an HIV dental services place on the 3rd or 4th floor, and they take Ryan White/ADAP.

If you need support group type stuff check out Friends in Deed in SoHo -- I found it to be the best place for this sort of thing plus they always have things on their schedule that lots of other places do not, like speakers that will discuss things in clinical trials or something like HIV and financial issues (Per Larson always speaks there and he's tops with this sort of information.  Also Paul Bellman discusses medical stuff there and he's also tops in NYC), etc.  They also have yoga and meditation stuff. Check out the program schedule section in the link, and then the subsection on workshops:

http://www.friendsindeed.org

[tokyodecadence]

I couldn't have asked for a better answer. Thanks so much!

[mpositive]

Miss PHil,

Your links and response was great. You know what stinks, at least in my own personal situation.  I looked at the Callen-Lorde website and not a word about hetero male HIV+. 
"The Callen-Lorde Community Health Center is New York City's only medical center dedicated to meeting the health care needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities...." 
I continue to feel totally alone in this arena and it really sucks.  Have not been able to find much support or comfort.  I even went to GHMC and was completely turned off.  I know I am in a small percentile, but I am really feeling like the hetero male sector of HIV+ circle is completely ignored and made to feel so.
I wish there was more support for folks like me specifically............loneliness is just growing inside of me and I fear where that road will lead.

M

[Miss Philicia]

What were you turned off by at GMHC?  I know for a fact that there are straight people there, as I saw plenty of women.  There's no way you know which males are straight and which are not, and if you look at reporting in NYC on infections there are definitely straight men in the mix from IV use, and I'd assume a smaller amount from sexual transmission.

But you're not going to find a clinic devoted solely to straight men.  I don't know what to tell you and I don't know why you're thinking you will or even should.  As far as Callen Lorde it's existence pre-dates the HIV epidemic and was a clinic treating STD's -- as you well know when HIV hit NYC it was 99% gay men and nobody would help so gay men had to do everything on their own.  Callen Lorde will NOT turn you way for saying your straight, as far as I know but they still bill themselves as catering to that community.

You know, if you have really this specific need not to have too many gay men or too many straight women around then you're going to have to go do your own research on this.  Like I said, there ARE straight men with HIV in NYC.

[mpositive]

Thanks for the response Miss P, I always appreciate your honesty.
M

[red_Dragon888]

Callen-Lorde is OK, but you may want to find a private gay friendly doctor.

[Miss Philicia]

My only experience with Callen-Lorde was the dental section, which was fine.  But yes, I've heard mixed things from others here on the medical part, but then I've heard the same for GMHC's clinic section.  My suggestion on that front was more of a "starter" when you move.  Once you settle in and get insurance in order then you can go about obtaining personal references for private doctors, etc.  That's a longer process if you are arriving in any city with no referrals.  But you'll find a variety of complaints from people on any HIV clinic or even any private doctor -- I hear them all the time here in Philadelphia about the clinic I go to, yet my experience there has been sublime.

I've even had my share of personal complaints with things at GMHC in the non-medical part, but that was mostly confined to the legal department and it was eventually resolved.

[Ann]

TD,

If you like and trust your current doctor, it would be worth it to ask him/her for a referral to one or more doctors in NYC. Doctors in the hiv field tend to know each other, or at least know OF each other. Your current doctor would be a great starting point.

As for good/bad experiences at clinics, I've come to the conclusion that the differing opinions are more often than not down to personalities. For example, a friend of mine and I go to the same clinic. There is a woman there who I loathe, but my friend thinks she's great. It's a simple clash of personalities and for a time coloured my whole opinion of the clinic. It's always good to get more than one opinion on ASOs and/or clinics.

Good luck with your move!

Ann