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Author Topic: 3 years to live?????  (Read 8311 times)

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Offline MadisonTeddy

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3 years to live?????
« on: December 28, 2013, 09:33:20 am »
I just read this blogger on here (POZ) by Shaan somebody....He states:
"'I'm afraid because in comparison to White men who have sex with men (MSM), Black MSM are significantly less likely to be alive three years after testing HIV positive. ""  WTF...everyone on here says things will be fine...take the medicine blah blah and then I read this????  On POZ???? I just tested + and started meds 2 weeks ago....What is this guy talking about?????

Offline MadisonTeddy

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2013, 09:35:00 am »
Shaan Michael Wade...

Offline darryaz

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2013, 09:39:11 am »
Maybe he's afraid of George Zimmerman?

I don't know what he's talking about.

Offline emeraldize

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2013, 09:46:00 am »
I see Sean and Shawn but not Shaan on the bloggers list. Am I missing a location on POZ?

Okay. I went on Google and here's the source

http://www.poz.com/articles/shaan_michael_wade_2676_24644.shtml

And two sources for his reference
http://www.natap.org/2007/HIV/082207_03.htm
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1874211/

« Last Edit: December 28, 2013, 09:55:11 am by emeraldize »

Offline Ann

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2013, 09:48:49 am »
Ted, he is undoubtedly talking about people who never test and only find out they're hiv positive when their immune system has sustained heavy damage.

Can you provide a link so we can make give you more informed responses instead of speculating?
Condoms are a girl's best friend

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"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline Ann

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2013, 09:50:00 am »
Maybe he's afraid of George Zimmerman?

I don't know what he's talking about.

Really? Too soon methinks.  ::) Sheesh.
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline darryaz

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #6 on: December 28, 2013, 09:51:14 am »
Really? Too soon methinks.  ::) Sheesh.

Yeah, you're right.  Sorry about that.

Offline Jeff G

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #7 on: December 28, 2013, 09:51:38 am »
I haven't read the blog but its most assuredly speaking to the facts that the demographic group he is blogging about was less likely to test for HIV until very sick and less likely to follow up with treatment . 
HIV 101 - Basics
HIV 101
You can read more about Transmission and Risks here:
HIV Transmission and Risks
You can read more about Testing here:
HIV Testing
You can read more about Treatment-as-Prevention (TasP) here:
HIV TasP
You can read more about HIV prevention here:
HIV prevention
You can read more about PEP and PrEP here
PEP and PrEP

Offline Ann

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #8 on: December 28, 2013, 09:56:03 am »
I googled the name and it wasn't a blog you were reading, it was an opinion piece. http://www.poz.com/articles/shaan_michael_wade_2676_24644.shtml

From the article:

"I'm afraid because in comparison to White men who have sex with men (MSM), Black MSM are significantly less likely to be alive three years after testing HIV positive. I fear the looming battle against stigma he will face as a Black gay man with HIV. I fear he will lose his sense of self-worth, self-esteem, and perhaps even himself."

So yeah, it's the impact of stigma not only keeping people from testing in the first place, but also keeping people from following up with regular monitoring and treatment once they know they're positive, as Jeff mentioned.

A person who finds out they're hiv positive before their immune system is totally shot (ie at death's door) and accesses care and treatment will have good outcomes today, regardless of skin colour or any other demographic.
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline emeraldize

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #9 on: December 28, 2013, 10:01:51 am »
I modified my post above earlier with the links and also found Shaan's source docs.

Offline Ann

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #10 on: December 28, 2013, 10:06:38 am »
This phenomenon is known as "lost to follow-up" and is a big problem. Google it (hiv lost to follow-up) and you'll get plenty of studies and articles.

Many factors play a part, including mental health issues, substance abuse, "feeling well", and stigma. Stigma plays a very big part in the black community.

http://www.jwatch.org/ac200908030000001/2009/08/03/loss-follow-worsens-outcomes-hiv-patients-even

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22531758

http://www.poz.com/articles/lost_followup_761_23979.shtml

Ted, keep attending your appointments and keep taking your meds every day and you'll be just fine. Seriously.
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline MadisonTeddy

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #11 on: December 28, 2013, 10:26:00 am »
seriously?? He is using data from 2007???? POZ needs to screen this stuff...I am having a fucking meltdown in my kitchen reading stuff like that...Take the Pill...Take the Pill  Take the Pill...Hope you guys are right and NOT him... >:(

Offline Ann

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #12 on: December 28, 2013, 10:28:31 am »
Teddy, please calm down. At this rate, anxiety is going to kill you long before hiv ever gets the chance.
Condoms are a girl's best friend

Condom and Lube Info  

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline buginme2

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2013, 10:42:26 am »
Yikes!  Hello.

Sorry about being newly diagnosed, it sounds like your a bit stressed out.

First, about these statistics.  While they may be true overall it's important to understand where they come from.  These statistics are skewed because black MSM as a group do not test for HIV as often as some other demographics therefore when they do test positive it's usually later in the course of the disease.   It is more common therefore for them to test positive with advanced disease progression. 

In addition, due to other factors such as stigma, financial, insurance reasons etc, there is a greater loss to follow up.  Meaning they may stop going to the doctor regularly and have more occasions of stopping their medications. 

These are problems with all hiv positive people not just black MSM however, this group may be experiencing these difficulties at a higher rate.  It shows us more work needs to be done to reach these people to ensure they test regularly and remain engaged in their care.

Don't take this overall situation and individualize it to yourself.  It's true, if you take your meds each day and remain engaged in your care by maintaining your doctors appointments as prescribed.  You will do fine.
Don't be fancy, just get dancey

Offline Dan0

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2013, 01:01:42 pm »
You. Will . Be. Fine.

If you look on the internet  related to anything on HIV/AIDS you will soon find enough depressing ‘stuff’ that you’ll be searching for a bottle of Xanax and Vodka!  There is a lot of good information out there and a lot of bad information.  In most instances, it’s very easy to attribute what you READ to how you FEEL!

I think that everyone goes through this to some point when they start medication.  The itch that you develop may only be an ‘itch’ and have nothing to do with your medication.  The headache you have in the morning you think is the medication when, in fact, you were up all night staring at the computer trying to determine if the itch was really a medication induced rash!  Things just have a way of perpetuating themselves! Read the stuff that will be of value to you NOW – save the fluff for later!

It’s up to you to not only educate yourself but others.  Read things carefully. There are all sorts of quacks out there but they do have a following.  I just read somewhere about a farmer (somewhere) that offered a cure by injecting the blood of the person with HIV into the cow….and then the cow creates antibodies….and after that I’m not certain what you do with the cow. My vote is for steak!  At any rate, people were actually buying the cows because it obviously resonated with them and their hope and fear overrode their intelligence!

You’re too young to remember the Ebola scare 15 or more years ago.  Ebola is a horrible, gruesome disease that was quite the splash in the news!  I had an employee who was absolutely certain that he had it and had to go to the hospital.  I was certain he did not because I read up on it and the geography, symptoms, and the fact that he was STILL ALIVE didn’t support the fear he had. He knew this, too – but something in his mind would not let his intelligence override that conclusion.  All this from immersing himself in tabloid blather about the disease.

There is an article recently posted on here about nutrition. THAT’S good reading!  That is substantive and of value to someone / anyone with HIV. Don’t waste your time on the other stuff about cows, magic herbs and opinion pieces – especially opinion pieces. Sometimes, and itch is just an itch, a cow is just a cow, an herb is just a weed and an opinion piece is just some fags thoughts wrapped around a few carefully chosen statistics. It will drive you crazy. 

You. Will. Be. Fine.

"Honey, you should never ask advice from a drunk drag queen who has a show to do." - JG

06/2002 DX
10/2006 Atripla UD
10/2013 Stribild Still UD
04/2016 Genvoya UD

Offline mecch

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #15 on: December 28, 2013, 01:02:34 pm »
I have never heard that genetic heritage of one sort or another has anything whatsoever to do with the efficacy of H.A.A.R.T.
If there are "statistically" significant differences for the success of HIV treatment related to ethnicity, its probably entirely about social factors, NOT the biochemistry of HAART in the body, assuming proper adherence.
I don't believe there is any such thing as race anyway.  And ethnicity is a cultural construct, for the most part.
Everyone HIV+ needs the correct H.A.A.R.T. at the right time and decent professional medical oversight.  This scenario is not a given! But assuming the ideal situation, I do think it is as "basic" as "take the pill"....   
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline skeebo1969

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Re: 3 years to live?????
« Reply #16 on: December 28, 2013, 02:08:35 pm »


  Teddy, when you read articles like this your fear of the unknown keeps you from seeing the actual situation it brings up.  You're simply seeing it as saying "Black men have 3 years to live after being diagnosed", and being new to all this this is quite understandable.

  I've been there myself.  I sometimes think back.... and realize why I looked at the doom and gloom side of things.  I hated myself for becoming positive, and seeing the ultimate punishment, possible death, as the only viable outcome helped me to have a shitty attitude about life period.

  It takes strength to get through this phase.... that's about the only thing that makes me smile when I look back to 2005 when I was diagnosed.

  Tough shit to deal with, for some reason harder for a select few.  Wish I had the answer for why that is.

  On a side note... The article addresses an important issue, there are still a lot of African American people needlessly dying from AIDS, mainly in the inner city area. Whether it's related to stigma, religious views, or propaganda it keeps some from getting proper treatment to live. 
I despise the song Love is in the Air, you should too.

 


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