Whether or not to tell my parents. I come up with a million reasons not to tell them, but I want to, I want them to know, but I don't want them to worry about me (reason #1). My mom's best friend's son died back in the beginning of the epidemic from AIDS (PCP) and I remember how much that upset her and I am afraid that she will think that my fate is the same as Steven's. J.
Jim,
You will decided in your own time when you feel it is right to tell your parents. I am pretty sure your parents would be sad and worry about you if & when you do tell them, but from what I can gather in your post I am even more sure that they would be there to support you the best way that they would know how to. I wish you the best, and you will find plenty of support here when you do feel the time is right to tell your family.
Dan
The biggest challenge was to stop the self-destructive lifestyle and thoughts of dismay. I abolished that messy mind set in the early 90's.
Recent 2 years: Acute facial wasting--which has been corrected.
Since 2000: Constant fatigue. I address that issue with vitamins/supplements and 5 mg. dexies to jump start my day.
Meds at 6 am/6pm: Even with the weekly med box I still forget to take my meds from time to time. Have forgotten either morning or night dose but never both. I don't freak out about it--no point in that kind of reaction.
The hardest thing is keeping it a secret from everyone and I understand how someone might feel they are living a lie....but what choice does one have when if its found out it can be a bad situation gone worse.
Keeping it a secret, which I have successfully done for ten years and having to live in poverty just to get a bottle of pills each month....
Hey guy in Bama:Betty I mean that it's lying by omission if you don't tell someone you have hiv. If you don't tell them you have hiv, then they would assume that you are hiv negative.
What do you mean by "living a lie?"
The biggest challenges I have been repeatedly facing since testing positive are:
Feelings of worthlessness; like I failed somehow.
Feeling "damaged."
Feelings of depression, anxiety, and despair.
Fatigue and lack of motivation.
Severe mood/attitude swings.
:-\
Trying to fight this damn desease ,and myself..............without booze , AD`s , or something worse.....................
Treatment adherence. It's an enormous effort for Matty the Damned. Not the night-time dose, but remembering to take the morning dose.
Bugger. Which is what I've gotta do know. Ah, shit! Or did I already take the fucking thing?
MtD
(Who can never remember)
hi all,
i have read this thread with great interest and at the same time, with such sadness. it troubles me that after 26 years of hiv/aids in the world, and especially here in the usa, STIGMA & disclosure issues still rule so many lives.
It is not only the USA but the same still happens in South Africa and I am sure that it happens all across the world if we take the time to find out about it
we ( LTS's) have had an adequate amount of time to process much of the anger, frustration, despair, fear, anxiety, etc,etc that comes after the shock of our initial diagnosis. i understand it is a long term process getting through the multitude of feelings associated with having an illness that we were supposed to die from. then having to adjust from "i'm going to die" mode to " now that i am living with hiv, how am i going to deal with side effects and other complexities associated with "living with hiv"( ie. insurances, re-entering the work force, dating, & long term relationships). wow, it was just as tiring listing them as it was thinking about what it took to get through them!
I've learnt to adopt the attitude of "SO WHAT"
now i resent hidding behind the stigma, and choose to reject stigma as part of my life. are their other LTS's that feel the same way? if you don't, why not?
screw the military, but thanks for reminding me that there is a time and a place to disclose. to me, there are plenty of times we need to disclose, otherwise how do we teach the less educated to fear the virus, not us?
be honest with me LTS's? am i living a pipe dream here or am i right? that the time has come for us LTS's to stand up against stigma, and give the newly infected folks the courage to be open about their status, so parents, siblings, and friends can share in supporting them through the difficulties of living with their illness. that we don't die alone leaving our loved ones at the casket with the question, "why didn't he/she tell me they had aids?"
enough is enough. no person should have to fear disclosing to those whom they care most about. it is time to break down those barriers so living with hiv can be about support & survival, not silence & stigma!
FEAR THE VIRUS, NOT US!
AM I RIGHT?
kellyspoppi
In South africa Our Support froup motto is "Nothing For us Without Us" Can We do that if we are not willing to talk about it?
i committed with my therapist not to go all radical and seek long term problems by being over openYup, I over disclosed the first two days after getting the news, and I regret that, it was absolutely not necessary.
that sounds messy... like a big glob or something???Bon Appetit !
LOL
-joseph
that sounds messy... like a big glob or something???
uhm...bettytacy, strayboy and milker can I dare be so bold as ask that you don't make this a joke thread? Personally - I don't appreciate it.
Have fun all you want in the off topic forum where I guarantee you will not hear a word from me, but as someone who comes here to deal with Living with HIV your irrelevant comments really hurt me and disturb me.
that sounds messy... like a big glob or something???
LOL
-joseph
biggest challenge is finding a lover, partner, or long term relationship. often when i meet someone new and maybe have dated a few times, the feeling that it might turn into something long term is immediately and completely overwhelemed by the odds that the potential partner is probaly negative. (has happened way too many times). almost always now i work hiv status into the conversation right away if i feel like there is long term potential. better to have the pain up front before investing a lot of energy and emotion into the relationship. its a horrible barrier to being intimate and dating. knowing that being hiv+ extreemely limits options for potential partners is a source of constant depression. i travel a lot for work and often in remote locations. that plus being poz makes me wonder if i'll ever have a partner again.
finding poz women, also the thought of not being able to have childrenRead threads on this forum. Discuss with HIV+ parents. HIV+ people can have children. ;D
5.Being a black sheep : loosing my all day permanent job as a engineer ( due to a tiredness and Sustiva.........)while everybody else is working.That has as a consequence :
Quote :Feelings of worthlessness; like I failed somehow.
Feeling "damaged."
Fatigue and lack of motivation.
Severe mood/attitude swings
Certainly stigma is there and it is a challenge. I find stigma is more of a side effect of terrible care in my area (Atlanta). Depression and severe fatigue, too, but I think I could reduce the severity of each if I didn't have the stress of trying to get my medication and adjunct care, as well as trying to keep my food stamps, etc.
Birmingham, Alabama is light years ahead of Atlanta as far as COMPREHENSIVE HIV care goes, in my experience.
Why did we resurrect a 6.5 yr old thread??in the spirit of halloween;
It's time for this thread to continue as it is an ongoing process for all of us.
m.
Betty I mean that it's lying by omission if you don't tell someone you have hiv. If you don't tell them you have hiv, then they would assume that you are hiv negative.
And mitch777, I hear you on "bitching a lot". You've got 31 years of this, a lot of that time a lot less hopeful than now, so as far as I'm concerned you can bitch bitch bitch away. In fact, please do. Optimism is good for you, but so is venting and expressing yourself. My best wishes for what it's worth to you and your mother as time marches on. :)
Oh yea, and my doctor still will not let me travel outside of the states yet. >:(
I have spent my entire twenty years with HIV in Atlanta and hae managed to receive pretty adequate care, even during the slurry of misinformation that comprised the late 90s and early 00's. Might I ask where you are getting care?
taking daily medication upsets me a lot.....i wish for a miracle pills to altleast stop daily doses :(
haha....ya u are rite@jeff,'anti viral chewing gum', LOL ;D....hey,thanx huh,u blew my worries for time being........lets hope for sum innovative medication !!!!!
This year, we learned much about a couple of "long-acting antiretroviral" candidates in the works. Most notable among these is GSK1265744 -- which, although it may need to be injected, is being engineered so that it only has to be taken once every four weeks at the most.http://www.thebody.com/content/73500/10-moments-that-changed-hiv-care-this-year.html?getPage=5
Early clinical trials involving these drugs have shown promising results. Now, to be sure, it's not a guarantee they'll work out, and many months of study lie ahead before we can even begin to entertain the idea that they'll become a part of regular HIV care. But it sure is an exciting concept to consider, all the more because it may be achievable.
taking daily medication upsets me a lot.....i wish for a miracle pills to altleast stop daily doses :(
but what really killed me, my youngest son sat in class and listened to kids making fun of hiv/aids.... I've never in my life felt so ashamed as when he cried telling me that story
jkinatl2--Wondering where you get care in Atlanta? Several of us Atlantans here, and I'm new to town and newly diagnosed. Not too crazy with my care so far....
After two years in Atlanta, I moved back to Birmingham. The uninsured care in Atlanta was atrocious. I thought I could literally die so I had to leave.
deciding when and who to tell. been one year since I was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and i have told no one. it doesn't feel right not letting family and close friends know. I realize that the fear of rejection and shame are the things I need to work out. getting there just takes time. on a brighter note thanks to all of you for this site. this is my first ever post anywhere and after reading what I wrote I still got a long way to go in learning to express my thoughts. thanks for listening
deciding when and who to tell. been one year since I was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and i have told no one. it doesn't feel right not letting family and close friends know. I realize that the fear of rejection and shame are the things I need to work out. getting there just takes time. on a brighter note thanks to all of you for this site. this is my first ever post anywhere and after reading what I wrote I still got a long way to go in learning to express my thoughts. thanks for listeningWelcome.
Hi Everybody,
My biggest challenge was back at the end of January when I had PCP in the ER and stayed in the hospital with this brand new (to me) diagnoses. Thought of suicide constantly back then but I also thought of my family and what that would do to them, So I kind of got over it, sought of.. Now it's a few challenges that go hand in hand, I gotta go to work, I got KS and no one at work knows about it but they kinda know something is wrong.. I just tell people to mind their own business and they get pissed. Sometimes I get up in the morning and think to myself "fuck it, I'm not going" but I still manage to go in.. I could handle taking the pills, just don't know if I can continue going to work and getting OI or cancer and not telling people.. need these fuckin CD4's up so maybe I can get on with my life! >:(
deciding when and who to tell. been one year since I was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and i have told no one. it doesn't feel right not letting family and close friends know. I realize that the fear of rejection and shame are the things I need to work out. getting there just takes time. on a brighter note thanks to all of you for this site. this is my first ever post anywhere and after reading what I wrote I still got a long way to go in learning to express my thoughts. thanks for listening
Thankfully I haven't had any side effects of my drugs. I've been on Atripla for almost two months now and it's done wonders. My biggest issue is feeling like my boyfriend isn't interested in me. As in, lack of sexual activity. Like, I know it's for the better that we don't get too hot and heavy, but sometimes I convince myself it's more because of me than my diagnosis.
At first, I had a lot of troubles simply being alone. Whenever I'd get home from work I'd start getting into my head and thinking all these dooming thoughts, getting myself worked up into a sobbing frenzy. I took steps to ensure I would spend as little time alone by having friends over (then, I got a dog. That helped A LOT) or by going to a friend's house.
deciding when and who to tell. been one year since I was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and i have told no one. it doesn't feel right not letting family and close friends know. I realize that the fear of rejection and shame are the things I need to work out. getting there just takes time. on a brighter note thanks to all of you for this site. this is my first ever post anywhere and after reading what I wrote I still got a long way to go in learning to express my thoughts. thanks for listening
The person that I am currently dating, I feel as if I have totally shut him out of my life; not wanting him to touch me at all. He doesn't deserve it at all.I would hope that you could work you way past this issue. Didn't you say that your BF is also HIV+? If y'all are both on medications and UD, there is no chance in hell of any cross-infection or anything. People living with HIV often serosort (hook up with those of the same status) to avoid a lot of "bad feelings" and anxiety. If your BF has already been poz a while, he is probably the best person in the world to understand you and the issues you are going through. It would be a shame to throw away a good guy that could help you.
Last, if I should continue to try and hunt down the person that infected me. I have been trying to inform him for almost eight months, but have been unsuccessful, as he has been rescheduling over and over again.Nope. stop trying right now. The past is the past and that guy's health is his concern. You should simply send him a note saying that he needs to get checked for any STDs and HIV, and leave it there. BTW have you been contacted by your state's health dpt? Most states do anonymous partner notification. (when someone tests poz, this data is given to the state. the state health dpt contacts you to make sure you understand the issues surrounding being HIV positive. they ask for a list of possible sexual contacts you might have had. they then follow up with those people suggesting they should get tested.) There really isn't any reason for you to continue to track down this guy when the state will do it anonymously for you.
My son says his biggest challenge is just the stigma. He is in fear of people knowing. He has had to change Doctors because of it. Some places like clinics are not confidential at all they just throw around the most personal sensitive information like it is nothing, as they are not living with this. He explains that to me often. He said people comment on his weight as he is small, so he feels like they are looking for something. He is trying his best to move out of this state and go somewhere else and not be known. I respect that! I told him no matter what I am standing here for him and will see him where ever he is at, as well as continue to being the support he needs.
One day at a time.
Kay
l
but what really killed me, my youngest son sat in class and listened to kids making fun of hiv/aids.... I've never in my life felt so ashamed as when he cried telling me that story
That really hurts... Sorry!
Treatment adherence. It's an enormous effort for Matty the Damned. Not the night-time dose, but remembering to take the morning dose.
Bugger. Which is what I've gotta do know. Ah, shit! Or did I already take the fucking thing?
MtD
(Who can never remember)
Mine is quality of life as it has taken a nose dive and the outlook does not look good after being diagnosed with cancer that is untreatable, the 40+ meds I must take to address organ damage caused by years of toxic cocktails, body weight is big concern now as I lost 40lbs with the last 30 days, muscle mass down to 37%, chronic diarrhea, constant trips via EMS to the hospital, a primary care doc that is ruthless, zero support from local ASO, chronic neuropathy pain and early onset Alzheimer.
I am basically tired of all these health problems, tired of taking of taking all of this medication, have no appetite and not being able to see Dr Death for 3 months at a time..
This is what living with HIV/AIDS virus for 30 years does to us LTS...
My biggest challenge/fear is when I meet someone how/when will I tell them that I am positive and when the person finds out will they reject me.How long have you been single? Haven't had to disclose yet to a romantic interest?
Also..when do I tell my son that I am positive? I've been positive for about 22 years. My son is 10. He's negative (Thank God!)
Sometimes I am concerned that my ex-husband will tell our son out of spite. My ex-husband is also negative.
All suffering is relative, it's not a contest, nor a measure of character.
Hello everyone!
My name Gary and I am just about turn 50 years old in November. I am married to my partner of almost 30 years. I was diagnosed in August 1999. A long story as to how this happened. Fred is HIV-. I started back in 2000 on a case study of Sustiva & Combivir. Went off in 2001 and haven't been on meds until this month. I was in a holding pattern with CD4 around 750 and VL around 4 to 8 K. My current doctor asked what was my secret for not being on meds for almost 15 years. I will NOT take Atripla and was on Triumeg about a week ago. The anxiety / panic attacks and racing heartbeat were unbearable. The med worked great, but due to my mental issues will never take it. Any suggestions as to what works for a person with mental illness? I am absolutely terrified what the next ones will do to me, but sure beats dying from AIDS complications. PEACE and LOVE!
The biggest personal challenge that I face is the side effects of my meds. Some days I'm nauseous and don't have an appetite this happens quite often. Along with that it's the stomach pain that I have seems like every other week I have pain. I am currently taking Truvada once a day and Isentess twice a day. Other than that feeling good enough to go to work everyday has become more of a challenge for me as well. :-\
Hi everyone, I'm a new member.
I got my hiv + result in Dec 24, 2014. At the time, I was very devastated. I wanna die. I can see my future crumbling. I was with my parents. I'm 26 years old now. I'm glad that my parents and brother never stop loving me or treat me differently. They show me huge support. I only reveal my hiv status to my family. Not my friends.
I started the medication since February 2015. I feel so much better now. No more hospitalized. Two weeks first, I felt dizzy, fatigue, and a little bit anemia. But it's gone now.
My biggest personal challenge is that I'm scared if I reveal my hiv status, I'll lose my friends, I'm still scare with social views toward hiv person. Of course the uncertainty future now. I don't know what kind of job that will be available for people with hiv. Everytime I think about applying job, I always scare. I will get rejected.
Until now, I'm struggling to build my confidence and spirit. I don't want to be beaten by hiv physically or mentally.
I hope you guys have a wonderful day. :)
Hi everyone, I'm a new member.
I got my hiv + result in Dec 24, 2014. At the time, I was very devastated. I wanna die. I can see my future crumbling. I was with my parents. I'm 26 years old now. I'm glad that my parents and brother never stop loving me or treat me differently. They show me huge support. I only reveal my hiv status to my family. Not my friends.
I started the medication since February 2015. I feel so much better now. No more hospitalized. Two weeks first, I felt dizzy, fatigue, and a little bit anemia. But it's gone now.
My biggest personal challenge is that I'm scared if I reveal my hiv status, I'll lose my friends, I'm still scare with social views toward hiv person. Of course the uncertainty future now. I don't know what kind of job that will be available for people with hiv. Everytime I think about applying job, I always scare. I will get rejected.
Until now, I'm struggling to build my confidence and spirit. I don't want to be beaten by hiv physically or mentally.
I hope you guys have a wonderful day. :)
I got my hiv + result in Dec 24, 2014.Welcome!
Living South Florida, the biggest personal challenge, is trying to find someone sober, and someone who hasn't slept with half of Miami.
Very true......no support system at all. I realize where I live, and the huge gay population here. With all the HIV in this community, this is one reason I moved here. With no family in place, one day all these HIV services are going to be a great resource for me. Having sex is not a normal thing for me. I haven't had any type of physical contact since I was diagnosed 4 years ago. I went to a HIV "workshop" that was supposed to last for 8 weeks. I stopped going.....want to know why? I was literally the only person out of 45 people who didn't use drugs, and didn't sleep around. So, sad to say, I don't really trust my HIV community.
I'm not "down" on people who enjoy a healthy sex life. I have not had any type of intimacy/sex/whatever since I was diagnosed 4 years ago, and that will continue as long as I am positive. That's my choice. Men think about sex every 7 seconds! So, if men THINK about sex every 7 seconds.....how many times out of the day do they actually HAVE sex (or look at porn, masturbate, etc). If the hookup websites and bathhouses would go away....people might just actually go out and do something radical.....MEET FACE TO FACE....have an actual conversation, and see how things go. Then you can decide if you want to see this person again, or heaven forbid....have another date, and wait on sex to see if you are compatible and actually love each other. I'm assuming everyone got the same memo......"go out and screw everyone until you conquered the city"...........I guess I missed that memo
I had typed out this long response to you, but I'm realizing it takes 2 to argue, and I'm not going to do it with you.
I'm not "down" on people who enjoy a healthy sex life.
I have not had any type of intimacy/sex/whatever since I was diagnosed 4 years ago, and that will continue as long as I am positive. That's my choice.
If you really examine those two statements of yours with a critical eye...it sounds to me like you're saying you've made a choice, and it's not a healthy one.
Sex is a normal, natural part of the human existence. The sex drive is hardly different than any other innate drive for survival. Yes, you can choose to deny yourself - throughout the ages, countless monks and nuns have tried to do exactly that.
I've made a choice not to have sex anymore! Sex may be a normal, natural part of human existence, but that does not mean that I must partake. I do not resent anyone who chooses to have sex. That's their choice, just as it is mine not to. You act like I'm committing some sort of crime by making a conscience choice not to have sex. Where is the support in that? Not wanting to transmit this horrible disease?! I'm getting perceived as an asshole because of MY choices.
Today was having a great discussion with my friends till a topic rose on HIV. I got really pissed of en wanted the topic changed but the more I wished for a change the more the discussion went on. One guy commented those who get HIV nowadays are stupid, reckless and should their own fault. It felt like a Pearce in my heart. It reached a point where it had come to a point where people were goggling to see which country had highest infection (we r students from different countries. I felt like walking away coz I wasn't participating but decided to get glued to my phone as if surfing.
After parting I rushed here coz this is the only support group I have. I really feel stressed and wonder if I will ever tell anybody about my disease
My biggest problem is my employer.
I am meant to be on the road a lot. But i have such bad diarrhea, i often can't risk driving far. Also the tiredness after a day's driving just wipes me out.
I carry two pairs of spare trousers in the car always.
My employer won't make any changes saying basically its my job, like it or lump it.
I pretty much live on Imodium, which is killing me.
he doesnt know im HIV. just that i have a condition that means i can be extremely unwell and am receiving treatment. If i told him about my condition fully, my life would be even more unbearable. he has make his view quite clear in the past about such things.
I thought when i was diagnosed a month ago. taking daily tablets and worrying about the health side would be my greatest worry. but its not.
I also have been told i must be considerate of other members of staff, thinking im getting special treatment.
i know this may sound like a rant, but in my area there is so little support, there is no where to turn for help.
ok rant over.
Hiya Caveyuk
I actually had both of these ( diarrhea & tiredness) before i was diagnosed. It's what prompted me to be tested in the first place.
The meds I am on have had zero side effects.
I'm on triumeq . I'm getting my first post med results today.
Thanks anyway.
My biggest challenge is foodfiguring out what to eat is always an issue. Probably 1/5 of what my partner and I talk about on a daily basis is what to eat for dinner. (the rest of our conversation is about how happy our dogs make us, his frustrating job and my advocacy or yard work projects, how much we love each other, and what to watch on TV) But I certainly remember eating alone, or eating when I was all aidsy. Anything simple and quick (you know, chips take no prep time and instant mashed potatoes are done in 90 secs. LOL) because dinner-for-one is a hard task. I'm sure there are plenty here that can sympathize and empathize with you. ;)
The most devastating component to this virus is the isolation and loneliness . Heterosexual women treat me like I am deadly poison . No support for heterosexual oriented people . I am 53 and live in a rural community . I have no friends ,family or children . I predict that I shall die alone . Things could be worse ...
ANGER, not that I am infected, or that my life may be shorter than it may have been, or that I may have to suffer some illness that others may not experience. Anger that I have not yet found my bliss. What I am meant to do with my life, what I should do with my life, how I can make a difference in the world. I want so much to feel love and experience love. I want so much to be Christ like and do the right things with my life. Its length does not matter but its substance does. I feel that I have a clock ticking that now creates a timeline that I need to follow. I have no problem with my mortality, I have no fear of death. But I have a fear of living, a fear that I will not live life to its fullest. That I will not be able to love as much as I can. That I will not be able to be loved as I would like. I fear that I will not be able to make the difference in the world that I want to make. Not that I want to be known as Gandhi, or King, or Einstein, I just want to make a difference in the world that is important.This is beautiful and I feel the same.Thank you for sharing Peter. I had a mental breakdown many years ago. It was very stupid thing thinking back on it. But slowly but surely time has made it go away. I know things will be a struggle as time goes on but I have to just do the best that i can. Many times i eat things that are not good for me and fatigue hits me hard. I I haven't had any relationships for a long time. I don't have any friends. My family doesn't know. For a long time i asked myself why me? Why me? But i've stopped being angry at myself. I want to smile more and make people smile while i still can. I want to love and be loved.
My biggest challenge is myself.
ANGER, not that I am infected, or that my life may be shorter than it may have been, or that I may have to suffer some illness that others may not experience. Anger that I have not yet found my bliss. What I am meant to do with my life, what I should do with my life, how I can make a difference in the world. I want so much to feel love and experience love. I want so much to be Christ like and do the right things with my life. Its length does not matter but its substance does. I feel that I have a clock ticking that now creates a timeline that I need to follow. I have no problem with my mortality, I have no fear of death. But I have a fear of living, a fear that I will not live life to its fullest. That I will not be able to love as much as I can. That I will not be able to be loved as I would like. I fear that I will not be able to make the difference in the world that I want to make. Not that I want to be known as Gandhi, or King, or Einstein, I just want to make a difference in the world that is important.
I hope you get better soon. I feel you.
Dan, I hope things improve for you soon. Personally, I'm afraid -almost paranoid- about missing doses. I've only been on meds for 5 months, but I haven't missed any so far. I felt so crappy when I had that nasty PCP a while back and do not wish to repeat that experience.
As to the biggest personal challenge, I guess it's not getting overwhelmed by all this. I'd not had any health concerns until a little over a year ago when I found out my HIV status. It's was a shock to find out that I really wasn't as invincible as I've always felt I was. I try not to think of any of this as permanent, although I know it is. It helps keep me from dwelling on it all. Take care.
David
It probably sound shallow but dealing with lipoatrophy has been my biggest challenge. I handled the other symptoms and side effects, the uncertainty about the future, the clinical trials, the medical bills, my partner being ill, etc with less difficulty. Because I've kept my HIV infection a secret from practically everyone the lipo stressed me out. When coworkers pulled me into their office and asked if I'm feeling okay, when family members made comments about how thin I am, when strangers made rude comments it all felt like a personal attack. I'd have to quickly think up an excuse to cover up the secret. It suck when you catch people talking about you behind your back. Part of me would like to just tell people and be done with it but I have my partner's feeling to think about. It's not my secret is our secret.
So if it is such a big secret why am I posting photos? Because I felt the need to share my lipo experience with other people who are going through it. Because I'm not ashamed of having HIV. Because if people find out about it they will just have to deal. My partner was not happy when I posted my lipo photos but since doing so I've received emails from over 300 people from literally around the world thanking me for doing so. He has since conceded that I did the right thing.
The knowledge that if I had started PrEP about 8 weeks earlier in 2014however if you had started using condoms to protect yourself from gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis, you could have also avoided HIV. The problem wasn't that you couldn't afford PrEP; but that you were not protecting yourself. I would suggest that not starting PrEP is not the biggest personal challenge you face regarding your HIV status; but not getting PrEP was a challenge regarding keeping your HIV negative status.
however if you had started using condoms to protect yourself from gonorrhea, chlamydia, or syphilis, you could have also avoided HIV. The problem wasn't that you couldn't afford PrEP; but that you were not protecting yourself. I would suggest that not starting PrEP is not the biggest personal challenge you face regarding your HIV status; but not getting PrEP was a challenge regarding keeping your HIV negative status.
what sort of challenges do you face now in regards to your HIV positive status?