Well... Here I am.

[Myrikal]

Tested positive April 21rst, 2024. Four days before my 53rd birthday. What a present!  I was in a relationship for a little over a year or atleast was led to believe I was. Funny thing was I didn't start having unprotected sex until the last four to five months of the relationship. Still, as angry as I am with him, I am even more angry at myself. I actually started feeling muscles aches and fatigue and knew that something was awfully wrong. My viral load was 105000 and CD4 count was 400. I spent the first week crying, unsure what to do. I started Dovato the day after my diagnosis. I am now on day twenty nine of Dovato. No more muscle aches and no more fatigue. I did have some pretty awful side effects, mostly fever but they have completely subsided and I feel much better. Atleast physically I feel better but mentally, I am not ok. I have not told my family, don't know how to. I am afraid they will not take it very well. I have told a couple of my very best friends. They were and are my rock through all of this so far. My support system is small and I am just afraid that now, I will never find any one to love me like this. Yeah... I know stupid feeling but I am almost kind of ashamed of myself. I never thought for one second that this was going to be the way I finished my life.

[Jim Allen]

Hiya.

Sorry about the diagnosis, but glad to hear you have access to and have started treatment and an easy one at that. The ART didn't give you a fever.

I have not told my family, don't know how to

Why would you? Is there a reason you want to share this with them?

am afraid they will not take it very well.

Why? Surely it's not because you had sex, I mean they did not think you were a 53-year-old virgin and we all know sex comes with risks.

I will never find any one to love me like this. Yeah... I know stupid feeling but I am almost kind of ashamed of myself. I never thought for one second that this was going to be the way I finished my life.

You are 53, so far from finished and having HIV doesn't define you. I would be more stressed about herpes than HIV.

Anyhow, it is early days, you are still digesting the diagnosis and getting your head around it, a few months from now you will no longer even think about it. I'm not in the most helpful mood tonight, sorry about that, but I just wanted to say "Hi" and let you know you are not alone, we're here for you.

[Tonny2]

            ojo.             Hello there!… Welcome to the forum. Well, like Jim just said, if you’re having sex, unprotect sex, you run the risk of getting no just HIV but other STIs. You are no alone, We are here for you to support you at least until you learn how to live with HIV.


Ask Jim said, you are not dying, so there is no need to tell your family about having HIV but, if you want to tell them, I would recommend you to digest the news first and then share your condition with others. i’ve been living with this condition for 29 years and just my family knows about it and this is because I was dying of pneumonia. Otherwise I would have never told them, I respect the choices others make… you are going to be fine just take your medication, just one pill at day, and you can go back to live a normal life to not think about telling anyone about your status or thinking about finding love until you learn how to live with your new normal. Again, we are here for you. Please keep us posted… Hugs.