Introduction + Prostate Cancer

[Jim Allen]

@beauraingdance

Hiya, and welcome to the forums.

As you are new here, please post an introduction to let us know a bit more about you, such as how long you have been living with HIV,  how you are doing, how the treatment is going, etc.

Thanks

[beauraingdance]

I was diagnosed with aids 3 years ago, as well as Mac infection and serious Neuropathy in both legs. Now I am going through Hormone Therapy as well as Radiation for Prostate Cancer.(In the last 5 years, I have not been sexualy active.)
I am  58 and this final diagnosis places me in a very discouraging position, My  husband died 6 years ago of HIV. I have always been hopeful for my future, I have wonderful friends and support .
This just seems hopeless and lonely.
Has anybody struggled with this.

[beauraingdance]

Hi Thank you for the welcome,
I am 58  , I am widowed, my husband died 6 years ago, He died of HIV/Aids , I got very sick 3 years ago a count of 15, I was diagnosed with Aids and MAC Infection and Neuropathy in both legs, I spent 6 month in hospice at home . due to Covid I never stopped working I am still working today , recently I have been diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. I am now going through Hormone therapy and will start radiation next month, I was not a candidate for for surgery , due to my previous health conditions. The latest seems to be the biggest and the most troubling, As I am a very positive and hopeful person, I believed I would fall in love again, with PC comes impotence  and libido issues, even though I have not been sexualy active for a few years. This takes all the hope away.

[Jim Allen]

Hiya.

Really sorry to hear that your husband passed away and about the more recent ongoing struggles. Wishing you strength and all the best with the upcoming radiation therapy for cancer.

Ill split these posts into your own thread later today.

[beauraingdance]

Hi Jim,
My last Negative test was 8 years ago, after EB died I was not sexualy active , this all came upon me suddenly without warning, I was on a trip lecturing  in Florida Got sick and hospitalized within 4 weeks. I should have tested myself, after EB died I was under the impression I was safe.

Best , Zoltan

[Tonny2]

           ojo.           Hello and welcome!!!…sorry to hear about your husband, nowadays, I’m here us treatment, effective treatment to treat hiv/aids, what happened, if you don’t mind me asking?…it is what it is, now you have hiv, you treat it, you will be fine…I’m sorry about your prostate cancer, I don’t know anything about your condition I can only wish you good luck and let you know that we are here for you…about a relationship, at our age, I think, sex isn’t that important although, there are other things you can try sexually with your partner, more importantly, we need more companionship and someone to be there for us, lei capice?…hugs.

[beauraingdance]

Hi,
Thank you for your kind concern, I was diagnosed with advanced Aids not HIV, luckily the Meds work for me, Due to the advanced illness, I developed MAC infection and Neuropathy and other debilitating complications, I guess I should have been tested earlier , all of this could have been avoided. Sex for me is not my concern but a partnership and a loving support such as I had with my husband is very missed. due to all  this I do have quality of life and support from friends and family. But something else is missing.
Warmly, Zoltan

[Tonny2]

          ojo.        Hello again!…I’m sorry about my previous post, I dictate to my cell phone and it seems to type whatever it wants to type, I use dictation because I’m legally blind due to CMV retinitis. I, like you, had AIDS(28 years ago), I only had 20 soldiers (cd4) and lived with AIDS for 5 tears more after my aids dx. I, like you, had MAC infection, PCP, three different epusodes, mollyscous contagious, DILS, Vasculatis, cmv, neuropathy, and some more info nfections, but now, I just have hiv with nfection, fortunally I survived AIDS, my cd4 now = 800, lucky me. I suppose you are not longer living with aids, are you?…I was wondering why you and your husband didn’t get tested fir hiv?, so f you don’t me nd me asking, he might be around the if he would have been tested even with f he got an opportunist infection, he could have be treated, did he quit?…any way, as I mentioned before, now, you know you are living with hiv/aids, now you treat yourself and you will be around for a long time, as long as you take you med/s as prescribed…I’m glad you have friends that support you…please keep us posted…good luck

[beauraingdance]

Hi again,
I got a negative test 7 years ago, as I was not sexually active  for 7 years after EB died, He was being treated but died of a heart attack.
Can you tell me how MAC has affected you?

[Tonny2]

           ojo.            Hi again!…I’m sorry about the passing of your husband, I almost died of a heart attack in 2010 after hemolic anemia, where my own inmune system was attacking my red blood cell, I had only 4 dl of blood out of f 12, I think, but for some reason I’m hard to kill, like the movie…well, I don’t have any problems with MAC, although it’s hard to tell because of the three different episodes of PCP because, according with the pulmonologist, my lungs look like smoker’s lungs (scaring) eventhough i’ve never smoked in my life…do you have problems due to MAC?

[beauraingdance]

Hi, I really don't know what to expect, so  many things happen in my body now .
With the hormone therapy for Prostate Cancer, I get hot flashes feel sad and   cry over simple things ( I rarely cry ) soon I will start Radiation for 9 weeks, I am a ballet Professor and worry about  teaching in the next few weeks. I lost a lot of my balance and my feet feel like bricks my walking is  odd and weird neurological problems, the funny thing is having been a professional dancer I find it easier to demonstrate to my students .I am so happy to have someone to talk too, I have been doing this on my own , started thinking that I was all alone dealing with this. I am  so grateful for life  . While I was sick, I was told  that with MAC had only a few month survival rate , now it has been a few years, and I do not know what I might expect in the future. Warmly, Zoltan

[Tonny2]

             ojo.           Hi!!…i feel bad you are going through all these problems, it seens take me that your walking problems have to do with neuropathy, are you taking meds for it?, talk to your doctor about treatment for neuropathy like Lyrica. Like I told you, I don’t know anything about prostate cancer, naybe you are feeling overwhelmed about it abd you need support, we are here for you, trust me, it’s good to talk to us about anything, you will feel accompany during this difficult time…all I know about prostate cancer is that mist of the time, ut encapsulate in the prostate and stays there, I hope is your case…about your teaching ballet, talk to your doctor about treatment for neuropathy and I read in here “studies and research”, that working out your legs (gym) it might help you with balance, check it out…wishing you the best and renember that you are not alone, we are here fir you whenever you feel down and lonley…hugs

[beauraingdance]

Hi, I take Gabapenten 300 MG 3 times a day for neuropathy. It does help. My prostate cancer is aggressive but contained, whatever that means LOL. I have worked out done almost everything the NR stays  the same. I have wonderful friends, I feel I am alone  with all this, and that is OK. I do miss my husband he was such  a force for my mental state.
Thank you, Zoltan