Newly HIV Poz 2.5 Weeks ago

[fer00]

Hello everyone.

I am a 27yrs male was diagnosed HIV positive on february 21,2013. I was not expecting it at all I went in because someone i was dating found out he had syphilis, I had no syphilis instead I was HIV positive. I was shocked, felt like my world ended, hopeless, like I was in a nightmare, my life had no meaning anymore. I've been really depressed, cant stop thinking about it.

Today I went in for my lab results. My CD4 was 354, no viral load results because the doctor forgot to order it. Everything else was fine except my liver tests weren't so good so he said that it could be HIV related or hepatitis so he wanted to do more labs before he started any treatment.

I'm very nervous I really hope I don't have Hepatitis on top of this,its the last thing I need. I feel fine physically but emotionally im such a mess. This is very hard to take. Any Advice?

[pittman]

So sorry for your diagnoses. Advice wise, I would just say to take a deep breath and know that you are far from alone in dealing with HIV. Expect it to be stressful in the beginning when you have to first go through all the tests and then *wait* on the answers. If you are like me, the waiting was hard, making feel like I should be doing something. It does get much better, especially after treatment is started and you start seeing lab results showing it under control.

While it is hard to always be rational in the beginning, here are a few more reassuring things to think about:

-realize that if it was going to happen, then you are at a point where the medical care options are very good. It can be controlled as well as most any other chronic condition.

-average life expectancy is pretty darn close to normal. If you now smoke and stop, or don't currently eat well and exorcize but start doing so, then with treatment you can probably more than off set any statistical impacts by building those healthy habits. A lot is really in your control that way.

-your CD4 count is reasonably good, and with treatment likely to rebound quite well still. 

As you get treatment and time goes on, this will become an increasingly smaller part of your daily life.  Yes, there are certainly emotional aspect that can be more challenging, but give yourself some time to work trough it. If you don't have a partner or close friend or family to lean on, then try to look up your local Aids Service Organization (ASO) to perhaps attend a support group meeting or two at least to talk to someone. Likewise, these forums can be a support.

I know how telling a stresses person to not be stressed rarely helps, so I will just let you know that it gets much easier, and the overwhelming feelings really will pass.

[fer00]

Thanks Pittman for the reply.

Has anyone else in here had the same problem where their liver tests were off? Im just hoping that this is related to HIV and nothing else. I don't want to have hepatitis on top of this. Too much to handle all at once.

[buginme2]

Thanks Pittman for the reply.

Has anyone else in here had the same problem where their liver tests were off? Im just hoping that this is related to HIV and nothing else. I don't want to have hepatitis on top of this. Too much to handle all at once.

There are a thousand reasons why liver tests can be off.  HIV is one of them.  Don't freak out about it.  Your doctor is doing the right thing screening you for hepatitis.

Everyone with HIV should be screened for hepatitis and then vaccinated against hep a and b. 

Take a deep breath and try not to let your mind get ahead of itself.  What I mean by that, is in the beginning its easy to start thinking what could be wrong and what could go wrong.  Don't look up hepatitis on the Internet or HIV and try and see if you have some complication or another.  Sometimes too much research is a bad thing, especially when you've just been told you have hiv. 

Just remember, you'll be ok.

[tednlou2]

Sorry to hear your test was poz.  You found out, before you got very ill in the hospital.  That is a huge plus!  I suspect your doc is just a family practice doc?  Odd he would forget to run viral load, if he was a specialist. 

About your liver-- Do you drink a lot?  Take medications?  Liver labs can be off for these reasons, as well as HIV.  I've often read acute HIV infection can cause the liver to get out of whack and even enlarge, but it often settles back to normal.  Mono often effects the liver.  Of course, there is the possibility you could have hepatitis.  Most people are not vaccinated for hep A and B.  I think most babies have been getting the vaccines for a while now.  But, no guarantee the vaccinations created a response.  You have to get titers checked to find out.  Hep C does create more challenges, especially being poz. 

But, no sense in putting the cart before the horse.  I would recommend thinking about seeing a therapist.  If you feel you are doing just fine, then you can stop going.  Even those who adjust quickly, often find it helpful to get out those initial fears, feelings of guilt, and potential anger out in the open.  I wish I would have found my therapist soon after my dx.  It was probably two years later--two too long, for me. 

Keep in touch.  Let us know what ya find out with the labs.  Try not to worry about something that may very well be nothing with your liver.  I know it is easier said than done.  I am a worrier. 

Ted

[fer00]

Thanks for the replies.

My doctor is a family doctor with experience with HIV, but he is not a specialist he said that if I do end up having hepatitis he will refer me to a infectious disease doctor, which I hope is not the case. I go to a clinic that has a lot of experience with HIV and is also very gay friendly. So far I like my doctor he explains everything to me really well and always asks if I have any questions.

[fer00]

I forgot to mention I drink socially probably once or twice a month. I don't take any medications.

[msavoy]

Hey Buddy,
I'm Mark, I just turned 34 on the weekend and I, was just diagnosed on Feb. 20th, almost the same day as you.  Same with me, my liver enzymes were a little high but the doctor said that it was normal with a recent hiv infection, so I wouldn't worry about it.

Like you, I was pretty upset and kind of numb for about the first week since it came as a huge surprise.  But the more I've been on here reading, and asking questions, the more comfortable I've become.  It still doesn't seem real somedays, especially since nothing has really changed, I haven't started taking medication or anything like that.  Maybe once I start taking medication it will seem more real.  I think the more we can educate ourselves, the less scary this disease will seem. 

I'm going to see the doctor again tomorrow for the rest of my test results.  So far I know that my viral load is around 150,000 and that I don't have hep c.  I'm hoping to find out my cd4 count tomorrow and from there I'll know what the next steps of my treatment are.

If you ever need to talk just shoot me off a message.  Try not to sweat it too bad, like other people have said to me on here already....we're definitely not alone ;-)
Good luck!
Cheers,
Mark

[fer00]

Thanks Msavoy. This is making me think if I got the right doctor or not. I feel like maybe the hepatitis tests should had been done from the beginning together with the cd4 and everything else also forgetting to order my viral load. Now i had to do more blood work and wait longer. I want to start treatment as soon as possible.

[mecch]

Thanks Msavoy. This is making me think if I got the right doctor or not. I feel like maybe the hepatitis tests should had been done from the beginning together with the cd4 and everything else also forgetting to order my viral load. Now i had to do more blood work and wait longer. I want to start treatment as soon as possible.

But you have to wait for the blood work.  Its just like that.  If you are a recent infection, your cd4 could be temporarily low...  The doctors will want to know what else is up with your health - hep or no hep, for example. And need to know what kind of HIV virus you have and which drugs will work.  All that, before you can think about starting HAART.
If you like your doc and communicate easily, I would suggest you mention the next time that its weighing on your mind about the forgotten viral level tests.  Since they are standard for a new diagnosis, and so necessary.  He should apologise and convince you that he's qualified, at that point.  Doctors do make mistakes, but this one is odd, yep.  If he brushes it off or has no response, yep, I would head to a different doctor, too...

[fer00]

Thanks Mecch. I will mention it next time.

[buginme2]

Thanks for the replies.

My doctor is a family doctor with experience with HIV, but he is not a specialist

If he is seeing many HiV patients check to see if he is credentialed as an HIV specialist with the American Academy of HIV medicine.  You can check on their website at www.aahivm.org

Do to the complexity of treating someone with HIV, I would either want my doctor to be credentialed or at least have a specialty in Infectious Disease (note, many HIV doctors are not infectious disease doctors, but they should still be credentialed with AAHIVM.). Most HIV clinics require that their HiV docs either be infectious disease or AAHIV credentialed.

[fer00]

If he is seeing many HiV patients check to see if he is credentialed as an HIV specialist with the American Academy of HIV medicine.  You can check on their website at www.aahivm.org.



thanks
I checked aahivm.org and he is not listed on there, there are 3 or 4 other doctors where I go that are listed on there. I researched my doctor and it says that he has experience working with LGBT, and has won some awards. I like him but I want to make sure that I am in the right hands, I want to start treatment right away I don't want to waste time.

[fer00]

So I heard from my doctor today he told me that the labs came back fine. My live is back to normal, no problems he said it could have been related to HIV or something else but my numbers are fine. Also the hepatitic C test came back negative thank god. My viral load is 4,000 which i was surprised I was expecting it to be way higher. Cd4 is 354. I want to start early with the treatment. He asked if I wanted to be part of this study that watches people who start treatment early, which im still thinking about.

[tednlou2]

So I heard from my doctor today he told me that the labs came back fine. My live is back to normal, no problems he said it could have been related to HIV or something else but my numbers are fine. Also the hepatitic C test came back negative thank god. My viral load is 4,000 which i was surprised I was expecting it to be way higher. Cd4 is 354. I want to start early with the treatment. He asked if I wanted to be part of this study that watches people who start treatment early, which im still thinking about.

So glad to hear your liver labs are normal, and you don't have hepatitis.  I assume they also tested for A and B.  Your viral load is good, too. 

All the best.  Glad you got some good news.

Ted