POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => I Just Tested Poz => Topic started by: remo85 on December 29, 2015, 10:03:09 am
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Hi i was diagnosed around 3 1/2 months ago and although ive been reading/hearing everywhere that people dont necessarily die from hiv i find myself quite anxious and stressed over the whole thing very often. I guess its still too soon to get the whole thing to set in completely . Ive been on atripla since the diagnosis and i didn't really get side effects from it but I do notice the bags under my eyes have become darker and more visible. I never really had a very healthy lifestyle . I used to drink a lot and not eat well. This all changed with the diagnosis off course. Along with the bags in the eyes ive also lost weight from cutting fats and eating greasy stuff . I guess my question is. Is this normal? Sounds small but it bothers me quite a bit because people are starting to ask about my health.... shouldnt one be looking better (not worse)after 3 months of medications?
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Welcome to the forums. Give yourself some time to adjust to living with HIV and I am confident you will get back to feeling like your old self again. Please don’t be too hard on yourself … stress can cause all of the things you mention.
Many of us here have lived with HIV for 30 or more years and if we can do it you can too .
I look forward to hearing more from you.
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Thanks jeff. Really appreciate it. I guess ill have to work harder on the mental part since i was dealing with untreated depression ans anxiety before the diagnosis. I just dont want it to mess up the treatment!
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I guess ill have to work harder on the mental part since i was dealing with untreated depression ans anxiety before the diagnosis. I just dont want it to mess up the treatment!
as we say around here, I'm sorry you had to find us; but I'm glad you found us. Whenever you have questions about living with HIV or the treatment feel free to ask. There are plenty of us who have been down this road, so there's lot of support and info here.
You certainly should talk to the doctor about your depression and anxiety since you are on Atripla. That med often has adverse mental effects and could make your depression worse than it already is. HIV treatment is frequently taken with other meds dealing with other issues so you don't need to worry about whatever your doctor might prescribe.
Not every problem you'll have will be related to the HIV or the meds. losing weight and stressing out about HIV could certainly make you look less healthy and that's probably what people are noticing.
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Hey remo85 - I am convinced that 90% of this battle is in the head. No, you will not just get sick and die. You stick to your meds religiously and you make a mental commitment that you are going to kick this thing's ass - NOT the other way around! Eating well and losing unneeded weight? Great! Now get your but into the gym and when people ask, you tell them that you're making some changes for the better. I've been HIV+ for 7.5 years, and, ironically, I've never been healthier. Don't be scared - this is not what it was in the 1980s. You can manage this, buddy! Use it as a springboard to be healthier then ever!
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remo85 - im almost in same boat as you - about 4 months since DX :( On Triumeq and just started Zoloft today. I have alot of anxiety and it got worse with DX and then other things that had happened in my life (i have a few long threads if you're bored and want something to read LOL.
This place is great - i can't even tell you how much it has saved my sanity and probably my life - especially when I feel alone and just very down. I too lost alot of weight during sero and was asked wow, what are you doing? LOL...I said just being healthy....that kinda fiend them off LOL
There are so many of what i think are experts on this board and caring people. :) Mental health though is very important - trust me I battle every day with feeling i am not worth anything and lower than a human :( It's not easy but i keep pushing on and I am finding flickers of light. :)
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Thanks jeff. Really appreciate it. I guess ill have to work harder on the mental part since i was dealing with untreated depression ans anxiety before the diagnosis. I just dont want it to mess up the treatment!
ojo Hello and welcome...I agree with Jeff, it seems that you are living with lots of stress...aas leatherman mentioned, if you have had some depression before your dx, you might have to let your doctor know about it, you can mention to him what leatherman just mentioned, it might give you a different medication and it MIGHT make you feel better, just consult with your doctor....and yes, you have to work hard with your mental part, tho, if you were having problems with depression on the past, it is worthy to let your doctor know about it, the remedy can not be worse than the illness....wishing you the best, keep strong and please, let us know about your progress, happy new year...hugs ojo
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Thanks a lot for the support and advice guys, really.
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Hi remo , I've been on Atripla for a few months now and besides from the odd dream here and there there most of the side effects have subsided. I'm not sure about the dark eye circles. Maybe its something to ask your specialist. Just keep taking your meds and don't let your mind get to you. Glad you have chosen to live a more happy lifestyle after your diagnosis. We are here to help.
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Hi, Remo... I feel your pain... But a lot of it is mental... It will take time to adjust to the meds and the beginning is rough but it subsides.. I lost a lot of weight but it never occurred to my primary to run an HIV test! I even went for a test for leukemia! It took trying to get insurance to discover the hard reality of HIV... Like you, and many here, people were concerned about my weight loss but I never felt ill, never felt miss one day of work.. I did feel strangely tired and driving home from work was hard.. Sticks to your meds. I even carry my daily dosage with me in case I go out for dinner or a night out. My doctor's words still resonate in my mind...'You are not dying from AIDS, you are living with HIV' She is just great! And that is the truth.. Come to the forums, hear their advice. These people, which I don't personally know, have kept my hopes high and my outlook rosy... They are great. Just great...