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Author Topic: new to this  (Read 2062 times)

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Offline tomcat24

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new to this
« on: January 21, 2017, 03:19:40 pm »
Got my diagnosis two days ago, after nerve-wrecking three weeks of waiting. First came a high risk sexual exposure in the end of December when I was stupid enough to momentarily lower my guards. Then a bout of flu-like ilness followed in 12 days, which just reinforced my concern (I always get seasonal flu vaccination and therefore never go down for an entire week). Went to see a specialist as soon as I could crawl out of bed and told my suspicions. Called next day to hear the results and freaked out when she said that she did not have them yet, as something had popped up and the lab needed more time. Deep down I already knew that was it, despite the doctor saying this was not yet certain. So on D-Day, last Thursday, I took it in strides, partly because this forum and other web sources assured me HIV was no longer a death sentence. The doctor said the infection was indeed totally fresh as antibodies test was negative and virus was showing up in some other test (I assume PCR), then put me on meds right away (dual pill Truvada/Tivicay regimen) and took some more blood to run further tests (kidney, liver, etc etc) to establish a baseline. And now  the period of reflection and adaptation comes...
I consider myself rather lucky in some regards. Lucky, for instance, there was no coinfection with HCV which would have complicated treatment greatly. Lucky that I did not expose to the risk other people, especially my long-time domestic partner. Lucky that I live in a country where HIV treatment and care are available immediately and completely free of charge, latest treatment recommendations are followed, best medication accessible and specialists are outstanding. Yet, this is certainly a life changing event, with so many things to work through. Relationship, friendships, stigma, dependence on medication, etc etc. But this will have to wait until the first priority - getting the virus under control, becoming "undetectable" - has been dealt with. One step at a time, into the uncertain future...

Offline Jim Allen

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Re: new to this
« Reply #1 on: January 21, 2017, 03:30:10 pm »
Hi

Welcome to the forum.

Look I know this is a stressful time but living with HIV means live pretty much life goes on as normal except for taking your meds and the check-ups.

From your posts I understand you had antibody negative result and the doc said a other test (I presume p24 and not PCR) showed reactive. Its not normal to run both PCR and antibody for testing but antibody and Antigen (P24) a so called 4th gen or duo test is routine and recommended. They test for HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies and HIV-1 p24 antigen.

So your antigen initial reactive result needs follow-up testing to confirm the supplemental testing is with an immunoassay that differentiates HIV-1 from HIV-2 so for the moment I will ask you to only post in this one thread until your conformation testing is done.

Keep us posted on further results down the line.

Take it easy

Jim
« Last Edit: January 21, 2017, 03:50:42 pm by JimDublin »
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Offline tomcat24

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Re: new to this
« Reply #2 on: January 21, 2017, 03:59:47 pm »
Thanks for your reply, Jim! Indeed, you might be right about the test. I will know more after visiting my doc next week, and will ask which test made her confident of the positive diagnosis. In any case, she must be confident enough to put me immediately on ART.
During the days before tests and while waiting for the results, I went through a great deal of postings on this forum. It does sound that HIV is a manageable chronic condition. I might even get healthier than at any other point in my previous 40 years of life. Have to quit occasional smoking, cut on cholesterol inducing foods, drink less, exercise more... The main stuff is mental and emotional. Would rather prefer going to some uninhabited island and live there just by myself rather than deal with the inevitable collapse of my 15 year-long relationship or have to face other people and play that everything is perfect. Somehow some way it will blow over, but for now I just need to focus on the easy part - the medical one  :)

Offline Jim Allen

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Re: new to this
« Reply #3 on: January 21, 2017, 04:11:28 pm »
Hi

Yeah well whatever test it was conformation testing first and until than not much point worrying about anything. We see a few people and doctors make this mistake every month. 

Once you have conformation testing completed, hypersensitivity testing and resistance testing will be needed to confirm what treatment options will work best for you.

Now if you are diagnosed and confirmed to be HIV positive than indeed being newly diagnosed can make your head spin however long term everything is perfect, i mean most of today's population will live long enough to have a manageable illness at some stage in their lives and HIV is simply is not the game changer it once was.

Keep us posted in this thread only for the time being so we can keep an eye on how you are doing.

Jim
« Last Edit: January 22, 2017, 05:11:29 am by JimDublin »
HIV 101 - Everything you need to know
HIV 101
Read more about Testing here:
HIV Testing
Read about Treatment-as-Prevention (TasP) here:
HIV TasP
You can read about HIV prevention here:
HIV prevention
Read about PEP and PrEP here
PEP and PrEP

My Instagram
Threads

 


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