POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: thatpaulieguy on March 26, 2013, 01:17:22 pm
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Hey all
Im so glad I found these message boards, I am 23 and have been positive seen november. I have been looking for places to talk to people and get support but i can never seem to find anything. I have a few questions like my doctor got me onto sickness benefits but i want to go back to work (i work in childcare) and she insists she doesn't think it would be a good idea, I'm not sure what to do since i feel 100% healthy my only worry is if I go to work then get on meds and I get a side effect that is bad. Also, should i be looking into dieting and if so what kind of diets?
Im sorry if this doesn't make sense lol, it is 3am here atm.
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Hi Paulie and welcome to the forums . Its hard to have an opinion about your doctor wanting you to remain on benefits for the time being without knowing exactly the reasons behind it . I always give great weight to what my doctors advise but in the end I try and make my own decision when I have all the facts laid out before me .
You have youth and a doctor who seems to be looking out for you so all in all I would say you are off to a good start .
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Hi there and welcome! Like Jeff said, it's hard to help unless we know a few more details.
I work in childcare too. I was back in the week after I found out and it was the best thing I could have done. The kids cheered me up no end and suddenly it all didn't seem so bad.
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Welcome here.
Why doesn't she want you to go back to work? Have you been out of work for awhile?
Explain the question about diets. Are you overweight? Or, are you asking about special diets for HIV+ people?
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hey guys thanks for all the replies, she thinks that the stress of working with kids would be to much and make my symptoms get worse. But it's great to know that there are other positive people working in childcare, I saw my sexual health doctor at the hospital today and he told me my tcells are up to 600 and he disagreed with my doctor and told me to go back to work. On the subject of diet I am overweight and nothing has ever seemed to work, I just want to be as healthy as I can be.
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hey guys thanks for all the replies, she thinks that the stress of working with kids would be to much and make my symptoms get worse. But it's great to know that there are other positive people working in childcare, I saw my sexual health doctor at the hospital today and he told me my tcells are up to 600 and he disagreed with my doctor and told me to go back to work. On the subject of diet I am overweight and nothing has ever seemed to work, I just want to be as healthy as I can be.
I would say if your CD4 count is 600 and you feel like working then go for it . I would definitely look into how your medical cost and medications factor into the situation before I made the decision . You may need to do a little planning ahead to make sure your transition back to work goes along seamlessly with your health care needs .
If you want to lose weight , check and see if your clinic has a nutritionist to help guide you . The clinic I attend helped me gain some weight .
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Stress from working with kids??? You're doing it wrong ;)
For me working with kids is one of the best things in life, I love it. Getting back to work was the best thing for me, I couldn't help but have fun, smile and enjoy myself. Like Jeff said, ease yourself in though, a few hours here and there so as not to be too much. I really found it hard to walk in the door on the first day but afterwards I knew it was for the best.
What symptoms exactly would be made worse by going back? And I don't personally see why you should have to have a CD4 count over 600 to work.
I did buy some hand gel though, they're full of germs ;)
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Yeh I really don't know either myself why she said that, I'm currently looking for a new doctor. I really miss working with the kids, I had a few initial things I was afraid of but now that I have educated myself more on HIV I feel 100% comfortable with going back. When I was first diagnosed I fell apart and let my life go to crap, now I want to start cleaning my life up. Thankyou for all your advice guys
Much Love
Paulie
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What "symptoms" concern you, or this doctor??
It seems really odd that she wouldn't want you to work. Unless maybe you are suffering some effects of having HIV... (you haven't mentioned any here to us).
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It sounds as though your doctor is concerned for your mental well being. Your 'life falling apart' sounds like a breakdown to me (correct me if I'm wrong). It can be hard to get back to work after such an event but it's definitely the right thing to do, just as long as it's managed properly.
Like you I had initial feelings of panic regarding my job but, like you, educated myself. I now have no issues regarding HIV and work, it's fine.
Going back to work should have nothing to do with you CD4 count and everything to do with you feeling it's right for you, which you seem to do. Get back and start living your life again.