Author Topic: New Guy (Read 5422 times)

BillyPsych · « **on:** September 23, 2006, 12:00:11 pm »

Hello: I am new to this site so I am still learning how to navigate it. I am a 37 year old male, positive for 19 years. Granted I have had my aggravating illnesses throughout the years but now I am in relatively good health. I worked for the government for 19 years but medically retired a little early due to health issues, i.e. colon cancer (not HIV related) but after 5 surgeries and alot of support I am doing just fine now and no trace of cancer, I also had a stroke a year ago but also bounced back from that. I started HIV meds a few months ago due to my cells being on the low side (72) and my VL being on the high side (about a million). But since the meds my CD4 count has gone up and my VL has gone down. I considered myself a very blessed person and am, for the most part a happy person (but I do have my days). I live in Bristol, TN (I know what some of you are thinking..... HICKVILLE) but actually I love living in this area of the country, it is a very beautiful place and the people are friendly and I have top-notch medical care. I moved here from San Antionio about 10 years ago. Before moving here I worked with a private government foundation running a biopsychosocial program for military HIV positive people. Biopsychosocial, kinda of a big word but if you break it down into the three parts then it is BIO- the physical body; PSYCHO- The psychological aspect of a person; SOCIAL - How they interact socially. So basically I worked with a program where we looked at those three areas of people in the military and how HIV played a part. Then I switched gears and was offered a position in TN working with Military Veterans who had been diagnosed with a psychotic mental disorders.

So now I am in East TN and I do love it here. Anyway, I just thought I would introduce myself to everyone and look forward to interacting on here.

BillyPsych (p.s. The "Psych" part of my screen name stands for psychiatry and not psycho.

Teresa · « **Reply #1 on:** September 23, 2006, 12:06:21 pm »

WELCOME!!

Glad you found us. Look forward to hearing more about you.

Hugs
Teresa

Alain · « **Reply #2 on:** September 23, 2006, 12:20:06 pm »

DanielMark · « **Reply #3 on:** September 23, 2006, 12:23:00 pm »

Interesting history, Billy. Truly you are blessed.

All the best (from another long-term survivor),

Daniel

Life · « **Reply #4 on:** September 23, 2006, 12:26:21 pm »

Billy - Welcome to the forums.. Love to here from those who have been working through life... Post often!

Love

bedder1 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 23, 2006, 12:28:33 pm »

Hi Billy and WELCOME im new here myself..just tested positive a few weeks back and found this site right away and so glad i did

look forward to reading your thoughts in the forum
with 19 years of living with hiv you will surely be an asset here and who knows how mant newbies lives you may help change for the better?

all the best
jeff

Rightbrain · « **Reply #6 on:** September 23, 2006, 01:48:42 pm »

Hi Billy,

East Tenn is truly one of the most beautiful parts of the country. I'm glad you came by and I'm glad to hear that you're doing well.

brother joe

blondbeauty · « **Reply #7 on:** September 23, 2006, 02:30:27 pm »

Welcome, Billy.

poobear · « **Reply #8 on:** September 23, 2006, 03:10:40 pm »

Welcome to the Family Billy. So glad you found us. There is a bunch of great people here. I have been poz for 12 years now. It was nice to get to know your background. Hope to hear more from yu. Great Big Hug to you. Rachel

itslou · « **Reply #9 on:** September 23, 2006, 05:04:50 pm »

Hi Billy...
What a fascinating life and career. Congrats on your super recovery from your cancer battle.... I was diagnosed a little more then a year ago and I have been trying to keep a positive attitude and go on with my life as normally as possible. I started meds right away because my viral load was so high and my T-cells were on the low side.

After a year of medications, my VL is almost non-detected and my T-cells are up in the 600's. My triglycerides went out of control and I had to start taking Tricor for that...

My only issue is that I have a big problem taking big pills or capsules... I can't swallow them at all.. I've tried and tried, but I just can't do it. I think it has to do with the fact that i was born with a cleft palate/lip and have had several surgeries to repair it.... it may be pyschological... I don't know but I can't do it. I usually chew any meds take.. (tylenol, etc) or get the liquids (antibiotics). I have found that there aren't many of the HIV meds that are made in the liquid form.... I was taking Truvada, Sustiva and Valtrex when I first went on meds... I had to crush them up and put them in applesauce (one of those single serving cups that they have) and it was a real project to take my meds every night... but I knew I had to do it. Then they added Tricor because of my trygliceride level. After a year of taking my meds, my vl is almost non detectable and my t-cells have come up... so I asked my doctor if there was any other meds that were in a liquid form that I could take instead. he changed my Valtrex to Acycolvir Liquid, and my Sustiva to kalitra Liquid. The trade off is that those meds are 2x/day instead of the 1x/day I was used to. Also the side effects of the Kalitra seem worse then the Sustiva was... The Kalitra Liquid is so strong, it tastes like a shot of Jaggermeister... yuch.. It makes me dizzy and leaves a bad after taste as well as the feeling that my throat is really gritty for a while. I pour the Kalitra (5cc's - i know, it doesn't sound like much... ) over the 10cc's of the Acyclovir and its like taking a Slippery Nipple shot...lol only not as enjoyable. I still have to crush up the Truvada and the Tricor at night... I stick it in a shot glass and pour Pomagranate juice in it and shoot it down...lol I do find I get groggy after the Truvad at nght... If I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroon, I can tell how off balance I am... But I guess this is they way it is, and there's not much I can do to change that...

David84 · « **Reply #10 on:** September 23, 2006, 05:10:13 pm »

Hey Billy:

22 years here. New to the site as well.. great bunch! Welcome.

Hugs

Eldon · « **Reply #11 on:** September 23, 2006, 05:18:23 pm »

Hello Billy, it is Eldon.

I wanted to take a moment to extend to you a warm WELCOME to the forums. As you see there are many of us in the same boat. Here you will find encouragement, communication, support, some cries, some laughter, and you can even establish a new friendship. There is a lot of information on this site at your disposal.

DO feel free to come and vent from time-to-time as our group listens as well as answer you. You will find that you will have many of your questions answered relating to HIV/AIDS.

Have the BEST Day!

anniebc · « **Reply #12 on:** September 23, 2006, 05:53:07 pm »

Hi Billy

Welcome to the forum.

I started my nursing career (many years ago) as a Psychriatric nurse in England, lived in Australia for 20 years, did some General nursing, went into private pathology and then I took early retirement in 2003 because of my diagnosis and now own a small farm in NZ...been here 1.5 years now.

Your life has been full to say the least, glad to hear you are in a good place now and enjoying life in TN.

Hope to hear more from you...so stick around, the guys here are the best.

Hugs
Jan

BillyPsych · « **Reply #13 on:** September 23, 2006, 06:35:37 pm »

Thank you all for such a warm welcome. There are definately a wide variety of people on here and I am glad to be a part of it. I'm sure that as I learn more about how to use this site I will post pictures as I've noticed that many of you have done on here (who knew you could even do that).

david25luvit · « **Reply #14 on:** September 25, 2006, 08:00:12 am »

Hey Billy..........

WOW! That's quite an introduction. Welcome to the family, Good Buddy!
Sounds like you've had quite a journey but what an incredible attitude &
disposition. A big thumbs up and come on in and join the celebration.

David

IzPoz · « **Reply #15 on:** September 25, 2006, 08:15:54 am »

Hi Billy,

Welcome to the forums!! I absolutely love East Tennessee... well, ALL of TN to be exact... I have family in Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville.

Hope to get to know more about you!

Have a wonderful day!

Izzy
(who is running out the door to take her daughter to school and to go to work!)

Lisa · « **Reply #16 on:** September 25, 2006, 08:40:19 am »

Jump on into the hot tub darlin', the water's fine. You have a lot of us that live in proximity to you.
My whole adult life has been a psychosocial experiment....hehehe

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Author Topic: New Guy (Read 5422 times)