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Author Topic: How often do you see your HIV Doc?  (Read 13918 times)

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Offline wisewoof

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How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« on: March 11, 2009, 11:11:21 am »
My HIV doctor recently retired so I am with a new guy who is well respected in the community and, from what I can tell, quite brilliant.

However, after 14 years of quarterly doctor visits and blood draws my new doctor only wants to see me every 6 months.  Mind you, my condition is largely unchanged.  T4 cells just under 500 and VL <50, on disability due to chronic fatigue and chronic infections (mostly colds - I seem to catch everything).

My question (perhaps a poll?) are bi-annual visits and blood draws becoming the norm?

I also have the same problem as JesseLY in the sense that as long as my numbers stay the same the doc just punches my card and says "see you in six months."  Anyone else experiencing 6 month cycles?

Offline RWR

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #1 on: March 11, 2009, 12:05:24 pm »
Hi WiseWoof my Doctor wants to see me every 3 months.  Every month if She is trying to adjust something. I would rather see Her every 6 months.
Hiv+ 1986


Bobby

Offline pozniceguy

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #2 on: March 11, 2009, 01:47:55 pm »
Yes to the six month routine..after 10 yrs of quarterly visits the Dr said  your history and trends are good so we will try six months..been a couple of years now  so far no major changes in the status....  doesn't mean you wont get other issues (  colds/ pneumonia/ shingles etc) to deal with but those issues require more or at least different attention than routine  blood draws...

Nick
remember the good times...honor the past but don't live there
Le stelle la notte sono grandie luminose, nel cuore profondo del Texas

Offline Texan38

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #3 on: March 11, 2009, 05:22:39 pm »
Same here, my Drs visits have just been moved to 6 months which is great news for my veins - they need a break!
In Hollywood an equitable divorce settlement means each party getting fifty per cent of publicity.
~ Lauren Bacall

Offline dgr20002

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #4 on: March 11, 2009, 06:51:36 pm »
I go about every 4 months.

David

Offline RapidRod

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #5 on: March 11, 2009, 06:57:09 pm »
I just started going every four months and that will depend if they can get my histo level under control.

Offline Dwayn20

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #6 on: March 11, 2009, 10:02:55 pm »
It depends right now about once a month for HIV clinic an other clinics some every two month it get tiresome but until they get cholesterol an high blood pressure under control I go when they say.Dwayn20 (Scooter)

Offline aztecan

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #7 on: March 11, 2009, 10:34:25 pm »
I have labs done every six months or so. I've been doing that for a while now, about five or six years.

I don't mind it at all. If there is something amiss, I see the vampire more often.

That has been the case with my lipids. While I don't have my CD4s and viral loads done more than a couple times a year, the lipids are turning into a monthly blood draw.

HUGS,

Mark

"May your life preach more loudly than your lips."
~ William Ellery Channing (Unitarian Minister)

Offline Dwayn20

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #8 on: March 11, 2009, 10:47:23 pm »
Amen Dwayn20 AKA(Scooter)

Offline buca45

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #9 on: March 12, 2009, 07:43:39 pm »
You are all so fortunate to go every 4 - 6 months!
I go once every 4-6 weeks and have for the past 6 years. While I don't mind it he doesn't seem to be listening to me very well as I cannot get him to realize I am in pain most of the day..every day.
I see him on the 19th at which time I will not leave his office until he discusses this pain situation with me and offers a solution.
"Love and Laughter and Happiness Ever After"

Offline lforsyth

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #10 on: March 13, 2009, 09:07:12 am »
I see my doctor every 3 months.  They draw 8 or more vials of blood for various tests.  I'm going in on Monday, 03/16 for my annual physical.
Tested POZ in 1986, knew there was something wrong in 1985. 04/2010 CD4: 975 Viral Load undetectable. Prezista, Norvir, Truvada, Acyclovir, Plavix, Lisinopril, Metoprolol and a bedtime snack of Lipitor (YUM)

Offline BT65

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #11 on: March 13, 2009, 09:39:37 am »
I would love to start seeing my doctor every 6 months instead of every 3.  I'm going to discuss that situation with him when I see him next, which should be very soon.
I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

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Offline Dachshund

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #12 on: March 13, 2009, 09:49:21 am »
Every six months for me with never the worse for wear. After years of going every three months and getting the same basic report, I suggested to my doc we do this little dance every six months. He agreed. Hopefully the Ryan White/ADAP funds that I don't use going every three months, goes to someone else in need.

Offline AndyArrow

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2009, 03:50:51 am »
I see my ID doc every 3 months but my cd4 is still hovering around 200 at my last two appointments.  If things go well I'll definitely ask about pushing that out a little further.
It is not the arrival that matters.  It is the journey along the way. -- Michel Montaigne

Offline sharkdiver

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2009, 09:06:42 pm »
I get my blood drawn every 3 months, but I haven't been going in every time because Kaiser has a great e-mail system. However, there was a time a few years ago i was going once a month.

Offline Cheryl J

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #15 on: March 21, 2009, 02:50:13 am »
Because I'm dealing with diabetes and lipid issues, I see my doc every 3 months with labs.  This has been going on for 20 yrs.

Offline BT65

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #16 on: March 21, 2009, 08:01:29 am »
I have diabetes and problems with cholesterol/triglycerides as well, but I'm starting to think every 3 months is a big waste of Medicare funds.
I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

Condom and Lube Info https://www.poz.com/basics/hiv-basics/safer-sex
Please check out our lessons on PEP and PrEP. https://www.poz.com/basics/hiv-basics/pep-prep

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Offline Miss Philicia

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #17 on: March 22, 2009, 02:39:31 am »
Well hell, my numbers are better than most of you 6 month'ers and I'm going every 4 months.  They've been stable since mid-2006 too so that's almost 2 years, but then I ponder that it's only been 14 months since I stopped injecting Fuzeon and that makes me more cautious.

I can't see going less than every 4 months considering my past history.  I can't even say that if they remain stable for another 2 years I'd change the frequency.  I just think that would get into a slippery slope where 6 months becomes once a year, and then you'd be screwed if things when wacky a month after your yearly visit. 
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline J.R.E.

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #18 on: March 22, 2009, 06:17:09 am »
Hi,

I thought I had answered this somewhere else. But after five and a half years of getting blood tests,( in those early days it was once every 3 weeks or so),   I am still receiving them every 3 months. Currently, I'm ok with that set-up.


Ray
Current Meds ; Viramune / Epzicom Eliquis, Diltiazem. Pravastatin 80mg, Ezetimibe. UPDATED 2/18/24
 Tested positive in 1985,.. In October of 2003, My t-cell count was 16, Viral load was over 500,000, Percentage at that time was 5%. I started on  HAART on October 24th, 2003.

 As of Oct 2nd, 2023, Viral load Undetectable.
CD 4 @676 /  CD4 % @ 18 %
Lymphocytes,absolute-3815 (within range)


72 YEARS YOUNG

Offline gregoryagogo

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #19 on: March 22, 2009, 10:56:21 am »
Every 3 months for me.
-Gregory

Offline decayingsinner

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #20 on: March 24, 2009, 11:52:07 pm »
I have a question.. I was suppose to meet with my doc @ Univ. of Penn on Monday but I got a call last week and they said he had a family emergency come up and they would have to reschedule. They said once he has a date of availability they would call back to re-schedule. I had to call them anyways to get a new subscription mailed to me. How long should I wait before I find out? They said I could schedule an appointment with a nurse practitioner, but I want to see my ID doc because I've had strep twice and an URI since I've last seen him and feel my lab results might be affected by this. It's concerning me everyday. I feel like someone close to him may have passed and don't want to be rude but at the same time I've only been diagnosed 1 year and not sure what an importance it is to stick to the 3 month appointments.

Offline Pozinmaine

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #21 on: May 13, 2009, 03:53:44 pm »
This is an interesting topic.  I have been pozitive for over 20 years and have had it with doctor visits!  It is everything I can do to bring myself to make an appointment and I usually wait until they track me down or refuse me refills without a visit.  It is much too often and I have spent years off meds to avoid doctors.  Sounds ridiculous, I know.  Meds do little but make me violently ill and while my viral load decreases on meds I have never gained substantial T-cells (around 60 at most).  My last visit was a fiasco having driven 2 and a half hours each way to meet with a medical student who couldn't pick a last name let alone a specialty.  My doctor seemed outraged that I felt my time was wasted on little Cindy Loo Hoo's medical training.  I'm ready to call it quits and let the chips fall where they may.  I can't imagine taking meds for another 20 years.

Offline BT65

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #22 on: May 13, 2009, 06:46:07 pm »
This is going to be the first time it's been 6 months since my last appointment, and I'm thrilled.  I hope it stays this way.

Decaying, no offense, but this forum is for long-term survivors. 
I've never killed anyone, but I frequently get satisfaction reading the obituary notices.-Clarence Darrow

Condom and Lube Info https://www.poz.com/basics/hiv-basics/safer-sex
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Offline LiveWithIt

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #23 on: July 26, 2009, 11:43:22 pm »
My old doctor (before I moved) saw me every 4 months.

This new one wants to see me every three months.  So far that is fine with me.
Pray God you can cope
I know you have a little life in you yet.
I know you have a lot of strength left.

Offline unclespongebob

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #24 on: September 09, 2009, 07:42:37 am »
im every 4 months
friends are gods way of apologizing to us for our familys. / a real friend os one who walks in when the rest of the world walks out. / everybody wants to ride with you in the limo,but what you need is sombody who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down./ one friend in a lifetimeis much; two are many; three are hardly possible.

Offline lforsyth

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Re: How often do you see your HIV Doc?
« Reply #25 on: September 23, 2009, 01:08:47 pm »
Every 3 months including my annual checkup.  I guess I have to go this often because I got Hepatitus-B in the mid 70's.  They draw 8 to 9 vials of blood every visit. My latest visit, last Wednesday, we decided to change one of my meds from Viracept to Prezista/Norvir.  He told me that I was only on Viracept because that's what my previous doctor put me on but that he would not start a patient on it now.

I'm also on Epivir and Zerit.  The doctor told me I'll be on some form of Epivir the rest of my life after they found that it controls Hep-B.  I tried Epzicom before there was a good allergy test and scared everyone at work due to my allergic reaction.

Infected in the early 80's my immune system held out until the viral load test was available in 1997. CD4 was just over 300 but the viral load was way over minimum to start treatment.  Normally my viral load is undetectable but my previous visit it registered 70 (not bad) and my CD4 was 950 (down from 1100).

I should get the latest results soon.  Over all doing well so I can't complain but I am going to a counselor. Also learning sign language at work because I've always been interested in it and it gets my mind off other things.
Tested POZ in 1986, knew there was something wrong in 1985. 04/2010 CD4: 975 Viral Load undetectable. Prezista, Norvir, Truvada, Acyclovir, Plavix, Lisinopril, Metoprolol and a bedtime snack of Lipitor (YUM)

 


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