Deported

[RMalongo]

Good evening everyone,

I don’t even know where to start with…
I am exposed to blood at work as I do surgeries and I had only 2 partners last year who told me they were negative…

My testimony is not only about having been tested positive to Hiv but how …

I was living in Dubai and had a successful career and social life until the day I went to renew my visa (medical check with blood test including Hiv) and the nightmare began…

I was called to repeat a blood test on a specific day in a uncivilized supposedly medical center without being told why and what 3 days after the initial blood test.

After doing the next blood test, I am taken to a « repatriation » office who kept my passeport and told me to come back the next day without any explanation…

Of course after 3 days of insomnia and litres of wine and pills to sleep (suspecting something was wrong), I am told by an officer (not even a doctor) I need to leave the country within 3 days and I cannot take my passeport (my employer will give it me…) and I banned permanently from entering the country (As if I would ever go again to such a horrible fake country).

WELCOME TO DUBAI !!! It is not what you see on TV, it is the worst nightmare that does not respect humans unless they are cash cows…

I immediately booked a ticket within 3 days, left everything behind me (hopefully had some friends to take care of clearing my stuff…) and landed in Paris (finally civilisation and human respect) to be told I am positive to HIV since probably couple of weeks (work related? Sex related? No need to know, it is what is now and I have to take my vitamin pill like I call it hehe BIKTARVY)…

I believe things happen for a reason and my new medical
Condition made me leave this horrible place that does not have any respect for humans…

I do not wish for anyone to discover they are positive in such a way, I hope I can get off anxiety pills as this trauma is still affecting my sleep quality…

Best of luck for all

[Jim Allen]

Hiya,

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but glad to hear that you have started treatment.
How is treatment going? Has the viral load already decrease? Are you taking any antibiotics to prevent infections, or were your CD4 counts still high?

Best, Jim

WELCOME TO DUBAI !!! It is not what you see on TV, it is the worst nightmare that does not respect humans unless they are cash cows…

horrible place that does not have any respect for humans…

Not sure what's on TV but it sounds exactly as I had expected from your post. Prehaps nicer than I had imagined, even given other accounts I've heard over the years.

[RMalongo]

Good morning,

Thank you for your reply!

I started it 3 weeks ago and next check up is in July.
No need for antibiotics as I think the CD4 was within the norm.

No side effects at all of the treatment. Sleep is a big issue with nightmares but I think this is normal after such a traumatisme…

I just wanted to share my experience of Dubai to bring awareness for people who would think of moving there …. If they are free of HIV….

[fabio]

Hello,it's quite horrible to be deported because you have a condition. It is after all an extreme country (no matter how flashy and rich it gets).
How are you doing now ? Did you get a new job,are the meds ok with you? How are you feeling now in general?
I know bombarding you with questions won't help much but it's a good thing you left the place and are in a safer and more secure country (in terms of treatment and help). Hope everything is good now.

[RMalongo]

Thank you for your message Fabio.

Psychologically, I wouldn’t say I am 100% as I am waking up a lot during the night since 3 weeks with nightmares…

Or else, health wise, no change, I did not have any sign of infection…

For sure, this happened for a reason! Me to leave this horrible country…

This forum helped me alot reading all these positive feedbacks.

Thank you all

[leatherman]

No need for antibiotics as I think the CD4 was within the norm.

if your cd4 count <200 then you would need to take an antibiotic (bactrim/septra) as a preventative/prophylaxis against the aids-related pneumonia PCP.

don't get too hung up on cd4 numbers. there really isn't a "norm" but a range. The "normal" range is anywhere from 400 to 1200 (it's a very big range). Also it's a measure of the quantity of cd4s cells and not a measure of the quality of your immune system. How strong your immune system is dependent on the genetics you got from your parents. Some people with low cd4s don't get sick much while others with high cd4s can get ill. What really matters is getting and keeping your viral load below 200

In the end, all we can do to help our cd4 count (immune system) is to be adherent to antiretrovirals (meds to stop HIV from replicating, which stops HIV from destroying tcells), and all the regular "living well" stuff - exercise, good diet, reduce stess, etc.

[RMalongo]

Thank you for the reply and information.
It is much appreciated.

I am not really worried about this but more about accepting the diagnosis and living with it now…

[PozChilean]

Places like the UAE are known for doing this horrible type of things to HIV+ positive and for that reason it's on my list of places to avoid no matter what.
I hope you're feeling better @RMalongo 

[RMalongo]

Yes It was a nightmare indeed.

Thankfully feeling better already being home and on biktarvy which is free of side effects as for 3 weeks now…

Thank you for your message

[nethan1621]

Ops i feel you.. i mean i feel you yes bcz im in the same situations… these places are real time living hell if you exposed you status without knowing or knowing your status . thats why i used to do my test always in another country regularly. Im
Happy you left there and now  in a place where you can be happy and feel safe.

[RMalongo]

Yes, just working in the post trauma psychological effect…

Where do you live?