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Author Topic: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????  (Read 38130 times)

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Offline AustinWesley

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Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #100 on: March 04, 2007, 11:10:59 pm »
Thanks Tigger!

Yep, NO major issues so far.   I'm much relieved.   Tonite will be 2nd night, but I'm not worried so things are looking up!   

Really, I think I need a to start a new thread now about my "med" non issue or something.   I just hope it stays that way.

Take care & thanks!

Wesley
Diag. 3/06  Infected aprx. 2 mo. Prior
Date        CD4   %      VL
4/6/06     627    32    36,500     NO MEDS YET!
6/7/06     409    27    36,100
8/23/06   408    25     22,300
1/2/07     354    23     28,700
2/9/07     139    30     23,000  Hep A Vaccine same day???
2/21/07   274    26     18,500 
3/3/07    RX of Truvada/Sustiva Started.
4/5/07    321     27      Undectable 1st mo.  
5/16/07  383     28    Undectable 2nd mo.
8/10/07  422     32   UD <48 on new scale!

Offline Ihavehope

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  • Yes, I'm a cry baby, AND WHAT?
Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #101 on: March 05, 2007, 10:19:26 am »
Hey Austin

You took the took the big step of meds. I am proud of you and am happy your first night on meds was uneventful. Supposely the first weeks are the most difficult and if you can handle the first weeks without much happening then you have succeeded. Keep us posted and let us know how night 2 went.

I totally agree with you about getting more side-effects on anti-depressents than the meds. I literally was going crazy with the side-effects of anti-depressants and had to end them after 2 weeks. I was expecting the worse from HAART but it turned out to be less uneventful than anti-depressants, go figure.

Love,

Al
« Last Edit: March 05, 2007, 10:20:58 am by Ihavehope »
Infected: April 2005
12/6/06 - Diagnosed HIV positive
12/19/06 - CD4 = 240  22% VL = 26,300
1/4/07 - CD4 = 200 16% VL = ?
2/9/07 = Started Kaletra/Truvada
3/13/07 = CD4 = 386 22% VL ?

Offline AustinWesley

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Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #102 on: March 05, 2007, 12:32:19 pm »
Hey Al,

Well, day 2 and I had zero side effects.   I even took them 45 minutes earlier to see if anything would happen before I went to bed.   Nothing I could notice, maybe got sleepy a little earlier.

Slept great! So, day 3 is here.   

I think the psychological effects were far greater from my own fear.   It was interesting to me that the pharmacist pointed out the side effects of Sustiva/Truvada weren't much different from the majority of prescriptions.   That pharmacist also gave me her own point of view that the patients that seemed to have problems were on multiple other prescriptions.   

You know that prior doctor I fired said she wasn't going to prescribe anything with Sustiva including Atripla because she felt I'd have a lot of side effects.   Hmm, well so far she has been wrong on everything and I'm glad I didn't listen to her.

I have to run, but wanted to leave a quick message here.   There's a tremendous fear of meds out there.   Well, so far I can't personally say I've had anything to report.   I haven't even eaten very nutritional food this week.   The only thing I didn't do was have anything to drink (alcohol).    I figure in a couple weeks I should be completely adjusted and then I'll have a drink or 3 if I like.   For now, there hasn't been anything I could complain about.

Glad you are doing well also.   I know I turned into a blubbering mess before and now feel slightly embarrassed ; )

Much love,

Wesley

Diag. 3/06  Infected aprx. 2 mo. Prior
Date        CD4   %      VL
4/6/06     627    32    36,500     NO MEDS YET!
6/7/06     409    27    36,100
8/23/06   408    25     22,300
1/2/07     354    23     28,700
2/9/07     139    30     23,000  Hep A Vaccine same day???
2/21/07   274    26     18,500 
3/3/07    RX of Truvada/Sustiva Started.
4/5/07    321     27      Undectable 1st mo.  
5/16/07  383     28    Undectable 2nd mo.
8/10/07  422     32   UD <48 on new scale!

Offline Ihavehope

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  • Yes, I'm a cry baby, AND WHAT?
Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #103 on: March 05, 2007, 12:35:36 pm »
Oh girl,
Don't feel embarrased. You had a reason to be afraid and overwhelmed. I cried and screamed here and there was one or two folks who called me cry baby but I am a cry baby so they really didn't tell me anything i didn't know. Well girl, you shall do fabulous, just like me.

Al
Infected: April 2005
12/6/06 - Diagnosed HIV positive
12/19/06 - CD4 = 240  22% VL = 26,300
1/4/07 - CD4 = 200 16% VL = ?
2/9/07 = Started Kaletra/Truvada
3/13/07 = CD4 = 386 22% VL ?

Offline megasept

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  • Steven here...
Re: HELP! Lab Tests & AIDS vs. HIV Terminology
« Reply #104 on: March 05, 2007, 01:11:46 pm »
UPDATE:  See my last post.  What do you think???????

Now I know why my doctor didn't return my call back with my labs.   I am shaking right now because of this.  Why did I ever listen to him and believe I could go for years or even months?

Now I HAVE AIDS?

How the fuck could this have happened?

My last test results are below, this info I finally got out of the nurse as the worst wake up call of my life a few minutes ago.

My heart is racing and I am totally freaked out.

MY CD4 is now 139   AIDS?

Hands are shaking as I type this..........  How could this happen in a MONTH?

Right now I need serious help, and I can't understand this.   Don't listen to any doctor telling you this crap of years and years.

Wesley


Wesley: Sorry you're going through a rough patch. You're tough enough to publicly admit how scared and angry you are right now.

Two simple points:

1) Let's not make "AIDS" diagnosis vs. an "HIV" diagnosis into a big deal. Let's stick to analyzing the numbers, trends, and percentages. Same virus. I know you understand this intellectually, but somehow this shit gets into our subconscious and plays with our already-elevated fears (I believe our dreams help or hurt us, each and every day).

You many have "gotten worse" and I pray you will get much better, and soon. You (and all poz) may swerve back an forth over the artificial barrier (linguistic and social service policy-driven) between two terms for the same damn disease. The sooner everyone stops using "AIDS" for any stage of HIV the better off we'll be.
 
2) I do not believe in changing laboratories, at least not to get at the truth.

I once had my blood drawn simultaneously, and sent to two different labs. I was entitled under a study, and when asked to decline the duplicate offer--a little light bulb went on in my head--I thought "This could be interesting". It was way too interesting.

Result: very different numbers from the same blood from the same hour. In fact, that experience is so disturbing, I feel like we could almost pick a lab for the kind of "result" we want. YIKES!
This is not to say your test results are false. But it is cautionary about taking these numbers as finite indicators.

Get better!  8) -megasept

Offline AustinWesley

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    • HIV Discussion Group on Myspace!
Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #105 on: March 06, 2007, 04:45:32 pm »
Oh girl,
Don't feel embarrassed. You had a reason to be afraid and overwhelmed. I cried and screamed here and there was one or two folks who called me cry baby but I am a cry baby so they really didn't tell me anything i didn't know. Well girl, you shall do fabulous, just like me.

Al

LOL AL! 

You gotta change that avatar!   I thought oh Lord my vision has gone all strange.   Well tonite is 4th dose.   

I had difficulty sleeping last night which was related to something I had to handle today (not the meds).   Anyway, I definitely think Sustiva/Truvada should be taken at night.   

I got up cause I was wrestless and wow that Sustiva must have been kicking in high cause I had a woozy dizzy feeling.  I was heading downstairs for a smoke to contemplate the stuff I had to do today and I was like why the Hell did I buy a multilevel house? ; )   I didn't feel sick or anything, more like I was in a fun house walking down those stairs.   Like I had some inner ear issue ; )   Little strange, but not scary or sick like.

In fact, I've noticed after I handled my stress ordeal today that I was feeling pretty damn good.   I decided to pamper myself and went out and took care of me today.   

So tonite is nite 4 and honestly I don't feel bad.  I've haven't been sick at all.   So, we'll see, but so far so good.   

Here's what I tell myself (corny as it is)   OK, pills kill that fucking virus cause in a month I want those numbers undetectable and work your magic! ; )   

I anticipate things will continue to improve.   Considering my lousy diet and what not it's amazing I have not been sick without HIV. ; )

I'm starting to look at these pills like vitamins.   I feel like I'm taking control of my life again.   I just could not see going in circles waiting tell I got really sick debating the pros and cons and etc forever on here any longer.

The way I look at it there are over 1 million people in the US with HIV.  There are 5000 on here.    My guess is the vast majority of people are out living there lives and just taking the meds and that is what I will be doing.    I'll come back to update this and of course if anything changes, but I'm happy with my decision.

Love ya,

Wesley
« Last Edit: March 06, 2007, 04:53:24 pm by AustinWesley »
Diag. 3/06  Infected aprx. 2 mo. Prior
Date        CD4   %      VL
4/6/06     627    32    36,500     NO MEDS YET!
6/7/06     409    27    36,100
8/23/06   408    25     22,300
1/2/07     354    23     28,700
2/9/07     139    30     23,000  Hep A Vaccine same day???
2/21/07   274    26     18,500 
3/3/07    RX of Truvada/Sustiva Started.
4/5/07    321     27      Undectable 1st mo.  
5/16/07  383     28    Undectable 2nd mo.
8/10/07  422     32   UD <48 on new scale!

Offline Andy Velez

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  • Member
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Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #106 on: March 06, 2007, 05:16:41 pm »
Wesley, I'm glad you're doing well so far. Excellent move to dump the dumb doctor.

And I agree that starting a new thread is a good idea as well. Not because you need to feel embarassed but rather just for staying current and making it easier for people to get through the thread.

Cheers,
Andy Velez

Offline Basquo

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Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #107 on: March 06, 2007, 09:59:23 pm »
Wes ROCKS!  Thanks for sharing your experience with us. You're brave, and you make me want to be brave, too.

Offline Longislander

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Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #108 on: March 06, 2007, 11:34:52 pm »
Quote
I was like why the Hell did I buy a multilevel house? ; ) 
   

lol, I thought the very same thing when I was first diagnosed!


Like Basquo said, thanks for sharing this all with us. I wanna be brave too ( soon)!
infected 10/05 diagnosed 12-05
2/06   379/57000                    6/07 372/30500 25%   4/09 640/U/32% 
5/06   ?? /37000                     8/07 491/55000/24%    9/09 913/U/39%
8/06   349/9500 25%              11/07 515/68000/24     2/10 845/U/38%
9/06   507/16,000 30% !          2/08  516/116k/22%    7/10 906/80/39%
12/06 398/29000 26%             Start Atripla 3/08
3/07   402/80,000 29%            4/08  485/undet!/27
4/07   507/35,000 25%            7/08 625/UD/34%
                                                 11/08 684/U/36%

Offline Catman

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    • Who is the Catman?
Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #109 on: March 07, 2007, 10:57:43 am »
All you "first timers" will be brave and I'm sure of that! I've been taking meds since 1993 and it's always been like taking a vitamin pill. I can only say that injecting Fuzeon is not fun (but I have to do it twice a day) and my brief experience with Sustiva was no fun either. The nightmares were to vivid and I felt drugged even at work and driving. Crixivan gave me pancreatitis like 6 times but I only quit it when I became resistant. Every other med was well tolerated no matter the amount of pills I'd take. I'm here for you guys for any boosting of bravery, and "longislander", you've met me personally and know I have plenty of braveness to share.
Catman

Meow to the birds
Meow to the tree's
Meow to the end
of this dreadful disease...

Offline Ihavehope

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  • Yes, I'm a cry baby, AND WHAT?
Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #110 on: March 07, 2007, 11:04:39 am »
Thank you Catman.. You are a breathe of fresh air.
Infected: April 2005
12/6/06 - Diagnosed HIV positive
12/19/06 - CD4 = 240  22% VL = 26,300
1/4/07 - CD4 = 200 16% VL = ?
2/9/07 = Started Kaletra/Truvada
3/13/07 = CD4 = 386 22% VL ?

Offline AustinWesley

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  • Posts: 815
    • HIV Discussion Group on Myspace!
Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #111 on: March 07, 2007, 06:05:15 pm »
Hey Basquo and LongIsland,

Thanks, with regards to the med issue I don't really feel I was brave.   I took the most sensible course of action with my best educated guess and got lucky, really lucky.

I feel terrific.   Going on day 5 with NOT ONE negative side effect and I'm very thankful for that cause now I will be able to move on with my life.   Hell, my fatigue is gone and I don't look any different or feel weird.   I feel like all of the horrible effects are diminishing that I was having and I have energy again.

I most definitely have empathy for those who aren't so lucky.   But, I now strongly feel that I've made the right choice for myself.

Yes, I'm well aware of some of the potential for long term effects, but I chose to do something and don't regret it.  If I develop some liver issue later or God knows what I'll deal with it later.   Had my counts not gone haywire I would have likely waited somewhat longer, but all of that horrible anticipation and anxiety for now is gone for the most part.

Each person ultimately has to make their own private decision.   I'd encourage everyone to learn as much as possible beforehand, but just know that even if only 1 in 1000 people has some side effect it has to be reported to the FDA and all of the horror stories don't happen to everyone.

Best wishes on your own decisions.

Wesley
Diag. 3/06  Infected aprx. 2 mo. Prior
Date        CD4   %      VL
4/6/06     627    32    36,500     NO MEDS YET!
6/7/06     409    27    36,100
8/23/06   408    25     22,300
1/2/07     354    23     28,700
2/9/07     139    30     23,000  Hep A Vaccine same day???
2/21/07   274    26     18,500 
3/3/07    RX of Truvada/Sustiva Started.
4/5/07    321     27      Undectable 1st mo.  
5/16/07  383     28    Undectable 2nd mo.
8/10/07  422     32   UD <48 on new scale!

Offline jack

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Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #112 on: March 07, 2007, 06:42:10 pm »
be happy we are no longer in the days of 38 pills plus some liquid norvir per day.
Numbers go up and numbers go down,sort of like the stock market.  I guess after awhile you sorta get immune to it,till they get down to 134,that would scare me too.
Many people have no problems on sustiva, I just had vertigo that can I can only describe as very similiar to a one minute lsd trip except I couldnt stand up. I am taking truvada now and having no problems,even though each one of the drugs that make it up have made me very sick and nauseous in the past. Go figure.

Offline budndallastx

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Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #113 on: March 08, 2007, 06:51:09 am »
Glad you're doing well with the meds Wes.  When do you get your next set of labs?
Meds since: 11/20/2006
Sustiva / Truvada
12/08/2008 VL:<48 CD4 622 (38%)   
9/8/2008 VL:<48 CD4 573 (30%)
5/2008 VL:<48 CD4 464 (30%)
1/2008  VL: <50  CD4 425(28%)
9/2007   VL: <50  CD4 465 (27%)
6/2007   VL: <50   CD4 443 (26%)
3/2007  VL: <50   CD4 385 (25%)
12/2006 - VL: <50   CD4: 384 (25%)
11/2006 - VL:  22K  CD4: 208 (18%)

Offline AustinWesley

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Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #114 on: March 08, 2007, 11:46:15 am »
Hey Bud,

I'll probably wait a month to 6 weeks.   I really need to start a new thread about this but for those who've followed it this far I'm not sure how.  Maybe I will call it chapter 2 or something : )

What's today? Day 6 or something?  I had to get up earlier and did notice a slight foggy/groggy feeling, nothing bad, but I've also noticed I'm not wiped out anymore.

So far so good.   Better than I could have anticipated. 

Wesley
Diag. 3/06  Infected aprx. 2 mo. Prior
Date        CD4   %      VL
4/6/06     627    32    36,500     NO MEDS YET!
6/7/06     409    27    36,100
8/23/06   408    25     22,300
1/2/07     354    23     28,700
2/9/07     139    30     23,000  Hep A Vaccine same day???
2/21/07   274    26     18,500 
3/3/07    RX of Truvada/Sustiva Started.
4/5/07    321     27      Undectable 1st mo.  
5/16/07  383     28    Undectable 2nd mo.
8/10/07  422     32   UD <48 on new scale!

Offline Ihavehope

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  • Posts: 1,366
  • Yes, I'm a cry baby, AND WHAT?
Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #115 on: March 08, 2007, 11:51:38 am »
Infected: April 2005
12/6/06 - Diagnosed HIV positive
12/19/06 - CD4 = 240  22% VL = 26,300
1/4/07 - CD4 = 200 16% VL = ?
2/9/07 = Started Kaletra/Truvada
3/13/07 = CD4 = 386 22% VL ?

Offline AustinWesley

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    • HIV Discussion Group on Myspace!
Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #116 on: March 08, 2007, 01:35:31 pm »
Thanks Al,

I've been officially warned for "flaimbaiting" as I am also not one of the favorites here so I am not sure I will be allowed to share my opinions anymore!

Not sure why I have now been singled out as well for expressing a valid concern, but guess that's the way the mop flops around here.

Audios!

Wesley
Diag. 3/06  Infected aprx. 2 mo. Prior
Date        CD4   %      VL
4/6/06     627    32    36,500     NO MEDS YET!
6/7/06     409    27    36,100
8/23/06   408    25     22,300
1/2/07     354    23     28,700
2/9/07     139    30     23,000  Hep A Vaccine same day???
2/21/07   274    26     18,500 
3/3/07    RX of Truvada/Sustiva Started.
4/5/07    321     27      Undectable 1st mo.  
5/16/07  383     28    Undectable 2nd mo.
8/10/07  422     32   UD <48 on new scale!

Offline Ihavehope

  • Member
  • Posts: 1,366
  • Yes, I'm a cry baby, AND WHAT?
Re: HELP! How could I have gone From HIV+ to AIDS Overnight? UPDATE????
« Reply #117 on: March 08, 2007, 01:42:28 pm »
Hey Wes

Sorry to hear that the other girls aren't play nice with you. Don't go!

Al
Infected: April 2005
12/6/06 - Diagnosed HIV positive
12/19/06 - CD4 = 240  22% VL = 26,300
1/4/07 - CD4 = 200 16% VL = ?
2/9/07 = Started Kaletra/Truvada
3/13/07 = CD4 = 386 22% VL ?

 


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