Intro Violetta - tested Positive 1 Day Ago

[Violetta]

My status was confirmed today in the hospital and doing a blood test. I did a rapid test day before yesterday and it was positive, I couldn’t believe it because I don’t have any symptoms. But went for confirmation today and it’s positive. I so devastated, disappointed in myself and scared of going into depression have been crying since and can’t eat. Don’t have any support system because if I tell my family and friends they will be disappointed and ashamed of me and isolating from me. No one will want to be in the same room with me again or eat from the plate I have use. Then I will be all alone. Am so scare. I don’t know what to do. Am just 25yrs old in my final year in the university. How do I get past this.?? I had a bright future but I ruined it.
The doctor said I should come tomorrow to book an appointment and start my treatment.

[Jim Allen]

Hiya.

As you are new here I have split your post into its own thread. Sorry to hear about the reactive result on Friday. What blood test did they run to confirm?

I had a bright future but I ruined it.

Why would HIV change that?

[Violetta]

Hiya.

As you are new here I have split your post into its own thread. Sorry to hear about the reactive result on Friday. What blood test did they run to confirm?



Rvs

[Violetta]

Rvs - positive

[Jim Allen]

Hiya,

Sorry to hear about the reactive result, for the time being I am going to ask you to only post in this one thread and members can reply to you here.

Glad to hear that you are able to get a follow-up appointment and will have access to treatment. With treatment HIV can be very manageable and not a roadblock to having a bright future.

As for family and friends, you are still digesting the idea of living with HIV yourself and there is no rush or need to tell them of you don't want to share this information with them.  Take the time to get your own head around this first and have the follow up appointments with your doctor.

Take it easy.
.

[Violetta]

I wished someone told me or warned me. Mine I was infected purposely by my boyfriend. He was the only person I was sleeping with. We have been together for 8 months now. And I refused to have unprotected sex with him and my reasons was to avoid unwanted pregnancy. He said it was okay by him. But 3 months ago he suggested we tried anal sex. I didn’t think anything of it. I thought he only wanted to spice sex life up and I accepted. Even when he didn’t use protection I didn’t mind because I thought I wouldn’t get pregnant through anal sex, I didn’t know HIV can be transmitted through anal sex. Besides  I wasn’t thinking of HIV, I was only thinking of pregnancy.

[Jim Allen]

Hiya,

I merged your post into your own thread. Are you still with your boyfriend?

[Violetta]

We were still together as at on Friday when I found out I was positive from the rapid text. I called him and asked him that we need to see that I have something to talk to him about. He said that he is in a meeting and that he will come see me when he is done. I said okay. He asked me if everything was okay that I sounded sad that I should give him a hint . I told him it was health related and just had a test done that we will talk about it when we see. He never came, or called, have been calling him since but he is not answering. After I confirm from the hospital today called again but he’s not answering or returning any of my calls, that’s when I realized that probably he knew of him HIV status all along and did this on purpose. I am scared of sending a chat or message since he’s not answering my calls because I don’t know if he will show the message to other people and they will know am positive.

[Jim Allen]

Sorry to hear you can't reach him at the moment; hopefully, he will get back to you soon, I suppose it would be good to talk to him. Now it could be that he is living with HIV and aware of this, or prehaps not, and if he is not, he can test and, if positive, work on getting treatment if needed.

I should mention that anal sex, although extremely unlikely, can result in pregnancy. Also, as part of the follow-up with your doctors, you might want to ask for an STI screening if you have not already had one.

[leatherman]

No one will want to be in the same room with me again or eat from the plate I have use. Then I will be all alone. Am so scare. I don’t know what to do. Am just 25yrs old in my final year in the university. How do I get past this.?? I had a bright future but I ruined it.

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. But don't lose you hope and zest for life. It sounds like you're laboring under some really old ideas about HIV. No one can catch it by being in the same room or using the same plates or utensils. The only ways to transmit HIV are through unprotected sex or injection needles. As long as you're not having unprotected sex with your family and friends, there is NO way to transmit HIV to anyone you know.

And there's no reason to not still have a bright future. HIV in 2023 is a manageable illness. By taking daily meds to keep HIV suppressed you will live a long normal life span. Matter of fact most people living with HIV actually live longer because having regular checkups with your doctor actually helps you stay healthier than people who don't see a doctor regularly. Definitely plan on doing whatever it is you were planning to do with your life.

Personally, I've already been living with HIV for almost 40 years and plan on another 40 since I'm hoping to live as long as my grandmother did, who died at 104. And I'm not am abnormality. There are plenty of people here who have been living with HIV just as long and I know a lot more long term survivors in real life too. My husband has been living with HIV just as long as I have, and he's never been sick with HIV at all.

he’s not answering or returning any of my calls, that’s when I realized that probably he knew of him HIV status all along and did this on purpose.

I think you may be assuming a lot. Maybe he as never been tested and doesn't know if he's HIV+ or not. You tipped him off that you have a health concern that he needs to know about and maybe you scared him. He's probably freaking out that YOU gave HIM HIV. Quite frankly the myth of people giving other people HIV on purpose is just nonsense. That kind of thinking assumes your partner was a pretty hateful evil person (and I doubt that's the kind of people you date) and totally ignores that your partner is probably simply clueless about their status.

If he was already HIV+ then he would already on medication. Once someone has been on medication, reaches an undetectable viral load, and keeps being undetectable for 6 months, they can no longer transmit HIV. So if he actually already knew and was on treatment, he wouldn't have transmitted HIV. For all you know, he's tripping just as much as you about the situation.

Your best bet right now is to get on treatment, work on adjusting to your new situation, give it some time to see how things work out with your boyfriend, and remember to give him the benefit of the doubt until you can discuss the situation.

Best wishes to you. It sounds like you're catching the issue pretty quickly, and once you start meds you should get some peace of mind and be more hopeful about continuing your plans for you life.

[Violetta]

Update:
I saw the doctor today. He asked the lab to conduct couple of tests on me. And according to the tests, he told me I am very healthy and my cd4 is above 200. He didn’t give me the exact number and that my crAg is negative not sure what that means though, but am glad that something is negative.
He gave me my medication and will be starting the first dose of my treatment tomorrow morning.

[Jim Allen]

my crAg is negative not sure what that means though, but am glad that something is negative.

Its a test for cryptococcosis

I saw the doctor today. He asked the lab to conduct couple of tests on me. And according to the tests, he told me I am very healthy and my cd4 is above 200. He didn’t give me the exact number

This is a result of blood tests taken last Friday or Saturday?   

Keep us posted when you get more specific results.

He gave me my medication and will be starting the first dose of my treatment tomorrow morning.

Thats good, what type of medication have you been given?

[Violetta]

I don’t know the name of the medication given to me because my treatment is from the government hospital. It’s free so it’s not labeled.
I was given to medication one is for hiv and the second one is for tuberculosis prevention.
The hiv medicine has Dolutegravir ( 50mg), lamivudine (300mg) and Tenofovir disproxil fumarate (300mg) written on it. I am supposed to take 1 pill daily and to be refilled every 3 months. And the second medicine which is for tuberculosis prevention has Isoniazid tablets BP 300mg written on it. Am supposed to take it one daily too but just for 6 months.
I have been taken them as directed, but noticed I am having a bloated tummy and when ever I Lie down on my back , I feel some kind of way On my heart. I would have to lie down on my side or on my tummy to be comfortable.
Please is that normal or is it something I should be worried about

[Jim Allen]

It's called "TLD" Tenofovir disoproxil, lamivudine and dolutegravir and it's a very solid HIV treatment option, and the Isoniazid 300mg is to prevent TB.

the second medicine which is for tuberculosis prevention has Isoniazid tablets BP 300mg written on it. Am supposed to take it one daily too but just for 6 months.
I have been taken them as directed, but noticed I am having a bloated tummy and when ever I Lie down on my back , I feel some kind of way On my heart. I would have to lie down on my side or on my tummy to be comfortable

I've never heard of this or would not expect it as an issue with the TLD but instead of stressing about it see your healthcare provider when you can so they can check you out and either provider reassurance or treatment for whatever the issue is.