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Welcome to the POZ Community Forums, a round-the-clock discussion area for people with HIV/AIDS, their friends/family/caregivers, and others concerned about HIV/AIDS.  Click on the links below to browse our various forums; scroll down for a glance at the most recent posts; or join in the conversation yourself by registering on the left side of this page.

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Recent Posts

Pages: [1] 2 3 ... 10
1
Living With HIV / Re: Urgent advice
« Last post by pinkadam2 on Today at 02:45:51 am »
Quote from: sanitex on June 19, 2020, 06:42:31 pm
Hi
My wife just put to bed with ( cesarean session ) in the month of May 2020, after delivery, her record shows that her VL increased from undetectable to 6,750 in April 2020. She was previously on generic Atripla from 2014 to 2020. But before delivery, her drugs was changed to "Acriptega" (DLT).
What could be the cause of the VL increase.
Due to COVID-19, there has been inconsistency in carrying out VL test however, her baby is experiencing some form of balls that looks like blisters on the head and around the shoulders. Although it cleared after administrating ampiclox drops but resurfaced again. However, the baby is on NVP drop.
Also, the baby boy's breast is swollen with breast milk coming out of them when dey are touched.
Please, what could be the cause of this? Because she is seriously worried.
Any advice rendered would be appreciated.
Thank you.

Why did the doctor change her medication. Some times doctors cannot predict how new drug works. May be it is not working on her
May be you may want to get HIV drug resistance test and see if you can go back to Atripla.

Only your doctors can tell you about the issues of your baby.

Good Luck
2
Living With HIV / How long can some one stay on same regime
« Last post by pinkadam2 on Today at 02:28:20 am »
Hello Lovely people

Hope you all are doing well and keeping yourself safe from Pandemic

I been on HIV meds since 2003
My First regime is Sustiva and Truvada. Later my doc switched me to Atripla which is nothing but sustiva and Truvada combined into single pill.

I moved to India in 2015 and decided to go with Indian generic version of Atripla and it did not go well. So My doctor did HIV resistance test. Tests did not show any resistance to the drug iam using. So he switched me to a different brand that produces the same drug.

Its been almost 17 years i been on the same regime. ID Doctors in india are not that good in following up new trends.

I would like to know if anything changed in treatment style in america for the people who are on Atripla.

Also how long can one stay on same regime.

Thank you all for your input

Keep safe
3
I Just Tested Poz / Re: Weird viral load tests
« Last post by Da2020 on Today at 12:21:02 am »
Yep I have already started medication including the antibiotic. I m going to get a second set of tests next week.
4
Do I Have HIV? / Re: Risk assessment/opinion required
« Last post by Jim Allen on Yesterday at 07:16:00 pm »
Oh and if you do talk to your Doctor again be honest with them regarding your risks and anxieties and ask about PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis).

It's a combination drug for people who do not have HIV but who are sexually active to add an additional layer of prevention against acquiring HIV. This may also provide you some peace of mind going forward.
5
Do I Have HIV? / Re: Symptoms after high risk with sw
« Last post by Jim Allen on Yesterday at 07:00:17 pm »
Correct.

As for the blister on the lip, sorry to hear that, sounds anoying/painful, however, instead of letting it cause you anymore stress see your doctor so they can asses and treat it.

Best, Jim
6
Do I Have HIV? / Re: Symptoms after high risk with sw
« Last post by M2584 on Yesterday at 06:57:31 pm »
Ok so your opinion is that my test is a conclusive negative after the February exposure.
7
Do I Have HIV? / Re: Symptoms after high risk with sw
« Last post by Jim Allen on Yesterday at 06:54:07 pm »
Hiya,

Not, firstly the HIV counsellor is trained to conduct the test correctly. If the test had been invalid due to any mishandling the control line would have failed to show.

As for your wife, I understand you trust her, understand she tested, however, this is a risk assessment. The assessment is trust or her test results does not prevent HIV transmission and to consider reducing your risks and to at least test regularly for STI's & HIV.

Best, Jim

8
Do I Have HIV? / Re: Symptoms after high risk with sw
« Last post by M2584 on Yesterday at 06:43:44 pm »
I cheated on my wife in Asia and she has been only with me for 16 years. Her test I trust but what are the odds of a 4th gen alere giving false negative due to adding too much buffer when administering the test?
9
Do I Have HIV? / Re: Symptoms after high risk with sw
« Last post by Jim Allen on Yesterday at 06:40:11 pm »
Hiya,

None of your symptoms are HIV specific and you have conclusively tested negative post the February condomless intercourse.

Regarding your wife ill give you the same advice I give anyone saying they are in a relationship, that is, if you have been engaging in condomless sex with your partner it would meet all the biological conditions needed for you to acquire HIV.

Now I don't judge couples that do decide to engage in condomless sex, it's often based on trust within a relationship or past test results. However, just note this trust or past results does not prevent HIV and any unprotected intercourse is simply accepting a possible risk towards you of acquiring HIV.

Test regularly for HIV and far easier to transmit STI's.

Here's what you need to know to avoid HIV infection:
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, every time, no exceptions. Consider talking to your healthcare provider about PrEP as an additional layer of HIV protection going forward

Keep in mind that some sexual practices which may be described as ‘safe’ in terms of HIV transmission might still pose a risk for transmission of other STI's, so please do get fully tested regularly and at least yearly for all STI's including but not limited to HIV and test more frequently if unprotected intercourse occurs

Also, note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms and the only way of knowing is by testing.

Kind regards

Jim

Please Note.
As a member of the "Do I have HIV?" Forum you are required to only post in this one thread no matter how long between visits or the subject matter. You can find this thread by going to your profile and selecting show own post and it will take you here. It helps us to help you when you keep all your thoughts or questions in one thread and it helps other readers to follow the discussion. Any additional threads will be deleted.


10
Do I Have HIV? / Re: Risk assessment/opinion required
« Last post by Jim Allen on Yesterday at 06:29:56 pm »
Hiya,

His profession, nationality or the demographic does not change how HIV is or is not transmitted and it makes no diffrence to this risk assessment. None whatsoever.

You had intercourse and gave a BJ, well HIV can't transmit through an intact latex or polyurethane condom. If a condom fails during the act of intercourse it's obvious so there is no reason to be stressing or testing outside of standard routine as long as this obvious issue did not happen.

As for giving a blowjob, it's such a near negligible HIV concern that we don't even recommend specifically testing over it, if this was your only sexual encounter then relax and move on with your life.

1 & 2)

PEP is highly effective when started within 72 hours post exposure, however, starting post exposure as soon as possible is best. As for the meds, yeah they are powerful drugs and with any drug can cause side-effects sometime serious ones.

To be honest instead of lying to the doctor I think you need to go back and be honest with them.

3)

The risk assessment, I think you need to do a bit more reading because if someone has a real-world risk we are the first to tell them to test and we don't sugar coat things for the masses, what masses  ;D

Condoms have been explained above but to elaborate, HIV can't transmit through an intact latex or polyurethane condom. However, incorrect or inconsistent usage is an issue to its effectiveness.

As for other STI's, the level of protection condoms offer also varies on differences in how infections are transmitted. Some infections are transmitted by skin-to-skin contact during viral shedding that may infect areas not covered by a condom.

Regading the stories you read well thankfully stories are just stories, not facts and, there are many reasons why someone would rather not admit to exposure, or simply incorrectly dismiss a real risk without realizing it.

Factoring into stories is that being newly diagnosed is difficult enough time on its own, for some its a time of struggling with a deep fear of HIV stigma, social judgment, Isolation & self-stigma and things like sexuality, facing one's sexual orientation, religion, family, sexual relationships etc might all play a role asides from legal fears for some.

Anyhow, stories and claims mean very little.**

Here's what you need to know to avoid HIV infection:
Use condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, correctly and consistently, every time, no exceptions. Consider talking to your healthcare provider about PrEP as an additional layer of HIV protection going forward

Keep in mind that some sexual practices which may be described as ‘safe’ in terms of HIV transmission might still pose a risk for transmission of other STI's, so please do get fully tested regularly and at least yearly for all STI's including but not limited to HIV and test more frequently if unprotected intercourse occurs

Also, note that it is possible to have an STI and show no signs or symptoms and the only way of knowing is by testing.

Kind regards

Jim

Please Note.
As a member of the "Do I have HIV?" Forum you are required to only post in this one thread no matter how long between visits or the subject matter. You can find this thread by going to your profile and selecting show own post and it will take you here. It helps us to help you when you keep all your thoughts or questions in one thread and it helps other readers to follow the discussion. Any additional threads will be deleted.

**

2018
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2018.08.001

STI Risk Perception in the British Population and How It Relates to Sexual Behaviour and STI Healthcare Use: Findings From a Cross-sectional Survey (Natsal-3)

We have identified falsely optimistic views of personal STI risk among a substantial proportion of those at risk of STIs in the British population, which could have a negative impact on efforts to promote safe sex and STI testing, and the control of STIs.

Among those classed as having ‘unsafe sex’ in the past year (comprising approximately 1 in 5 sexually-active 16–44-year-olds), 39.2% of men and 51.0% of women rated themselves as not at all at risk of STIs

2018
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0032885517753163

Underreporting in HIV-Related High-Risk Behaviors: Comparing the Results of Multiple Data Collection Methods in a Behavioral Survey of Prisoners in Iran

Participants reported more sexual contact in prison for their friends than they did for themselves. In men, NSU provided lower estimates than direct questioning, whereas in women NSU estimates were higher. Different data collection methods provide different estimates and collectively offer a more comprehensive picture of HIV-related risk behaviors in prisons.

2018
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5268760/

Socially desirability response bias and other factors that may influence self-reports of substance use and HIV risk behaviors: A qualitative study of drug users in Vietnam

The accuracy of self-report data may be marred by a range of cognitive and motivational biases, including social desirability response bias

2018
http://emj.bmj.com/content/35/1/46
Self-perceived risk of STIs in a population-based study of Scandinavian women

Subjective perception of risk for STI was associated with women’s current risk-taking behaviours, indicating women generally are able to assess their risks for STIs. However, a considerable proportion of women with multiple new partners in the last 6 months and no condom use still considered themselves at no/low risk for STI.

2018
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09540121.2017.1384787

Social desirability bias and underreporting of HIV risk behaviors are significant challenges to the accurate evaluation of HIV prevention programs for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) in sub-Saharan Africa

2018
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanhiv/article/PIIS2352-3018(18)30062-6/fulltext

Non-disclosed men who have sex with men in UK HIV transmission networks: phylogenetic analysis of surveillance data

Jim: In short they analysed the genetic code of the virus from HIV-positive people and came to the conclusion that some of the self-reported heterosexual mens HIV was more than likely actually non-disclosed MSM.

2017
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28509997

Social Desirability Bias and Prevalence of Sexual HIV Risk Behaviors Among People Who Use Drugs in Baltimore, Maryland: Implications for Identifying Individuals Prone to Underreporting Sexual Risk Behaviors.

2017 --In regards to STI's
https://journals.lww.com/stdjournal/toc/2017/07000
Sexually Transmitted Diseases: July 2017 - Volume 44 - Issue 7 - p 390–392

Is Patient-Reported Exposure a Reliable Indicator for Anogenital Gonorrhea and Chlamydia Screening in Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men?

Among 485 young black men who have sex with men recruited in Jackson, MS, 90-day anal sexual exposure significantly predicted rectal infection, but 19.4% of rectal infections would have been missed among men denying receptive anal sex. Reports of consistent condom use were associated with lower infection rates only in men reporting insertive anal sex.

2016
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010782416305418
Could misreporting of condom use explain the observed association between injectable hormonal contraceptives and HIV acquisition risk?

Jim - Not a conclusive or in depth study but under the study participants it did find: 9 out of every 20 sex acts reported with condoms are actually unprotected

2013

Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, and the Kensington Research Institute, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14655794

"At risk" women who think that they have no chance of getting HIV: self-assessed perceived risks.

more than one-half of the "no perceived risk of HIV" sample had engaged in at least one risky practice during the preceding year and more than one-quarter had engaged in at least two such behaviors


2009
The Validity of Teens’ and Young Adults’ Self-reported Condom Use
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/articlepdf/380711/poa80067_61_64.pdf

A significant degree of discordance between self-reports of consistent condom use and YcPCR positivity was observed. Several rival explanations for the observed discordance exist, including (1) teens and young adults inaccurately reported condom use; (2) teens and young adults used condoms consistently but
used them incorrectly, resulting in user error; and (3) teens and young adults responded with socially desirable answers

BMC Public Health 2007
https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2458-7-60

Analyses of data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, Sexual Behaviour Surveys and from other countries show a similar pattern indicating under-reporting
It is probable that as HIV campaigns encouraging delayed sexual debut and abstinence before marriage reach the population, people will report behaviour
assumed to be more socially desirable.

there are some signs of differential reporting bias in our study. We found that controlling for less risky sexual behaviour substantially reduced the association between HIV and survey time among urban men, but less so among women; this may suggest that self-reports from men about sexual behaviour are more reliable. Studies suggest that respondents, especially women, tend to under-report the number of lifetime sexual partners . Therefore, analyses of associations with, and changes in, self-reported sexual behaviour should be interpreted with caution.

2010
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2957626/

Self-presentation bias (wishing to be viewed in a positive light) may result in patients underreporting behaviors they perceive to be stigmatizing

Approximately a third of the men in the sample reported that they did not disclose all of their risk behaviors to the HIV counselor during the face-to-face risk assessment. These results echo similar studies of risk disclosure to medical providers
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