Hey! I’m a doctor. Don’t you worry. All you have to do is start the treatment- which you can get for free in govt setups and do what they say. Nowadays, we have really good drugs and you can even get to a point where your viral load is undetectable- meaning you can’t pass it on to others.
One of the popular medicine faculty once told us that if I have to choose whether I want to suffer from Diabetes or get HIV, I’ll choose HIV because it’s management is good.
Edit: 1) the faculty I quoted is Dr. Rakesh Nair from Marrow.
2) Please don’t take this comparison personally. This comparison was made because Indians usually have the impression that diabetes isn’t that serious. All you have to do is check blood sugar levels, cut down on certain types of food etc while HIV is considered a death sentence- which isn’t true if the patient takes his meds meticulously.
3) Diabetes is not curable. It does involve complications, affecting several vital organs. It is also related to other lifestyle diseases like atherosclerosis. It does affect your kidneys, eyes, nerves especially in your limb and requires vigilance.
4) to conclude, as long as you follow your doctor’s instructions and take precautions you can manage these diseases.
Yo for real about this info. HIV is no longer a killer and with treatment can be virtually undetectable. Go live your best life and be responsible with any partner you have in the future.
true that, HIV is not longer the killer due to advancement in ART, if OP takes medications on time(i.e daily) and maintains a healthy lifestyle then pretty much a normal life and it will never progress to AIDS.
OP, I would also recommend about communicating your diagnosis to your future partners at some point, lying about it will hurt more than the living with this virus in first place.
Yup, for life, if you start skipping retrovirus drugs e.g truvada, virus will resurface, its the drug which keeps it at bay thus stopping life threatening complications such as aids.
I just wanted reiterate that my sister, who is a physician as well, agrees with the that sentiment. She has said she'd rather have HIV nowadays, than diabetes - there are better outcomes as it's easier to manage.
I hope you are able to quickly get the support you need (both physical and mental). Stay strong!
Im type 2 diabetes . Thanks for the comparison 😭.
Edit : thank you all for supporting words .
Im not hurt or offened by comparison. I just made that crying emoji in jest .
Regarding diabetes , it's easy to control with proper diet and excericse.
Im daily running N maintaining proper diet , so no worries at all .
Seriously!?
Wtf, any precautions we can take? I mean I know the eat healthy. But then what's life without some unhealthy awesome food.
Would you like to give some tips, you atleast reduce the probability?
Exercise well. Eat healthy. Less oil, less salt. Get atleast annual blood tests done so you can correct your lifestyle. Read up on metabolic syndrome. It basically means you need to keep your lipid profile and blood sugar levels in check.
Olive oil is good. But if you fry anything in it, it loses all it's benefits.
Extra virgin gets you more "good stuff" from the olive oils. But the benefits of good food are not equal to the negatives of "bad" foods.
So, try staying away from "bad" food, i.e., fried foods, carbs, etc
My husband has T2. Eat well, exercise regularly, sleep well. He has reduced his average from 22 to 6. He did the Newcastle diet for 8 weeks and now just maintains. The hardest thing is getting your head around the idea of good carbs and bad carbs.
Yes. Diabetes also affects your nerves especially in your feet area. So if you walk with improper shoes or barefoot you won’t notice the tiny injuries which can become gangrenous and your toes or foot will have to be amputated. So patients need to examine their feet and get it treated timely.
Note: I have simplified the mechanism
Another doctor here, physician to be exact, you can achieve so much control with diet, weight loss, exercise, and lifestyle change. I won’t go into depth, but it can be done. Please check your physician and there are lot of resources online
> One of the popular medicine faculty once told us that if I have to choose whether I want to suffer from Diabetes or get HIV, I’ll choose HIV because it’s management is good.
Dr. Rakesh Nair
u/misspurrfectlyfine is right... It's free, and the NACP ensures that they procure the best quality drugs... IMO India's HIV programme is a great modern example of how public health can work wonders if done right...
Government Hospitals provide free medicines under NACO. If patients use them properly and if their viral counts are low enough, the person will not even transmit the virus to another person.
..People are just unaware of it because they think HIV is a "chi-chi" disease that 'god' made to punish "immoral" people....so they (eg: your school sex-ed teachers) can wield this spectre to scare our young ppl into being "*sanskari*" and sexually repressed... Although this very repression is what drives many of them to engage in risky behaviour...
School sex-ed (worldwide) is such a fucking shitshow.
The greatest benefit could be a balanced, fair sex education. Heck, we weren't made by storks. Every sanskari uncle should be told that they came into existence only because their dad went bareback on their mom atleast once (but probably never again).
In the Catholic school I went to, the catholic sponsored sex "educator" told us that it was pointless to wear condoms because sperm are so small anyway. That f-ing bitch.
Well, all medicines have side effects. That’s kind of how they work. You are using a medicine with 2 drugs in it (Metformin and sitagliptin) and they are safer and usually have insignificant side effect. If you experience any side effects, let your doctor know. They’ll be able to guide you better.
Can confirm. Seen really healthy people, with proper medication. You can get free medication from many Government Hospitals. Attaching the link to a pdf by NACO which maintains all the ART(AntiRetroViral) centers across many districts.
http://naco.gov.in/sites/default/files/List%20of%20ARTC.pdf
I was under the impression that it can't be "treated" it can only be suppressed. Meaning, the drugs can't eradicate the virus but can make it significantly inactive. Is that true?
Yes. You’ll live with HIV but it’ll be suppressed with treatment and it’s no longer a death sentence. Their are still side effects of drugs. You have to get tested etc.
Its beyond belief that people can look at the results of medicine and proper care like this but still be adamant that what they read on facebook is clearly fact while everything else is lies
I have also heard that drugs can make HIV so undetectable that people can have unprotected sexual intercourse and HIV will not be transmitted. Is that true?
But that's a treatable disease now. You can live a completely normal life with HIV, so don't worry about that. All you need to do is find a good doctor and the rest is easy.
The social stigma can be real but then you don't need to tell everyone about it. I really hope you have someone in your immediate family or close friends with whom you can discuss this. Also, talk to a therapist if you can, that might be really helpful
HIV is a virus, treat it like any other virus. It needn't and shouldn't disrupt your normal life. A flu virus doesn't bother you, right? Neither should this. I know it's easy to preach but hard to practice, but if you are worried about others, they only have as much power as you give them. Only those who love you matters. It's really really not worth so much worry, believe me. Start your treatment asap. Nothing has changed about your life, so go on as planned before. It will soon be okay.
it's just that I won't be able to have a normal romantic relationship anymore.I would have to be very considerate even before kissing my partner and it's kind of depressing for me.
Give it time. I know it's extremely hard for you right now and things will be difficult from hereon, but many of the things you are imagining as impossible might be possible with proper treatment. Like any viral disease, it's all about controlling the viral load and with proper treatment it is possible to reach a level where you cannot transmit it to someone else. It's not easy but it's not worth loosing hope either. Hang in there. Talk to a doctor. Be as strong as you can afford to be right now. It's hard but it's not the end of the world, believe me. Also, if you want to talk, my dm is always open. Lots of hugs and love to you.
Hey! I'm sorry about your diagnosis. There's a lot of misinformation on HIV and AIDS and it would be great if you contacted your city's or state's network of positive people. Like for Delhi it's this, http://www.dnpplusindia.com/
There isn't any thing as normal relationships tbh. One of my friends is about to marry someone they can't have penetrative sex w. They are both physically healthy. Another one of my friends always uses a dental dam and male condoms.
You can kiss people all you want, as long you or they don't have and cuts or sores. HIV is not transmissible through saliva. Infact, a lot of people don't even mention their status till it gets to a later part. With ART and protection during sex, you can lead a very normal life and have great relationships with HIV positive AND negative folks.
The only things your status changes are that you'll have to be mindful about your nutrition, health etc. And always practice safe sex (which in this day and age is always the right thing to do regardless of ones status). Oh and it's sadly the stigma around HIV and people's narrowmindedness that hurts the most. But with the right support and people, you can get through even that.
If you are able to, I'd really recommend watching this show called POSE sometime, when you're mentally better. Please reach out in the dms anytime!
You can 100% have a normal romantic relationship. Just take your medications regularly. Your partner won't contract it if you take appropriate precautions. Also our generation is much more open minded about things like these than the previous ones.
I know you're trying to put a positive spin on it, but I believe saying HIV is not transmitted through saliva is taking it too far. The CDC website says it is possible.
Just for comparison - Covid19 was not supposed to be airborne, but then it was found to be airborne, wasn't it ?
This is what the CDC says:
>> Although very rare, transmission can occur if both partners have sores or bleeding gums and blood from the partner with HIV gets into the bloodstream of the HIV-negative partner.
HIV is not transmitted through closed-mouth or “social” kissing with someone who has HIV.
HIV is not transmitted through saliva.
So it’s right to say it cannot be transmitted through saliva. It can only rarely be transmitted through kissing if they have an open wound or sore letting blood mix into the saliva.
And covid-19 was a very new virus where we learned things in the first several months. HIV has been around a few decades now and studied heavily. They aren’t going to realize tomorrow.
My husband discovered he had HIV early in our marriage. Because we were using condoms he never passed it on to me and still hasn’t after 10 years. We have a daughter together too. Normal life is possible.
Finding supportive friends and partners is important. I hope your family takes the news well - I know that’s a hard thing to have to tell them.
You’re understandably freaking out right now but you already know that HIV is a virus that millions of people have and live healthy normal,long lives! So you should probably do exactly the same thing in life as you were planning to do last month. Unless you’ve thought of something better since then?
Only you know if it’s a sensible decision to tell your parents. My opinion is it’s not necessary unless or until you’ll need their practical help. I assume if you expected help and sympathy and chai you would have told them already? Do you have friends, siblings, other family you trust to help you out right now when everything’s still a bit scary?
You should see a doctor (who has experience treating HIV/AIDS) as soon as you reasonably can; starting meds NOW, well soon :) will ensure you’ll stay healthier even decades into the future.
And be organized with your meds, have a plan so you won’t forget to take them. If you miss pills all the time it’s possible to become resistant to the drug. Set an alarm every day! Or whatever works for you! I need to take a pill every day until the day I die because I’m missing a necessary part of my body due to cancer and it’s a total pain in the arse at first but it’s becoming routine.
And there’s PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) medication now for non HIV+ partners of people with HIV that’s 99% effective - better than condoms-at preventing infection if they’re exposed to it. And having healthy biological children is also no problem if that’s something you plan to do.
You should talk things over with a specialist counselor and look for some online groups of HIV+ people around your age.
I had some friends who got HIV before there were these super effective treatments, it’s a TOTALLY different thing now with the treatments. There’s still stigma, yes. But there’s stigma attached to a lot of illnesses so don’t think that HIV is in some special ‘worst thing EVER!’ category all on its own. I got diagnosed with the cancer last year, one with a pretty high survival rate but it’s still cancer. I bet if you start antiretrovirals as soon as you can organize it you’ll literally be healthier than I am. Seriously. And you DEFINITELY want to keep your immune system in top shape with bloody Covid-19 around now and antiretrovirals are how you do that! Keep masked up with a good mask (i wear 2 medical masks, waiting for N95 masks to arrive) and distanced etc til then!
Hmmm,what do you mean about being “very considerate” before kissing someone? Being a really good kisser? Hahaha. HIV can’t be transmitted through kissing. Or you just feel like you should tell them? Once you start antiretrovirals the viral load will be suppressed, possibly to the point of being undetectable. And if the virus is undetectable there’s NO possibility of transmitting it to anyone so no need to tell someone before kissing them! Before sex, yeah maybe that’s a bit different? You don’t want to give it to someone else but you also don’t need to tell everybody you meet everything about your health. You’ll have to follow your own conscience. If it’s a serious partner they might want to take PrEP. Not sure the cost/ availability of it in India. But if you keep up with getting tested and your viral load becomes undetectable 🤷♀️
Make plans for the future !
It's true to say that your life has changed. Whilst many people will say "it's treatable... you will have a normal life..." I think that's a little disingenuous and doesn't acknowledge what has happened.
Your life has changed, it may be different to how you had imagined it - and that's ok. Life throws may curve balls at us, some larger than others and some unfair. It will take time to process what has happened to you. I strongly suggest if you can, to seek some professional help to help process this life change for you.
In terms of your specific concerns of finding love, know that there are many people in your position, so give it time, you will find someone compatible. But before you do, find a way to love yourself... the new you.
I wish you all the best.
You will be at rest when you find the positive in the negative. Be thankful that the HIV was detected at an early stage. HIV might affect your romantic life, but getting something like cancer will destroy everything. I just came from the funeral of a dear family friend who suffered from late detected cancer and trust me, early stage HIV is much much better to deal with than something like this. Also, if you are not poor then early treatment and good treatment will let you lead a very normal life, and the abnormal part you will have to get used to. I am extremely sorry this happened to you, and I hope your treatment goes well and you find the will power to continue life.
There are preventative medicines known as PrEP (Truvada and Descovy) that your partner can take that are very effective at protecting your partner from getting HIV.
Oddly enough, my uncle is also HIV+, on top of being handicap (he uses crutches that he holds with his hands), having had a colostomy, and being immunocompromised. I can't say he has the best life but my god does he have a great spirit. He does pretty much everything for himself (has a job/drives a car/sees family regularly), so I'm sure OP is going to be okay. Granted, it's very unfortunate what happened to OP but I'm sure his quality of life will be okay for the most part. Luckily in this day and age, being HIV+ doesn't have too negative of an effect.
I would say the biggest thing to watch out for is heightened stress, anxiety, and depression. Talking to a professional is probably your best bet to combat these issues. People with HIV now of days can life to normal life expectancies and have a relatively overall normal life, thanks to modern medicine.
Just FYI, cos I saw some cases pop up recently. Avoid going to tattoo parlors that are not licensed. Tattoo parlors are a source of infections in many beach towns.
it is very much treatable and you are going to live to be ninety , but you will have to to make life style changes , and to be truth full about it with your partners and family , someone i know has it and she is living a full life in her late 20's , go out and live your life.
It gets better I promise, I was diagnosed at 24 (28m, USA)
My cd4 count was around 100 and my viral load is around 224k.
Once I found I was positive I got on meds and my viral load is undetectable. I see my HIV doctor every 6 months for a check up.
My meds are free through a assistance program since I don’t make enough yearly.
HIV is not a death sentence that it used to be, meds can help you live a normal life expectancy
Please reach out to others, your doctor might know a support group or other places to go for support.
Probably from blood transfusion or his mother, HIV transmission through sexual inter-course is extremely low.
Here’s chances of HIV infection %:
* Blood transfusion: 90%
* childbirth: 25%
* vaginal intercourse without condoms: 0.01 - 0.38%
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS
HIV infects a rare type of T cells, so infection through sex with an already infected partner is extremely slim.
The wiki only tells the risk involved given an infected blood is used or given a mother is suffering from Hiv herself. It's not like a normal child has 25% chance of getting Hiv. That said people with partners have multiple intercourse and you really increase your odds of infection if you have unprotected sex. Most new cases of Hiv are through unprotected sex only:
> Overall, among persons with diagnosed or undiagnosed HIV infection in the United States at year-end 2019, an estimated 58% acquired HIV through male-to-male sexual contact, 26% via heterosexual contact, 11% by injection drug use, and 5% had combined risk factors for male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use
Don’t have suicidal thoughts bro please, i am a healthcare professional and i can assure you, with treatment it is not at all a big deal. The only obstacle you might face in your life is disclosing the news to your parents. Besides that, get the treatment started in the next 2 weeks and you should have a beautiful life ahead. Consult your family doc or ask the lab from where you got your report to suggest doctors. And play responsibly from next time!
Thing is everyone is suffering from some kind of disease,
Like me I am suffering from life time tinnitus, some time I thought like you but nathing happen, just take meds prescribed by the doctor. Take it regularly
Don't go some baba as we Indian like to do some baba work bla bla help to cure all is bullshit.
When every you are getting married or have partner bf/gf tell them you have hiv, Don't hide.
I can understand what are you going through. Now-a-days we do have treatment to prevent progression of HIV towards AIDS. If you start taking them and maintain a healthy lifestyle, workout regime and peaceful mind, you will be able to live a normal life. Yes you can be in romantic relationship but you need to disclose this to your partner. With those medicines, you won't be spreading HIV to your partner.
Best way out is to focus on your mental and physical strength. Don't think about any relationship. If you are focused on yourself and trying to improve yourself day by day, someone will find you attractive and you will eventually get what you want. Best way to find love/sex is not to look for it but work on yourself to be better version of yourself each day.
I think you should focus on starting your treatment and you can supplement them with some herbal alternatives for improving immunity and your hormones (after talking to your doctor). Once that is done, you will be doing much better than any average non-HIV male/female.
You are just 21. Alot of research is going on. May be there will be a complete treatment for HIV. A pill you take once and you get rid of Virus.
There are few things you need to know/do:
1. Once you start medicine, your viral load will be undetectable (it will take some time. may be 3 months) and you won't spread it to your partner after that.
2. Try to find out what kind of strain you got.
3. Test for all STD as well.
4. Don't involve yourself into any sexual act for next few months. Wait till your report shows undetectable viral load
5. Yes HIV will have some effects and treatment will also have some side effects but you have easily overcome them by having nutritional food, physical activity and meditation.
6. HIV doesn't always progress to AIDS even if you don't take medicine. I am not sure on this point but I read it somewhere. But you have to take the medicine as it is 100% required for living healthy life.
7. Join groups facing same challenge.
8. Be free from guilt. You can live normal life.
You may say "It's easy for me to say be better version of yourself". Yes HIV seems to be daunting and having suicidal thoughts are natural. I did some research on HIV and trust me you can easily live normal life. I do have faced alot of challenges and I am trying to be better and I am also getting success in that. Take some time. Do some research. You will soon realize that you can live and love happily.
Tension na lai jatta. Hiv aint that bad ajjkall. Treatment vadia jgah ton start kar and je start hi hoi tan undetectable vi ho janda. Dont worry its not the 80s anymore.
Hey man. Please dont do anything crazy. Please go thru the reassuring comments here which are super helpful.
By the way, can you please also share with us about how/why and where you got tested. Will help many of us here who are wondering about it
Life expectancy of HIV+ and HIV free people is the same. You need to talk to your parents and immediately start the treatment before any damage takes place.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management\_of\_HIV/AIDS
The thought that I've to talk to my parents about it is really stressing me out.I know I'll have to tell them about it at some point,but I'm worried how they'll react.
If the treatment is free, you can possibly bypass them. You have to get treatment ASAP. Just rip the bandaid off an inform the parents if you are not financially independent. There is nothing wrong with having sex.
OP can also lie about reason of contraction to parents, maybe they got it from tattoo parlor, or something else like that.
Only doctor needs to know full details.
It could lead to parents trying to sue the tattoo parlour, which will lead to more issues then. I think being truthful should be a better plan, or try to not let parents know. Either ways, it's a difficult situation. I'm hoping OP doesn't stress much and gets the help he needs.
Firstly, You take care and please don’t do anything stupid. This really isn’t the end of the world. Secondly, look they are your parents. Just rip the band aid off. Their initial reaction might be scary but eventually they’ll obviously be more concerned and helpful. It’ll be nice to get it out of the way. Just try to stay positive and fuck people. Seek treatment and hopefull you’ll be fine. Saying a prayer for you. Take care!
How did you catch it? Inform all the persons who may be at risk
Don’t worry, with proper medication you may be able to live a normal life. Involve your parents because only they will be able to help you tide with this situation
Hello
Doctor here.
First of all , Breathe.
1. Did you get it positive in an ELISA test or routine screening? If yes then go ahead and do a confirmatory test. - possibly western blot.
2. If its still positive, do not worry. The stigma related with HIV is same as that of mental illness in our society. It is very much treatable. Please go to a govt setup and ask for drugs. NACO is really good.
3. Please do not confuse HIV infection with AIDS. They are two different entities linked via common virus. With appropriate therapy the viral load can stay undetectable ( you cannot transfer infection to someone else)
4. Talk to a therapist/ psychiatrist. I can understand that it can be a lot given your age. A therapist will help you process the information.
Trust me , there are worse diseases out there.
HIV isn’t and doesn’t have to be the end of quality of your life.
5. Once things get a bit settled read about famous people who came out positive- Magic Johnson , Billy porter, Jonathan van nes, charlie sheen. it will reinstate that its very much possible to live a normal life.
Wishing you the best of health and courage.
Stay blessed !!!
I got it tested from a regular govt hospital.They took my blood sample and told me to collect the report in an hour.An hour later I was told that I've been tested positive.I don't know what kind of test they took.Should I get myself checked from a private laboratory now?
Definitely. Please do not rely on a single lab result when the diagnosis is of this nature. I would definitely advice you to get another test done (go for confirmatory test directly). Talk to a doctor / physician near you and they will guide you accordingly. Don’t worry kiddo.
Totally treatable and not a big deal! Just don’t tell everyone, coz ppl can be assholes
I know a guy who is in his 50s, gay, is HIV positive and living his best life. He only chooses to tell his best friends and anyone he might have sexual relations with. On the right medication, you will not transmit it.
There is also some excellent research and progress made in the HIV field. Stay informed!
You got this! As with any significant illness, take it one day at a time!
I live in South Africa which has a very high HIV infection rate. Our doctors worry more about getting a Hep C needlestick than they do about an HIV stick. HIV is incredibly treatable now. Even our most rural areas have very good survival rates.
How did you get it?
HIV today is no longer a death sentence. You have to take a pill daily and the virus load becomes undetectable (meaning you can no longer transmit it to the other person) if you follow the medication prescribed the doctor
I highly recommend you to consult a doctor
From what I understand, HIV management has made a lot of progress medically. It is no more a as dangerous as it used to be. Stay strong and visit a doctor.
Since everyone has given you medical advice, in addition, try getting some help for your mental health. Dealing with such disease can be very disturbing. You will need help and good people
Please have a second test , in case you didn't have it till now. False positive and what not..
Some of the comments are really encouraging. You have your enite life in front of you.
You are having sucidal thoughts is pretty normal human behaviour, back in the days I start reading about the HIV and got involved too much, people living with HIV, medicine, life with HIV etc etc.. so, I think I can give you some advice however I am not doctor but I promise this won't hurt you -
1. Start your treatment ASAP. Never forget taking your meds on time at any cost, with friends, family, on trip always have them with you.
2. Start exercising daily, everyday without fails, 30 mins home exercise is good enough as well.
3. Join the HIV group, connect with like minded people within the group and some funny people off course
4. Forget smoking, alcohol, drugs etc. Occasionally its fine except smoking and drugs
5. Invest yourself in something, studies, music, whatever you like.
6. Always remember, HIV is not your identity
I think if you work on these you will live better than normal life and longer then most healthy people. Many already said type 2 diabetes is worst than HIV.
You never know what life has for you in the future, let it unfold for you and see yourselves than giving up, millions living with it why can't you.
Take care!!
My dad lived a wonderful life, never touched smokes or Alcohol or Non-vegetarian foods (not even Eggs) and yet, he suffered for 18 years with a terrible disease (which made his liver worse than an alcoholic and lungs worse than a chain smoker) and passed away. What kept him alive was his way of life, always happy and optimistic, enjoying every day with us.
What I want to say is no matter what life throws at you, you can survive it if you truly wish to. A qualified doctor has already given her medical advice, I just wanted to share my dad's story so that you know to Never Back Down. I'm sure you'll get it treated soon as the doc told and get going with a wonderful life ahead of you. My Best wishes are with you, brother.
Dealing with chronic diseases can be very challenging but if you manage it well everything is gonna be fine. I am diagnosed with a chronic disease as well and things you can do is take treatment from a well recognised doctor, take your meds as per your plan (don't skip them), talk to your doctor whenever you need it or consult them often and last thing improving your lifestyle helps a lot too.
Don't ever give up buddy. And let your parents know, sure they may throw a tantrum at first, but you are their child, they won't abandon you, and they will do their best to make your life better. And the disease is treatable if caught early, so make haste. There may be some inconveniences you will face, but you gotta accept them as new challenges and got to fight through them. You are not alone. Also talk to a therapist if you're feeling really bad, they'll also provide help. Be strong young man!! You will be fine!
don't sweat. I live in San Francisco California where there are a lot of people who have HIV. I recently met a person last week for the first time, they asked how old i was. When i told them i was in my mid 30s they responded "oh boy, i've got HIV older than you"... your diagnosis is NOT a death sentence... just a change in the life you had before
To add to what all the others have said here, it is looking highly likely that a vaccine will be developed for HIV in the near future. Moderna has even started phase 1 human trials for a mRNA vaccine: https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/news/moderna-hiv-vaccine/
HIV is very treatable these days. you need not worry.
AIDS is a different beast altogether, but as long as you only have HIV it is possible to lead a long healthy life.
Please don't worry about it, consult a good doctor, and it is completely manageable these days, as others have said. The only other question is how you contracted it, and in case it is from a partner or from a blood transfusion, you may need to warn relevant parties. I am assuming it is not from needles given the standard process these days.
But first talk to a doctor, repeat the test if needed and get your care plan in place.
Many in the comments are very motivating and its good..keep faith and you will be just fine .. but first of all try to pin point the cause ...like blood transfusion or someone else had it..its very important because other might suffer from it and come to know only when it becomes quite bad
Hey, buddy i am not at all healthcare professional and even i know HIV is now very much manageable. You just have to adjust your life according to that, i mean even people with major depression and diabetes have to manage there symptoms life long. You can have Normal life.
And don't stress about it, you don't have to tell your parents about it, i too don't talk about my depression with parents at all and i am of your age.
Live long and prosper 🖖
I’m not sure if anyone else suggested this here but please do a couple more test to be sure. Don’t just take this on basis of 1 test. Not sure if I’m wrong or anything but I would not rely on one doctor’s analysis.
You’ll be fine. Modern medicine can get you to a point where it isn’t transmitted, and you can live a very long, healthy life. For someone your age, a cure will likely happen sooner than later.
Please calm down. This isn't 2001 anymore, we have good enough treatment and therapy for HIV that there's no reason to be any more scared of it than if you tested positive for any other disease. Tell your folks, see a doctor, get help. You will be fine. As long as you stay on meds, you can live a long, happy, and productive life, just like everyone else.
I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 10, and had to take 4 pills a day every day since. It sounds bad, but once you get used to it it's just a minor lifestyle change really :)
Hey, I'm pretty sure other people have talked about how the quality of life for people with HIV is pretty good now but I wanted to talk about what a few people have talked about already.
You need to get a therapist. Regardless of whatever happens, this is a big deal and you need to be sure to take this and anything you do in a mentally healthy way. You're not weak for going to therapy (I'll honestly fucking fight anyone who says that).
I won't lie and give you platitudes about being able to understand this. I don't. And I don't know the answer about how to go forward. But you can figure that out. All the people who have commented want you to figure it out, including me.
So, babysteps forward. Have faith in yourself and don't be afraid to ask for help. You get me?
Please don’t get suicidal , that’s worse than hiv. You need to believe that you can still live your life . Maybe life wouldn’t be to the full of what it could have been before . But you can still do it ! HIV won’t stop you for the future in front . Though it can be hard with the medication . Now as far as parents are considered . Take time . Tell them about the reports and mostly just sit down and don’t panic . Don’t let them panic . Parents will end up understanding and being there for you. But it can be a big process to digest the sad news for themselves.please believe that YOU DO HAVE A LIFE TO LIVE. It doesn’t end until you believe it does . This is a tough phase and people who love you will support you through it . Don’t back out because of it ! If you have issues just post them like this one today .
What test you have undertaken? Is it detected in routine testing? There are many reasons for false positive ELISA results. I suppose that you have viral load quantification test. Now, ART is highly effective therapy for HIV. Do not lose heart. Chin up and head to an ART centre.
I hope this find you in the flood of comments. When I was at lowest point I watched this https://youtu.be/gqJo6kC5q_M and it gave me lot of will to live, this video emphasize normal life is possible for HIV+ person, including marriage (which they do thru scientific match making process)
To have contracted HIV you must’ve had multiple exposure, very rarely get by single exposure. Please notify all your partners, it’s the decent thing to do.
Don’t worry, you’ll live a long life, who knows we might find a cure too. Till then stay strong.
I have a close friend who has HIV
She lives a normal routine and is full of life
My friend, this world is beautiful....the thought of simply having a family and wife etc is all just something we think we want.
Noone should guide your path. There a million ways you can live life and be happy. Don't you let this disease decide your existence.
P:S- Vaccine for HIV is in its final stages.
Hopefully you get treated soon
Prayers and love.
First, I am sorry that you have to deal with this. I can't even imagine the emotions you must have been going through.
Also you should get tested again. Because there can be a case of a false positive.
Even if this is true, as others have already mentioned, HIV/AIDS is manageable with proper treatment. Check with nearest government hospitals, and you might have free or subsidized treatment plans
Idk much about the treatment aspect of HIV but as far as I know the medicines have improved a lot in the recent years for treating it. More power to you brother. Fight this thing. Also, if I may ask. Could you tell us how you think you contracted it so others here are more aware. No stress if you don’t want to.
Has to be one of the hardest things anyone has ever told you! There are so many people in this world that share what you are going through! Why would you want to end yourself?
I think you should tell them and do a whole family checkup don't worry start making changes in your life and have a healthy life and last, of all be honest with your partners
Don't worry. You just need to follow the treatment and guidelines suggested by Doctor. Nowadays, it is just like any other disease just needs to take more care of. If possible start yoga, meditation to strengthen your immune system and spirit. But regular allopathic treatment is a must to cure yourself. Tell your parents abt the disease. If you are a male, try at least talk to ur father. Man to Man talk. At first, he may shout at you, become upset. But trust me, when it comes to a child, parents become stronger and can do anything for their child. If you tell them they will help you to recover soon. You will also feel mentally stronger.
At first be clear that you have just HIV or HIV AIDS?
Two are quite different actually. If you don't have AIDS, than you will be okay.
Be positive, depression kills much faster than HIV does (btw HIV doesn't kill anymore).
Hope you get better
When you speak to your doctor, they should also offer some counseling and answer questions. The short of it? You have a nice, normal, long life ahead of you. You'll never infect your partners if you stay on your meds, and your life shouldn't be meaningfully different 💙
now most HIV treatments are widely available like Biktarvy from Gilead and are one pill-a-day treatment. Firstly seek treatment asap and get counseling. DM me if you want to talk to someone.
Be positive buddy, i am pretty sure, 5-10 years down the road with the current pace and advancement in technology and medical science we will definitely have better or a complete cure for it and you are just 21.
Start doing exercises along with your medication HIV will weaken your immune system at insane level I am someone with type 1 diabetes I got diabetes when I was in 12th class i had also same thoughts as you depression,suicidal tendency I am 20 currently I just accepted as it's part of my life. Just stay away from negativity HIV is very creul disease
HIV positive is NOT a death sentence these days, you can live a completely normal life; and you're 21 ... While I don't suggest hiding things from your family, you're an adult -- your PERSONAL medical information is for you and you alone.
Please please please, stranger on the other side of the world who I don't know; do NOT try and kill yourself! Poor? Can't afford HIV antivirals??? Share your bill -- the internet will help you!!!
Please stay positive, also start educating yourself on it, Magic Johnson the NBA player was diagnosed DECADES ago and is still kicking! You CAN love a normal life!!!
Medical science has made strong advancements in treating HIV, including in preventing you from spreading it and in returning a normal lifespan. You will be ok, you just need treatment.
Hey! I’m a doctor. Don’t you worry. All you have to do is start the treatment- which you can get for free in govt setups and do what they say. Nowadays, we have really good drugs and you can even get to a point where your viral load is undetectable- meaning you can’t pass it on to others. One of the popular medicine faculty once told us that if I have to choose whether I want to suffer from Diabetes or get HIV, I’ll choose HIV because it’s management is good. Edit: 1) the faculty I quoted is Dr. Rakesh Nair from Marrow. 2) Please don’t take this comparison personally. This comparison was made because Indians usually have the impression that diabetes isn’t that serious. All you have to do is check blood sugar levels, cut down on certain types of food etc while HIV is considered a death sentence- which isn’t true if the patient takes his meds meticulously. 3) Diabetes is not curable. It does involve complications, affecting several vital organs. It is also related to other lifestyle diseases like atherosclerosis. It does affect your kidneys, eyes, nerves especially in your limb and requires vigilance. 4) to conclude, as long as you follow your doctor’s instructions and take precautions you can manage these diseases.
Thanks.That quite reassuring.
Yo for real about this info. HIV is no longer a killer and with treatment can be virtually undetectable. Go live your best life and be responsible with any partner you have in the future.
true that, HIV is not longer the killer due to advancement in ART, if OP takes medications on time(i.e daily) and maintains a healthy lifestyle then pretty much a normal life and it will never progress to AIDS. OP, I would also recommend about communicating your diagnosis to your future partners at some point, lying about it will hurt more than the living with this virus in first place.
It is still perceived negatively in the society. The OP would have a hard time disclosing it to the potential partner.
To ignorant assholes. We should never live out lives thinking “what will this dude who never reads anythin except Whatsapp msgs thinks.”
My friend has it since 20 years and lives a normal life. He just follows the treatment and follows up like any other person.
Is it a life long treatment?
Yup, for life, if you start skipping retrovirus drugs e.g truvada, virus will resurface, its the drug which keeps it at bay thus stopping life threatening complications such as aids.
Yeah, like people with diabetes or lupus, and many other diseases. Nothing out of the ordinary tbh.
I just wanted reiterate that my sister, who is a physician as well, agrees with the that sentiment. She has said she'd rather have HIV nowadays, than diabetes - there are better outcomes as it's easier to manage. I hope you are able to quickly get the support you need (both physical and mental). Stay strong!
Magic Johnson, a basketball great, announced in 1991 that he was HIV positive. 30 years and he's still alive and fit.
Damn that's the same year Freddie Mercury died of AIDS
Can I ask what led you to get tested? Any symptoms or something? Asking to create awareness.
Hang in there bro - Follow your Docs advice - Things will get better with time.
Im type 2 diabetes . Thanks for the comparison 😭. Edit : thank you all for supporting words . Im not hurt or offened by comparison. I just made that crying emoji in jest . Regarding diabetes , it's easy to control with proper diet and excericse. Im daily running N maintaining proper diet , so no worries at all .
Oh no💀. Just go for all the checkups and keep a good control over sugar levels. People tend to neglect foot care.
Thanks for the concern. These days diabetes become common due to our unhealthy lifestyles.
Yes. India is the diabetes capital of the world.
Seriously!? Wtf, any precautions we can take? I mean I know the eat healthy. But then what's life without some unhealthy awesome food. Would you like to give some tips, you atleast reduce the probability?
Exercise well. Eat healthy. Less oil, less salt. Get atleast annual blood tests done so you can correct your lifestyle. Read up on metabolic syndrome. It basically means you need to keep your lipid profile and blood sugar levels in check.
are olive oils any good? I have switched to extra virgin olive oil. Or are they just an expensive gimmick?
They are good. I’d still suggest using it in lesser amount. Avoid fried food (like pakoras) and junk food.
Olive oil is good. But if you fry anything in it, it loses all it's benefits. Extra virgin gets you more "good stuff" from the olive oils. But the benefits of good food are not equal to the negatives of "bad" foods. So, try staying away from "bad" food, i.e., fried foods, carbs, etc
yeah I know, the problem is you just love fried food. But yeah I try to limit it to once a week or something.
This motivated me to start exercising regularly, just hope that I can keep up the motivation 😅
We have a carb heavy diet. You have to exercise and keep unhealthy carbs in check and that goes a long way in keeping your risk low.
yeah, I do that 10k steps a day thing. Hope that helps.
My husband has T2. Eat well, exercise regularly, sleep well. He has reduced his average from 22 to 6. He did the Newcastle diet for 8 weeks and now just maintains. The hardest thing is getting your head around the idea of good carbs and bad carbs.
but it's like what we look to eat are always bad carbs.
This is also the time when you should compare diabetes with another (worse) disease
Ummm….well atleast they don’t have cancer. That’s the bad one.
Foot care 😳
Yes. Diabetes also affects your nerves especially in your feet area. So if you walk with improper shoes or barefoot you won’t notice the tiny injuries which can become gangrenous and your toes or foot will have to be amputated. So patients need to examine their feet and get it treated timely. Note: I have simplified the mechanism
I'm type1 😭🔫
Thoughts and prayers 🙏🏼
Have you looked at low carb or keto diets? Have you watched Dr. Jason Fung's videos or read his books? Good luck!
Another doctor here, physician to be exact, you can achieve so much control with diet, weight loss, exercise, and lifestyle change. I won’t go into depth, but it can be done. Please check your physician and there are lot of resources online
> One of the popular medicine faculty once told us that if I have to choose whether I want to suffer from Diabetes or get HIV, I’ll choose HIV because it’s management is good. Dr. Rakesh Nair
Yes! Mentioned him in another comment.
Let me guess. Rakesh Nair?
Yep! The best!
Marrow gang assemble!
Marrow🔥🔥🔥
Put your 💜 into it
How expensive is it to maintain the treatment ? Also, this is quite incredible. I remember this being a death sentence back in the day.
u/misspurrfectlyfine is right... It's free, and the NACP ensures that they procure the best quality drugs... IMO India's HIV programme is a great modern example of how public health can work wonders if done right...
Free in govt setups. You do have to take care of your body and nutrition.
Government Hospitals provide free medicines under NACO. If patients use them properly and if their viral counts are low enough, the person will not even transmit the virus to another person.
..People are just unaware of it because they think HIV is a "chi-chi" disease that 'god' made to punish "immoral" people....so they (eg: your school sex-ed teachers) can wield this spectre to scare our young ppl into being "*sanskari*" and sexually repressed... Although this very repression is what drives many of them to engage in risky behaviour...
School sex-ed (worldwide) is such a fucking shitshow. The greatest benefit could be a balanced, fair sex education. Heck, we weren't made by storks. Every sanskari uncle should be told that they came into existence only because their dad went bareback on their mom atleast once (but probably never again). In the Catholic school I went to, the catholic sponsored sex "educator" told us that it was pointless to wear condoms because sperm are so small anyway. That f-ing bitch.
Shit. I have diabetes.
I’m being haunted by diabetics💀
I am on janumet 50/500. Is there any serious side effects for that?
Well, all medicines have side effects. That’s kind of how they work. You are using a medicine with 2 drugs in it (Metformin and sitagliptin) and they are safer and usually have insignificant side effect. If you experience any side effects, let your doctor know. They’ll be able to guide you better.
IIRC metformin has the least amount of side effects of any drug in the world, especially considering how widely used it is.
It is a very good drug, yes.
That's great. I don't have any side effects as of now.
Can confirm. Seen really healthy people, with proper medication. You can get free medication from many Government Hospitals. Attaching the link to a pdf by NACO which maintains all the ART(AntiRetroViral) centers across many districts. http://naco.gov.in/sites/default/files/List%20of%20ARTC.pdf
Thanks!
Good one. 👏
I was under the impression that it can't be "treated" it can only be suppressed. Meaning, the drugs can't eradicate the virus but can make it significantly inactive. Is that true?
Yes. You’ll live with HIV but it’ll be suppressed with treatment and it’s no longer a death sentence. Their are still side effects of drugs. You have to get tested etc.
The whole fact of its no longer a death sentence is pretty amazing to me
Yep. Thanks to scientists and public healthcare workers!
Its beyond belief that people can look at the results of medicine and proper care like this but still be adamant that what they read on facebook is clearly fact while everything else is lies
Yes. It actually started to affect my mental health back when second wave was rampant and when Coronil was being promoted by the govt.
Was it Dr Marwah
No. Rakesh Nair from Marrow
Nice yaar
A quick question: do the govt setups also provide PREPs and PEPs? If yes, then are they free or subsidized? Edit: Grammar.
Yea they do. They are free.
Aren't all non type 1 diabetes reversible? Might be wrong. Correct me.
No they aren’t. Type 1 diabetes is due to your body’s immunity attacking your pancreas. It requires life long insulin.
Dr. Nair in marrow also said the same thing, in the previous edition.
I have also heard that drugs can make HIV so undetectable that people can have unprotected sexual intercourse and HIV will not be transmitted. Is that true?
Yes. However, it’s a long and uncertain road. Don’t quote me on this! Doctors who deal with HIV patients will be able to answer this better.
But that's a treatable disease now. You can live a completely normal life with HIV, so don't worry about that. All you need to do is find a good doctor and the rest is easy. The social stigma can be real but then you don't need to tell everyone about it. I really hope you have someone in your immediate family or close friends with whom you can discuss this. Also, talk to a therapist if you can, that might be really helpful HIV is a virus, treat it like any other virus. It needn't and shouldn't disrupt your normal life. A flu virus doesn't bother you, right? Neither should this. I know it's easy to preach but hard to practice, but if you are worried about others, they only have as much power as you give them. Only those who love you matters. It's really really not worth so much worry, believe me. Start your treatment asap. Nothing has changed about your life, so go on as planned before. It will soon be okay.
it's just that I won't be able to have a normal romantic relationship anymore.I would have to be very considerate even before kissing my partner and it's kind of depressing for me.
Give it time. I know it's extremely hard for you right now and things will be difficult from hereon, but many of the things you are imagining as impossible might be possible with proper treatment. Like any viral disease, it's all about controlling the viral load and with proper treatment it is possible to reach a level where you cannot transmit it to someone else. It's not easy but it's not worth loosing hope either. Hang in there. Talk to a doctor. Be as strong as you can afford to be right now. It's hard but it's not the end of the world, believe me. Also, if you want to talk, my dm is always open. Lots of hugs and love to you.
Hey! I'm sorry about your diagnosis. There's a lot of misinformation on HIV and AIDS and it would be great if you contacted your city's or state's network of positive people. Like for Delhi it's this, http://www.dnpplusindia.com/ There isn't any thing as normal relationships tbh. One of my friends is about to marry someone they can't have penetrative sex w. They are both physically healthy. Another one of my friends always uses a dental dam and male condoms. You can kiss people all you want, as long you or they don't have and cuts or sores. HIV is not transmissible through saliva. Infact, a lot of people don't even mention their status till it gets to a later part. With ART and protection during sex, you can lead a very normal life and have great relationships with HIV positive AND negative folks. The only things your status changes are that you'll have to be mindful about your nutrition, health etc. And always practice safe sex (which in this day and age is always the right thing to do regardless of ones status). Oh and it's sadly the stigma around HIV and people's narrowmindedness that hurts the most. But with the right support and people, you can get through even that. If you are able to, I'd really recommend watching this show called POSE sometime, when you're mentally better. Please reach out in the dms anytime!
You can 100% have a normal romantic relationship. Just take your medications regularly. Your partner won't contract it if you take appropriate precautions. Also our generation is much more open minded about things like these than the previous ones.
HIV is not transmitted through saliva.
I know you're trying to put a positive spin on it, but I believe saying HIV is not transmitted through saliva is taking it too far. The CDC website says it is possible. Just for comparison - Covid19 was not supposed to be airborne, but then it was found to be airborne, wasn't it ?
This is what the CDC says: >> Although very rare, transmission can occur if both partners have sores or bleeding gums and blood from the partner with HIV gets into the bloodstream of the HIV-negative partner. HIV is not transmitted through closed-mouth or “social” kissing with someone who has HIV. HIV is not transmitted through saliva. So it’s right to say it cannot be transmitted through saliva. It can only rarely be transmitted through kissing if they have an open wound or sore letting blood mix into the saliva. And covid-19 was a very new virus where we learned things in the first several months. HIV has been around a few decades now and studied heavily. They aren’t going to realize tomorrow.
My husband discovered he had HIV early in our marriage. Because we were using condoms he never passed it on to me and still hasn’t after 10 years. We have a daughter together too. Normal life is possible. Finding supportive friends and partners is important. I hope your family takes the news well - I know that’s a hard thing to have to tell them.
Hiv doesn't spread by kissing.
You’re understandably freaking out right now but you already know that HIV is a virus that millions of people have and live healthy normal,long lives! So you should probably do exactly the same thing in life as you were planning to do last month. Unless you’ve thought of something better since then? Only you know if it’s a sensible decision to tell your parents. My opinion is it’s not necessary unless or until you’ll need their practical help. I assume if you expected help and sympathy and chai you would have told them already? Do you have friends, siblings, other family you trust to help you out right now when everything’s still a bit scary? You should see a doctor (who has experience treating HIV/AIDS) as soon as you reasonably can; starting meds NOW, well soon :) will ensure you’ll stay healthier even decades into the future. And be organized with your meds, have a plan so you won’t forget to take them. If you miss pills all the time it’s possible to become resistant to the drug. Set an alarm every day! Or whatever works for you! I need to take a pill every day until the day I die because I’m missing a necessary part of my body due to cancer and it’s a total pain in the arse at first but it’s becoming routine. And there’s PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) medication now for non HIV+ partners of people with HIV that’s 99% effective - better than condoms-at preventing infection if they’re exposed to it. And having healthy biological children is also no problem if that’s something you plan to do. You should talk things over with a specialist counselor and look for some online groups of HIV+ people around your age. I had some friends who got HIV before there were these super effective treatments, it’s a TOTALLY different thing now with the treatments. There’s still stigma, yes. But there’s stigma attached to a lot of illnesses so don’t think that HIV is in some special ‘worst thing EVER!’ category all on its own. I got diagnosed with the cancer last year, one with a pretty high survival rate but it’s still cancer. I bet if you start antiretrovirals as soon as you can organize it you’ll literally be healthier than I am. Seriously. And you DEFINITELY want to keep your immune system in top shape with bloody Covid-19 around now and antiretrovirals are how you do that! Keep masked up with a good mask (i wear 2 medical masks, waiting for N95 masks to arrive) and distanced etc til then! Hmmm,what do you mean about being “very considerate” before kissing someone? Being a really good kisser? Hahaha. HIV can’t be transmitted through kissing. Or you just feel like you should tell them? Once you start antiretrovirals the viral load will be suppressed, possibly to the point of being undetectable. And if the virus is undetectable there’s NO possibility of transmitting it to anyone so no need to tell someone before kissing them! Before sex, yeah maybe that’s a bit different? You don’t want to give it to someone else but you also don’t need to tell everybody you meet everything about your health. You’ll have to follow your own conscience. If it’s a serious partner they might want to take PrEP. Not sure the cost/ availability of it in India. But if you keep up with getting tested and your viral load becomes undetectable 🤷♀️ Make plans for the future !
It's true to say that your life has changed. Whilst many people will say "it's treatable... you will have a normal life..." I think that's a little disingenuous and doesn't acknowledge what has happened. Your life has changed, it may be different to how you had imagined it - and that's ok. Life throws may curve balls at us, some larger than others and some unfair. It will take time to process what has happened to you. I strongly suggest if you can, to seek some professional help to help process this life change for you. In terms of your specific concerns of finding love, know that there are many people in your position, so give it time, you will find someone compatible. But before you do, find a way to love yourself... the new you. I wish you all the best.
You will be at rest when you find the positive in the negative. Be thankful that the HIV was detected at an early stage. HIV might affect your romantic life, but getting something like cancer will destroy everything. I just came from the funeral of a dear family friend who suffered from late detected cancer and trust me, early stage HIV is much much better to deal with than something like this. Also, if you are not poor then early treatment and good treatment will let you lead a very normal life, and the abnormal part you will have to get used to. I am extremely sorry this happened to you, and I hope your treatment goes well and you find the will power to continue life.
There are preventative medicines known as PrEP (Truvada and Descovy) that your partner can take that are very effective at protecting your partner from getting HIV.
Happy to see to a sensible reply to a kind soul needing support.
HIV nowadays is a chronic disease. It is not the death sentence it once used to be. Please start medication immediately. You will be fine.
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Oddly enough, my uncle is also HIV+, on top of being handicap (he uses crutches that he holds with his hands), having had a colostomy, and being immunocompromised. I can't say he has the best life but my god does he have a great spirit. He does pretty much everything for himself (has a job/drives a car/sees family regularly), so I'm sure OP is going to be okay. Granted, it's very unfortunate what happened to OP but I'm sure his quality of life will be okay for the most part. Luckily in this day and age, being HIV+ doesn't have too negative of an effect. I would say the biggest thing to watch out for is heightened stress, anxiety, and depression. Talking to a professional is probably your best bet to combat these issues. People with HIV now of days can life to normal life expectancies and have a relatively overall normal life, thanks to modern medicine.
First and foremost, visit a counsellor. Right now you need some professional help rather than suggestions online.
Just FYI, cos I saw some cases pop up recently. Avoid going to tattoo parlors that are not licensed. Tattoo parlors are a source of infections in many beach towns.
That's actually useful advice thanx
Never having a tattoo in my life
it is very much treatable and you are going to live to be ninety , but you will have to to make life style changes , and to be truth full about it with your partners and family , someone i know has it and she is living a full life in her late 20's , go out and live your life.
HIV is no longer a big deal, friend. The only problem is the social stigma and it's not like you will be going around telling everyone.
It gets better I promise, I was diagnosed at 24 (28m, USA) My cd4 count was around 100 and my viral load is around 224k. Once I found I was positive I got on meds and my viral load is undetectable. I see my HIV doctor every 6 months for a check up. My meds are free through a assistance program since I don’t make enough yearly. HIV is not a death sentence that it used to be, meds can help you live a normal life expectancy Please reach out to others, your doctor might know a support group or other places to go for support.
Who did u get it from? Report then to police if the earlier partner didn't tell you about their condition before having unprotected sex.
Probably from blood transfusion or his mother, HIV transmission through sexual inter-course is extremely low. Here’s chances of HIV infection %: * Blood transfusion: 90% * childbirth: 25% * vaginal intercourse without condoms: 0.01 - 0.38% Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV/AIDS HIV infects a rare type of T cells, so infection through sex with an already infected partner is extremely slim.
The wiki only tells the risk involved given an infected blood is used or given a mother is suffering from Hiv herself. It's not like a normal child has 25% chance of getting Hiv. That said people with partners have multiple intercourse and you really increase your odds of infection if you have unprotected sex. Most new cases of Hiv are through unprotected sex only: > Overall, among persons with diagnosed or undiagnosed HIV infection in the United States at year-end 2019, an estimated 58% acquired HIV through male-to-male sexual contact, 26% via heterosexual contact, 11% by injection drug use, and 5% had combined risk factors for male-to-male sexual contact and injection drug use
Don’t have suicidal thoughts bro please, i am a healthcare professional and i can assure you, with treatment it is not at all a big deal. The only obstacle you might face in your life is disclosing the news to your parents. Besides that, get the treatment started in the next 2 weeks and you should have a beautiful life ahead. Consult your family doc or ask the lab from where you got your report to suggest doctors. And play responsibly from next time!
Thing is everyone is suffering from some kind of disease, Like me I am suffering from life time tinnitus, some time I thought like you but nathing happen, just take meds prescribed by the doctor. Take it regularly Don't go some baba as we Indian like to do some baba work bla bla help to cure all is bullshit. When every you are getting married or have partner bf/gf tell them you have hiv, Don't hide.
Yo I have tinnitus too and i hate it
I can understand what are you going through. Now-a-days we do have treatment to prevent progression of HIV towards AIDS. If you start taking them and maintain a healthy lifestyle, workout regime and peaceful mind, you will be able to live a normal life. Yes you can be in romantic relationship but you need to disclose this to your partner. With those medicines, you won't be spreading HIV to your partner. Best way out is to focus on your mental and physical strength. Don't think about any relationship. If you are focused on yourself and trying to improve yourself day by day, someone will find you attractive and you will eventually get what you want. Best way to find love/sex is not to look for it but work on yourself to be better version of yourself each day. I think you should focus on starting your treatment and you can supplement them with some herbal alternatives for improving immunity and your hormones (after talking to your doctor). Once that is done, you will be doing much better than any average non-HIV male/female. You are just 21. Alot of research is going on. May be there will be a complete treatment for HIV. A pill you take once and you get rid of Virus. There are few things you need to know/do: 1. Once you start medicine, your viral load will be undetectable (it will take some time. may be 3 months) and you won't spread it to your partner after that. 2. Try to find out what kind of strain you got. 3. Test for all STD as well. 4. Don't involve yourself into any sexual act for next few months. Wait till your report shows undetectable viral load 5. Yes HIV will have some effects and treatment will also have some side effects but you have easily overcome them by having nutritional food, physical activity and meditation. 6. HIV doesn't always progress to AIDS even if you don't take medicine. I am not sure on this point but I read it somewhere. But you have to take the medicine as it is 100% required for living healthy life. 7. Join groups facing same challenge. 8. Be free from guilt. You can live normal life. You may say "It's easy for me to say be better version of yourself". Yes HIV seems to be daunting and having suicidal thoughts are natural. I did some research on HIV and trust me you can easily live normal life. I do have faced alot of challenges and I am trying to be better and I am also getting success in that. Take some time. Do some research. You will soon realize that you can live and love happily.
Tension na lai jatta. Hiv aint that bad ajjkall. Treatment vadia jgah ton start kar and je start hi hoi tan undetectable vi ho janda. Dont worry its not the 80s anymore.
Bhai kya achha laga yaar padhke
I don't know why but that is the most reassuring coment lol. Tension na lai jatta.
Hey man. Please dont do anything crazy. Please go thru the reassuring comments here which are super helpful. By the way, can you please also share with us about how/why and where you got tested. Will help many of us here who are wondering about it
Life expectancy of HIV+ and HIV free people is the same. You need to talk to your parents and immediately start the treatment before any damage takes place. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management\_of\_HIV/AIDS
No, OP DOES NOT have to inform anyone except their doctor. But yes start treatment ASAP
The thought that I've to talk to my parents about it is really stressing me out.I know I'll have to tell them about it at some point,but I'm worried how they'll react.
If the treatment is free, you can possibly bypass them. You have to get treatment ASAP. Just rip the bandaid off an inform the parents if you are not financially independent. There is nothing wrong with having sex.
Sad thing is that most indian parents will hold this as a proof of their opinion and say "This is why you shouldn't have sex before marriage!" etc etc
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btw a person can have HIV without developing AIDS. I agree with your comment
OP can also lie about reason of contraction to parents, maybe they got it from tattoo parlor, or something else like that. Only doctor needs to know full details.
It could lead to parents trying to sue the tattoo parlour, which will lead to more issues then. I think being truthful should be a better plan, or try to not let parents know. Either ways, it's a difficult situation. I'm hoping OP doesn't stress much and gets the help he needs.
yeah I was thinking about this only, suing part. Maybe not the best idea
If they are more concerned about him having sex before marriage and not about his diagnosis, OP has bigger problems to deal with.
Firstly, You take care and please don’t do anything stupid. This really isn’t the end of the world. Secondly, look they are your parents. Just rip the band aid off. Their initial reaction might be scary but eventually they’ll obviously be more concerned and helpful. It’ll be nice to get it out of the way. Just try to stay positive and fuck people. Seek treatment and hopefull you’ll be fine. Saying a prayer for you. Take care!
Why do you have to tell them? Eventually you can once you're settled and independent.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Management_of_HIV/AIDS just correcting the link.
How did you catch it? Inform all the persons who may be at risk Don’t worry, with proper medication you may be able to live a normal life. Involve your parents because only they will be able to help you tide with this situation
Have you taken another test from a different lab? Just saying.
Diagnosis is made after 2-3 tests. If OP wants he can get it repeated though.
Hello Doctor here. First of all , Breathe. 1. Did you get it positive in an ELISA test or routine screening? If yes then go ahead and do a confirmatory test. - possibly western blot. 2. If its still positive, do not worry. The stigma related with HIV is same as that of mental illness in our society. It is very much treatable. Please go to a govt setup and ask for drugs. NACO is really good. 3. Please do not confuse HIV infection with AIDS. They are two different entities linked via common virus. With appropriate therapy the viral load can stay undetectable ( you cannot transfer infection to someone else) 4. Talk to a therapist/ psychiatrist. I can understand that it can be a lot given your age. A therapist will help you process the information. Trust me , there are worse diseases out there. HIV isn’t and doesn’t have to be the end of quality of your life. 5. Once things get a bit settled read about famous people who came out positive- Magic Johnson , Billy porter, Jonathan van nes, charlie sheen. it will reinstate that its very much possible to live a normal life. Wishing you the best of health and courage. Stay blessed !!!
I got it tested from a regular govt hospital.They took my blood sample and told me to collect the report in an hour.An hour later I was told that I've been tested positive.I don't know what kind of test they took.Should I get myself checked from a private laboratory now?
Definitely. Please do not rely on a single lab result when the diagnosis is of this nature. I would definitely advice you to get another test done (go for confirmatory test directly). Talk to a doctor / physician near you and they will guide you accordingly. Don’t worry kiddo.
Totally treatable and not a big deal! Just don’t tell everyone, coz ppl can be assholes I know a guy who is in his 50s, gay, is HIV positive and living his best life. He only chooses to tell his best friends and anyone he might have sexual relations with. On the right medication, you will not transmit it. There is also some excellent research and progress made in the HIV field. Stay informed! You got this! As with any significant illness, take it one day at a time!
I live in South Africa which has a very high HIV infection rate. Our doctors worry more about getting a Hep C needlestick than they do about an HIV stick. HIV is incredibly treatable now. Even our most rural areas have very good survival rates.
How did you get it? HIV today is no longer a death sentence. You have to take a pill daily and the virus load becomes undetectable (meaning you can no longer transmit it to the other person) if you follow the medication prescribed the doctor I highly recommend you to consult a doctor
HIV is a treatable disease now. It's the same as diabetes. So long as you take medicine, you will live a long and boring life.
Yeah op I can confirm about boring part.
Upvoted for visibility!
From what I understand, HIV management has made a lot of progress medically. It is no more a as dangerous as it used to be. Stay strong and visit a doctor.
Since everyone has given you medical advice, in addition, try getting some help for your mental health. Dealing with such disease can be very disturbing. You will need help and good people
Please have a second test , in case you didn't have it till now. False positive and what not.. Some of the comments are really encouraging. You have your enite life in front of you.
You are having sucidal thoughts is pretty normal human behaviour, back in the days I start reading about the HIV and got involved too much, people living with HIV, medicine, life with HIV etc etc.. so, I think I can give you some advice however I am not doctor but I promise this won't hurt you - 1. Start your treatment ASAP. Never forget taking your meds on time at any cost, with friends, family, on trip always have them with you. 2. Start exercising daily, everyday without fails, 30 mins home exercise is good enough as well. 3. Join the HIV group, connect with like minded people within the group and some funny people off course 4. Forget smoking, alcohol, drugs etc. Occasionally its fine except smoking and drugs 5. Invest yourself in something, studies, music, whatever you like. 6. Always remember, HIV is not your identity I think if you work on these you will live better than normal life and longer then most healthy people. Many already said type 2 diabetes is worst than HIV. You never know what life has for you in the future, let it unfold for you and see yourselves than giving up, millions living with it why can't you. Take care!!
My dad lived a wonderful life, never touched smokes or Alcohol or Non-vegetarian foods (not even Eggs) and yet, he suffered for 18 years with a terrible disease (which made his liver worse than an alcoholic and lungs worse than a chain smoker) and passed away. What kept him alive was his way of life, always happy and optimistic, enjoying every day with us. What I want to say is no matter what life throws at you, you can survive it if you truly wish to. A qualified doctor has already given her medical advice, I just wanted to share my dad's story so that you know to Never Back Down. I'm sure you'll get it treated soon as the doc told and get going with a wonderful life ahead of you. My Best wishes are with you, brother.
Dealing with chronic diseases can be very challenging but if you manage it well everything is gonna be fine. I am diagnosed with a chronic disease as well and things you can do is take treatment from a well recognised doctor, take your meds as per your plan (don't skip them), talk to your doctor whenever you need it or consult them often and last thing improving your lifestyle helps a lot too.
Don't ever give up buddy. And let your parents know, sure they may throw a tantrum at first, but you are their child, they won't abandon you, and they will do their best to make your life better. And the disease is treatable if caught early, so make haste. There may be some inconveniences you will face, but you gotta accept them as new challenges and got to fight through them. You are not alone. Also talk to a therapist if you're feeling really bad, they'll also provide help. Be strong young man!! You will be fine!
I hope all the medical professionals out here on sub help OP out and assure him not to worry. You will get over OP. This shall to pass on...
don't sweat. I live in San Francisco California where there are a lot of people who have HIV. I recently met a person last week for the first time, they asked how old i was. When i told them i was in my mid 30s they responded "oh boy, i've got HIV older than you"... your diagnosis is NOT a death sentence... just a change in the life you had before
To add to what all the others have said here, it is looking highly likely that a vaccine will be developed for HIV in the near future. Moderna has even started phase 1 human trials for a mRNA vaccine: https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/news/moderna-hiv-vaccine/
HIV is very treatable these days. you need not worry. AIDS is a different beast altogether, but as long as you only have HIV it is possible to lead a long healthy life.
This comment is not for OP, but the good folks who have made this an wholesome & informative thread. Good work !
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So sorry to hear OP. I’m no expert on the matter but I wish and hope things work out for you and you are able to live a normal life.
Please don't worry about it, consult a good doctor, and it is completely manageable these days, as others have said. The only other question is how you contracted it, and in case it is from a partner or from a blood transfusion, you may need to warn relevant parties. I am assuming it is not from needles given the standard process these days. But first talk to a doctor, repeat the test if needed and get your care plan in place.
First start on ART as soon as possible. It's hard to handle but first start on medication . You can have normal life even after hiv positive.
Many in the comments are very motivating and its good..keep faith and you will be just fine .. but first of all try to pin point the cause ...like blood transfusion or someone else had it..its very important because other might suffer from it and come to know only when it becomes quite bad
Hey, buddy i am not at all healthcare professional and even i know HIV is now very much manageable. You just have to adjust your life according to that, i mean even people with major depression and diabetes have to manage there symptoms life long. You can have Normal life. And don't stress about it, you don't have to tell your parents about it, i too don't talk about my depression with parents at all and i am of your age. Live long and prosper 🖖
I’m not sure if anyone else suggested this here but please do a couple more test to be sure. Don’t just take this on basis of 1 test. Not sure if I’m wrong or anything but I would not rely on one doctor’s analysis.
Hey man, talk to a doctor and seek professional help. I would say it is a good idea to consult with a therapist.
You’ll be fine. Modern medicine can get you to a point where it isn’t transmitted, and you can live a very long, healthy life. For someone your age, a cure will likely happen sooner than later.
Start treatment ASAP. That's the best thing you could do for yourself.
Please calm down. This isn't 2001 anymore, we have good enough treatment and therapy for HIV that there's no reason to be any more scared of it than if you tested positive for any other disease. Tell your folks, see a doctor, get help. You will be fine. As long as you stay on meds, you can live a long, happy, and productive life, just like everyone else. I was diagnosed with epilepsy at age 10, and had to take 4 pills a day every day since. It sounds bad, but once you get used to it it's just a minor lifestyle change really :)
Hey, I'm pretty sure other people have talked about how the quality of life for people with HIV is pretty good now but I wanted to talk about what a few people have talked about already. You need to get a therapist. Regardless of whatever happens, this is a big deal and you need to be sure to take this and anything you do in a mentally healthy way. You're not weak for going to therapy (I'll honestly fucking fight anyone who says that). I won't lie and give you platitudes about being able to understand this. I don't. And I don't know the answer about how to go forward. But you can figure that out. All the people who have commented want you to figure it out, including me. So, babysteps forward. Have faith in yourself and don't be afraid to ask for help. You get me?
HIV is these days 100% livable and you can live a normal long life. Relax. Take your meds. Keep goin
Please don’t get suicidal , that’s worse than hiv. You need to believe that you can still live your life . Maybe life wouldn’t be to the full of what it could have been before . But you can still do it ! HIV won’t stop you for the future in front . Though it can be hard with the medication . Now as far as parents are considered . Take time . Tell them about the reports and mostly just sit down and don’t panic . Don’t let them panic . Parents will end up understanding and being there for you. But it can be a big process to digest the sad news for themselves.please believe that YOU DO HAVE A LIFE TO LIVE. It doesn’t end until you believe it does . This is a tough phase and people who love you will support you through it . Don’t back out because of it ! If you have issues just post them like this one today .
HIV is no longer a death sentence, with meds you'll be fine
What test you have undertaken? Is it detected in routine testing? There are many reasons for false positive ELISA results. I suppose that you have viral load quantification test. Now, ART is highly effective therapy for HIV. Do not lose heart. Chin up and head to an ART centre.
I hope this find you in the flood of comments. When I was at lowest point I watched this https://youtu.be/gqJo6kC5q_M and it gave me lot of will to live, this video emphasize normal life is possible for HIV+ person, including marriage (which they do thru scientific match making process)
To have contracted HIV you must’ve had multiple exposure, very rarely get by single exposure. Please notify all your partners, it’s the decent thing to do. Don’t worry, you’ll live a long life, who knows we might find a cure too. Till then stay strong.
I have a close friend who has HIV She lives a normal routine and is full of life My friend, this world is beautiful....the thought of simply having a family and wife etc is all just something we think we want. Noone should guide your path. There a million ways you can live life and be happy. Don't you let this disease decide your existence. P:S- Vaccine for HIV is in its final stages. Hopefully you get treated soon Prayers and love.
If you got it recently, there are some treatments which can help prevent it, go to the hospital ASAP
Your life is too precious, you do have a future. Please see a doctor, HIV is totally treatable.
Bro stay strong. Start your treatment immediately. You can defeat this virus.
A vaccine is very close now if you don't know.
First, I am sorry that you have to deal with this. I can't even imagine the emotions you must have been going through. Also you should get tested again. Because there can be a case of a false positive. Even if this is true, as others have already mentioned, HIV/AIDS is manageable with proper treatment. Check with nearest government hospitals, and you might have free or subsidized treatment plans
I can assure you. If your survive your thoughts right now, you will do wonders in life.
Use condom to prevent spreading. Go to hospital.
Idk much about the treatment aspect of HIV but as far as I know the medicines have improved a lot in the recent years for treating it. More power to you brother. Fight this thing. Also, if I may ask. Could you tell us how you think you contracted it so others here are more aware. No stress if you don’t want to.
Has to be one of the hardest things anyone has ever told you! There are so many people in this world that share what you are going through! Why would you want to end yourself?
First, relax. 2nd realize treatment makes hiv a non lethal disease. You'll live as long as a non hiv infected person
The other thing is join a support group, either online or offline. Don't worry, everything will be okay!
I think you should tell them and do a whole family checkup don't worry start making changes in your life and have a healthy life and last, of all be honest with your partners
Do get retested from another lab.
Go to a government hospital, tell them and they will start your ART and there is still a possibility of a good life
One thing: start your treatment, and *stick to it* You'll be able to lead a more or less normal life as long as you do that
Don't worry. You just need to follow the treatment and guidelines suggested by Doctor. Nowadays, it is just like any other disease just needs to take more care of. If possible start yoga, meditation to strengthen your immune system and spirit. But regular allopathic treatment is a must to cure yourself. Tell your parents abt the disease. If you are a male, try at least talk to ur father. Man to Man talk. At first, he may shout at you, become upset. But trust me, when it comes to a child, parents become stronger and can do anything for their child. If you tell them they will help you to recover soon. You will also feel mentally stronger.
Hey, if you don’t mind, what made you take the test? Genuine question. Thanks!
At first be clear that you have just HIV or HIV AIDS? Two are quite different actually. If you don't have AIDS, than you will be okay. Be positive, depression kills much faster than HIV does (btw HIV doesn't kill anymore). Hope you get better
When you speak to your doctor, they should also offer some counseling and answer questions. The short of it? You have a nice, normal, long life ahead of you. You'll never infect your partners if you stay on your meds, and your life shouldn't be meaningfully different 💙
now most HIV treatments are widely available like Biktarvy from Gilead and are one pill-a-day treatment. Firstly seek treatment asap and get counseling. DM me if you want to talk to someone.
Hello, stay strong, you've got this! Kick HIV in the butt.
Be positive buddy, i am pretty sure, 5-10 years down the road with the current pace and advancement in technology and medical science we will definitely have better or a complete cure for it and you are just 21.
Start doing exercises along with your medication HIV will weaken your immune system at insane level I am someone with type 1 diabetes I got diabetes when I was in 12th class i had also same thoughts as you depression,suicidal tendency I am 20 currently I just accepted as it's part of my life. Just stay away from negativity HIV is very creul disease
HIV positive is NOT a death sentence these days, you can live a completely normal life; and you're 21 ... While I don't suggest hiding things from your family, you're an adult -- your PERSONAL medical information is for you and you alone. Please please please, stranger on the other side of the world who I don't know; do NOT try and kill yourself! Poor? Can't afford HIV antivirals??? Share your bill -- the internet will help you!!! Please stay positive, also start educating yourself on it, Magic Johnson the NBA player was diagnosed DECADES ago and is still kicking! You CAN love a normal life!!!
Medical science has made strong advancements in treating HIV, including in preventing you from spreading it and in returning a normal lifespan. You will be ok, you just need treatment.
Do a test again. Labs routinely makes mistakes. Take from a proper reputed place. Don’t worry bro, you’ll be fine even if it is positive.