How long after you found out did you start taking your medications? I would like to ask you a few questions if that is ok. Also I am happy for your progress and that you have been defying all Odds.
I started taking meds in 1996. Eight years after my status results. The meds back then were horrible. Vomit, diarrhea, and feeling awful were a daily occurrence.
When the new cocktails came out in 2005, I finally started progress. Now, I've been undetectable since 2010ish. When I started on better meds, I had 4 t-cells, and viral load was to the moon. I spent over 20 yrs wondering if I would not wake up the next morning.
I am really scared just thinking about being HIV+ however I remain positive because i know my life has a purpose. I was diagnosed in May 2015 while doing a routine check up for school and i started on Meds in July 2015. At the time when i found out I was recently infected so my viral load was exceptionally low and my CD4 was normal but taking necessary precautions i started on meds. My biggest fear is that even if i am on meds i will ultimately get AIDs. I been having sleepless nights coupled with being depressed and sometimes i don't know how to deal with it. I am preoccupied with school and sometimes i even forget that I am positive but times like this when i think about what may happen i get emotional and confused. I feel as if i will be single with no kids and I am afraid to tell my family especially my mom because i don't want her to worry. What motivated you to tell your family and how did you deal with the rejections if any? What advice do you have on maintaining a positive outlook? Do you still get AIDs even while on meds or was that due to lack of advancement in the medications back then? What do you do to remain healthy? I don't mean to bombard you with so many questions at once and if there are other mediums through which we can communicate i would appreciate that as well, I would just really appreciate having someone who is going through and has survived living with HIV to be able to talk to.
In my opinion, as long as you take your meds everyday, eat good, fresh food,(no fast food) and exercise daily you should be good.
My advice on telling people is only tell one's you can trust.
I would tell your mother. As a mother, she should understand that you need her support.
As for rejection, you just have to deal with it as it comes along. There is so much less stigma about HIV today.
Most people in my experience had compassion and supported me and my health. I've had more HIV negative boyfriends than poz boyfriends.
But, I will say, being in California where the battle for meds started, we are kind of numb to HIV now.
Sure, I lost friends that didn't understand, or were scared of me after I told them. Obviously, I didn't need that negativity in my life, so I left them in my past.
It's not an easy road to be on, but it is a road that you can navigate if you keep your focus on the future.
I became full blown AIDS because the medicine was tearing me down, and not working like they thought they would. After the cocktails became available in 2005is when I made the big turn back to healthiness. Of course, it took nearly 2 yrs to find meds that helped.
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