Living with HIV in the Philippines: Email 580: Seeks Advice

Hi just call me bandit....

I dont know how to start my story, but here:

I am 25, currently a medical student, and now on my 3rd year, no one would thought about me getting HIV or even acquiring AIDS, both in the family or in the outside world, for they thought i was this good-two shoes guy, who only cares about two things: to study hard and to excel in all aspects feasible in the academe or in other fields, lesser do they know that i have an alternate world that i have been struggling for over a decade...

I would say i have been adventurous back in my younger years and had never used protection, even though i had the highest risk of acquiring this disease since i am a bottom..

For 2 years now i've started to become paranoid of my situation, I've had a recurrence of my rheumatic fever, for which i thought was a result of me being stressed out from my studies hence i had become immuno compromised. eventually i started to peculiar symptoms...I suddenly had a swollen lump behind my neck i sought for consult about it and they told me it was just a dermoid cyst and theres nothing to worry about it, and so i let it pass, but then after a few months i started to notice that i had become more prone to sniffles and flu, its like ive been getting it every 2-3 weeks in interval.....

because of all this signs and symptoms i've decided to had myself checked...and the worst has been unveiled.... the result showed that i was reactive of HIV 1....i thought i was ready for it but no, its like all my dreams were shattered...i dunno how i would continue my life....

the reason i posted my case here is because i wanted some help, i was hoping i could ask for a support from you guys....probably moral support, just to give me an assurance that i still have life ahead of me even though i am in this sitch.....

I wanted to tell this to my family and my parents, but i'm not really open with my sexual orientation, it has been a taboo in my family and just discussing it among them is a very despicable thing to tackle out....

what can i do,, can you give me some good advice

bandit

POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE

Hi bandit.

Thank you for your email. Thank you for sharing your concern with me and my readers.

I am proud of you for taking the test. Now you have control over your health. Although it is hard to accept it at first, you have to embrace it as soon as possible so you can focus on the things that you have to do. You are a medical student and you know that early intervention is the key to a successful treatment. You also know that nobody dies of AIDS if there is an early intervention so you need to be proactive and get consultation with an ID doctor or go to any HIV/AIDS treatment hubs ASAP so you will know your state of immune system and if prescribed, take the ARV's. They are free from all the hubs.

I know it would be hard to tell your family but it is really better to tell somebody who can understand you. In my case, the second day I found out that I was HIV positive and have AIDS, I already told my siblings so I don't have to worry about them anymore and for me to focus on my health. You too can tell somebody when you are ready, when you yourself have accepted it. You can start with your closest sibling or your closest friend. Trust me it is easier to deal with it if somebody knows and you are not pretending anymore.

For now, you can contact me at 0916-286-2066 if you want to talk. Also, you can join The Red Ribbon group in Facebook. It is an online support group. It is a private group so just add me first (pozziepinoy) and request for permission to join the group.

I hope I was able to answer your concerns. Feel free to email me again if you have other questions.

Stay healthy,

Pozziepinoy

"WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.

NO PLHIV is alone with his or her struggle with HIV!"

-Pozziepinoy-

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