Living with HIV in the Philippines: Email 409: OFW in Singapore

Hi Pozzie,

Need your advice. i'd been reading your blog since i suspected that i'm infected with HIV.

First time ko po ngkaroon ng unprotected sex last September 18 nun umwi ako ng pinas this year na hindi ko kilala, nagtiwala nmn ako sa kaibigan ko kc sbe nya malinis dw ung girl. Last October hangang ngaun mdme nako nrramdaman na kakaiba sa katawan ko, karamihan ng symptoms ng HIV ay nraramdaman ko na, gaya ng swollen lymph nodes (armpit, neck), fever, tapos ngayon meron nmamaga sa gums ko, araw-araw ako nag-iisip kung bakit ngyyre sken 'to, halos mababaliw nko.

Last November 7, 2013, ngpatest aq d2 sa anonymous testing center through finger prick tas after 20 minutes nkuha n kagad ung result which was negative namn pro nde p dn aq satisfied nun time na yun kc sbe mgttest dw ulit kpg 3 months na.

OFW ako d2 sa Singapore, halos 2 years p lng, ngsstart p lng ung career ko dito, ung kinakatakot ko lng kc bawal d2 ung foreign workers na HIV+, kpg nalaman nla 1 day deport kgad, buti meron d2 anonymous testing center na nde knukuha ung personal details. babalik ulit ako dun kpg 3 months na pra mconfirm, ung inaalala ko lng kpg naging positive ako (huwag nmn sna), problema nmn ung treatment d2, nde ko p nmn natanong sa knila kung ano yung proseso ng treatment nla bka kc kunin na yung personal details nun.

Plano ko sna umwi ng pinas kpg 3 months na pra dyn nlng mgpatest, kung sakali po b, ilan days mllaman ung result? mgbbgay b kgad ng medicine?

Isa png problema, ay ngkroon kme ng contact ng GF ko d2, kya kung sakali na positive (huwag nmn sna) pati sya infected na dn.

Meron na po bng case na preho HIV+ pro ngkroon ng anak?

Thanks,
Unknown

POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE

Hi Unknown.

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

Let me answer your questions in the order that you asked them.

First, the result of the HIV test comes out in a few hours to a day if the result is negative depending where you will take it in Manila. However, if it turns out positive, it will take 2 weeks to get the confirmatory result before you can get treatment. However, in RITM Satellite Clinic in Malate, once you get tested there, the final result will come out in just 2 hours and you can get to the HIV/AIDS Treatment hub the following day. However, you won't get HIV Treatment unless you take the baseline tests required by the hub. Usually it will take a week or more to finish all the labs before one be given HIV medicines if necessary, as this would rely on the CD4 test which determines the level of the immune system. Anyway, when you are ready to come back to Manila, please call me at 0916-286-2066 so I can have you assisted.

Second, please tell your girlfriend to take the HIV test too just to be sure that she is safe. If you think you may have been exposed, you need to tell her so that she can control her health as well.

Third, having kids is possible now. However, one needs to have a consultation prior to this. There are certain steps and certain requirements so that the virus won't be transmitted to the baby.

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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