Sunday, November 2, 2014

Tested Positive in the US

Hi

I have been diagnosed 3 days ago.  I am living currently in the US and my family is back home in the Philippines.  They dont know yet.  I want to go home but I wanted to know why is that status of getting ART back home. Kapag umuwi ako, I will have no insurance and no job.  But I want to go home para kapiling ko pamilya ko.  I need help though to get medication. Can anyone help me with this?

justin 

POZZIEPINOY’S RESPONSE

Ji Justin.

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

First of all, I am proud of you for taking the HIV test. It is one of the best decisions that you ever had. Now you can have control over your life and your health and I do hope that other people who are also reading the blog will do the same and encourage others to take it too. 

Now here are the facts that you need to understand.

1. Anti-retroviral (ARV) medicines are FREE here in the Philippines. They are recommended when your CD4 is 500 and below and prescribed when your CD4 is already 350 and below. This is the new ARV guideline when it comes to prescription. Some people are hesitant to take the ARV's because of the side effects and two, they are not ready yet for a lifetime commitment to taking the ARV's. However, once the ARV's are recommended, it is best to take them. The higher the CD4 is and the early the ARV is taken, the faster the immune system will rebound. When the CD4 is already low as a result of late diagnosis, when the level is 200 and below (AIDS level), it will take years before the CD4 jumps up to normal (and safe) level, thus better to take the ARV's when recommended by the HIV doctor.

2. We have the best and experienced HIV doctors here in the Philippines.
3. There are a lot of HIV and AIDS Treatment hubs in the Philippines that you can go to.
4. The baseline tests (initial tests) may be free or at a discounted fee in government HIV and AIDS treatment hubs.
5. HIV consultation with HIV doctors is free in all government hubs.
6. You just need to enrol in our PhilHealth and pay P200 to quality for the Outpatient HIV and AIDS Treatment Package.

Now here is what you need to do when you come back here.

1. Get tested again here in the country. You need this to be able to enrol in any HIV and AIDS Treatment hub here. You may check out these HIV testing centers:


*** If you want assistance, or a person to go with you so you won't be scared, you may contact our Hotline Numbers below:

0919-642-9286
0977-131-2046
0906-389-2402
 0917-899-0473
0927-823-0300 
0917-932-3122
0916-216-2066


2. Go to the HIV and AIDS Treatment Hub nearest you. You may once again contact our hotline numbers so you can be guided accordingly. In the Treatment hub, you will undergo:

    a. Baseline testing including CD4. Tests will check your health status and existence of 
        any other infections
     b. Consultation with the HIV doctor
     c. Prescribed with prophylaxis against opportunistic infections
     d. Recommended ARV Treatment if necessary.

If your decision is final, you can trust me that there is good treatment procedures here in the country, even if you have no job or insurance. Just follow what I told you to do and everything will be fine.

(If you want to join a private HIV support group in Facebook, please add me, Pozzie Pinoy and request to be added in the group. We have a lot of PLHIV, counselors, HIV doctors, advocates and supporters who you can talk to.)

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


Stay healthy,
Pozziepinoy






"We act FAST when we CARE"

-Pozziepinoy-



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