Living with HIV in the Philippines: This is My Battle

Hi Pozzie!

Just call me Blair 30 year old Registered Nurse living in the Philippines. I was diagnosed HIV+ last April 2015 thru Love Yourself Anglo in Mandaluyong. though i was expecting it because i am experiencing some drastic changes on my body, i've been very weak. Been sickly, admitted to the hospital twice due to pneumonia. When i learned that i am HIV+ i had a dilemma of telling it to my family or not.

May 19, 2015

i was hospitalized again because of an allergic reaction due to cotrimoxazole ( nag self medicate ako, which is not good) since i suspect myself of having PCP. And i was having oral thrush. My doctor talked to me in private and told me that she was suspecting me of having HIV, though i know already that i am HIV+ i just acted and told my doctor that ill be having my HIV screening after my discharge in the hospital. When i got home after my discharge, i received a text from my sister that she is suspecting me of having HIV and she will accompany me to RITM alabang. But i told her that i know a private treatment hub so we went there with my mom and dad. I was surprised that my mom was also suspecting me of having HIV because of having pneumonia twice and told my dad. My mom told me that my dad cried and i felt bad. But the good thing of letting your family know of your condition is that the will support you all throughout without hearing any words from them. Hindi sila nagalit sakin or nagtanong ng kung ano ano. "Bakit hindi ka nag ingat, Nurse ka alam mo yon" those were the only words i heard from my mom.

May 26, 2015

So first day of appointment in my treatment hub. I was extracted with blood, chest xray etc. For my baseline data. had some counselling with my mom and thats it :)

May 30, 2015

Finally i met my doctor, he discussed to me all my lab results. Though all of the results are normal i had mild fatty liver but my doc told me maybe its because of taking lots of meds in a long time so we will observe pa if this will change in the following months,i have anemia also. And Mild PCP (pneumocystis carinii pneumonia) so i was prescribed a prophylaxis for PCP which is Dapsone(since i am allergic to cotrimoxazole which is the first line drug) and Azithromycin for MAC diseases. And then after 2weeks i will return to the hub if the PCP have cleared and if it did i will start my ARV na.

June 13, 2015

After 2weeks. I came back to my treatment hub to see my doctor and to assess me. I had my xray result and my baseline CD4 count which is 23 only and it did alarm me. Though my PCP has cleared. I was given my trial ARV which is Lamivudine+Zidovudine and Efavirenz. Trial because i may have allergic reactions to the ARV and told me that ARV's have side effects especially Efavirenz which can make you feel like you took marijuana, feel groggy and have vivid dreams, its like your dreams are on 3D :) the side effects that i experienced was from efavirenz which is feeling of grogginess, vivid dreams and nausea.

After a week of my trial ARV. On my 9th day of taking it(June 22, 2015). I had few rashes on my legs and arms and it progressed in th morning my whole body is full of rashes including my face. I immediately informed my doctor and told me to come over the hub as early as possible because i was allergic to the ARV and she will replace it. So i visited the treatment hub right away with my mom and was prescribed with cetirizine for the allergy and different ARV which is 3in1 tab Lamivudine+Tenofovir+Efavirenz.

So right now i am still managing the allergic reaction from the previous ARV that i took for a week. May improvement naman. Sa legs na lang and feet ang may redness and itchy. Hopefully mawala na ito soon. Its really hard to deal with the side effects of ARV. Nasa 2nd week pa lang ako ng ARV and still adjusting pero ang hirap but what can i do? Kailangan lumaban.

I am very thankful sa family ko na sobrang supportive. And of course my treatment hub (SHIP Clinic) napakabait ng doctors and nurses :) they always keep in touch on you.)

So ayun na lang muna for now. Pray for me guys na sana malampasan ko tong ARV adjustment ko :)

-Blair

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Stay healthy,

Pozziepinoy

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