Strong Support System

Im so lucky. I have a strong support system. It makes me feel positive all the time. It makes me feel confident about my treatment. I have a loving partner Tag. He was there when we first heard the bad news and he is still beside me up to now. He was there when I got confined, even took time off from work. He always accompanied me to all my lab work, blood work and all consultations. He drove me to the hospital and the hub every time I needed to go. he reminds me to be careful and sometimes get mad when I am being complacent. He is my errand...

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Still on First Line Regimen

I asked Dr. Ditangco if I'm still on the first line regimen and she said yes. I asked her this because it's really confusing. She added that the second line regimen is an addition of the protease inhibitor in the regimen. She mentioned that we have no third line regimen here in the country. I researched about this from the WHO guidelines (sorry terms are maybe confusing): "WHO continues to recommend that the first-line regimen for adults and adolescents contain two  NRTIs plus one NNRTI. This recommendation is based on available evidence,...

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WHO Clinical Staging of HIV/AIDS

Dr. Ditangco wrote on my form that I'm WHO stage IV. I got interested in knowing what it meant, then found this on the net: WHO Clinical Staging of HIV/AIDS for Adults and Adolescents Primary HIV Infection Asymptomatic Acute retroviral syndrome Clinical Stage 1 Asymptomatic Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy Clinical Stage 2 Moderate unexplained weight loss (<10% of presumed or measured body weight) Recurrent respiratory infections (sinusitis, tonsillitis, otitis media, and pharyngitis) Herpes zoster Angular cheilitis Recurrent...

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Getting Fit Again

I made my fitness program. I want to be fit again. I know this will help boost up my immune system. A. Monday:      1. Cross trainer 30 mins      2. Weights: Chest, Triceps, Abs      3. T'ai Chi/Qigong B. Tuesday:      1. Cross Trainer 30 mins      2. Weights: Back, Biceps, Abs      3. Yoga C. Wednesday:      1. Cross Trainer 30 mins      2. Weights: Shoulders and Traps      3. T'ai Chi/Qigong D....

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Dr. Ditangco, My New Doctor

She was referred to me by my doctor friend. We deserve to have the best doctor for my case because we always want educated decisions when it comes to the ARV's. We don't want doctors panicking and then make me switch fast to another medicine without even thinking that the side effects are worse for my current condition. We met Dr. Ditangco in the hospital. She has no clinic there but she was a consultant on deck. She happened to be free at that...

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Body-Mind Treatment of HIV/AIDS

Sometimes called psychoneuroimmuno (PNI), these approaches are based on the concept that the mind or brain can influence the body`s ability to fight disease. Mind-body approaches such as meditation, visualization and guided imagery cannot probably help one will away HIV, but one can use any of them to make living with your condition easier, and maybe even reduce susceptibility to AIDS-related infections. Meditation Meditation uses deep breathing or other focusing techniques to enable a person to center his or her thoughts. Meditation may...

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AIDS and Exercise

I read this article about AIDS and exercise:  by Connie B. Scanga, Ph.D. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 240,000 Americans are living with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a disease caused by a retrovirus, the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). There is a growing body of evidence that exercise training can improve mood state and quality of life for HIV+ individuals, and there is widespread belief among the HIV community that exercise training will make them stronger, improve their endurance...

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My ALT is not Cooperating!

We decided to get the blood tests yesterday in preparation for my consultation in my hub. We wanted to get my next month’s supply of my meds because the long holidays are coming next week and it maybe hard for me to schedule an appointment. Also, I can show the results of these lab exams to Dr.T when she comes back on Thursday. Good thing, on Sundays, there were no more lines in the hospital so in just 15 minutes I’m done. Early today, we decided to get the results. Shocking was my ALT. It was 328! This is more that 5X increase from...

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UP-PGH SAGIP: The Lab Fees

I went to UP-PGH SAGIP yesterday to get my meds. I usually see my doctor there whenever Dr. T wants me to pick up my meds. SAGIP is located on the second floor, right on top of the Emergency Ward. Facing the PGH Building from Taft, just stay on your left side and look for the emergency ward. On the right side of the ward is a door . Just look for the stairs and come up. SAGIP is on the right side. The second floor is the Infectious Disease Section of the hospital too and it's not hard to find. The hallway outside is clean and there is a bench...

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Monitor CD4 Once You're A Pozzie!

I told a new blog friend of mine that there were instances wherein I found blogs of pozzies with high CD4 counts when they got diagnosed, then after a year, their CD4 counts are less than 200 already. Some had 300+ then after 5 months , a sudden drop to 100+. Sad, I know but we all should learn from this. HIV is a killer virus. So we should never neglect it even we feel healthy and not at all sick. I read this article from the net: "HIV disease is a continuum of progressive damage to the immune system from the time of infection to the manifestation...

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What is Oral Thrush?

Since I was diagnosed, I had this white film on my tongue. There was one instance that my tongue became painful that Dr.T had to prescribe an antifungal pill. So what is it really? Well I found this article on the net: "Oral candidiasis (kan-dih-DEYE-uh-suhss), or thrush, is a type of fungal infection inside the mouth. Thrush causes swelling and a thick white coating on your mouth, tongue, throat, and esophagus (The infection is only called oral candidiasis if it appears in your mouth.) Thrush happens when candida, a fungus that...

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DT. T's Convention

My attending physician, Dr. T left for Boston on my second rash day. It's the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA) 49th Annual Meeting. I am proud that she is attending. Wish she will learn a lot there about HIV/AIDS which she can apply here. I know practice in the US is different than here, but still if there are breakthroughs in practice and the medicines, surely those can help. Good luck Dr. T. Bring home the bacon! FOR TOPIC SUGGESTIONS, please email me at pozziepinoy@yahoo.com DONATE to The Love Fund : The Love F...

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Being Domesticated

For 3 years I stayed at home while Tag worked. I was domesticated, like they said. When I started working, my career flourished. For 4 years, we worked on our finances, paid off debts and established our emergency fund. We travelled a lot, ate a lot, joined a lot of fitness runs. It felt good to bring home money, you can do a lot of things. Now, after I got confined, we are more careful. We decided that while my CD4 is low, I should just stay home. Well, there are other opportunities related to my career online, so why not. But, having no maid...

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Bye Bye

My rashes are almost gone now. Yehey! Good thing they reacted to the antihistamine or else I will need to switch to another line of medications. Good thing Dr. T changed the schedule that was given to me by the resident doctor in the hub. Instead of taking them all at one time, Dr. T gave me 3 schedules. One medicine in the morning, one in the afternoon and one in the evening. In this way we can pinpoint fast which ARV is the culprit in case there will be side effects. For 2 weeks now, this has been my schedule:        ...

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My Doctors

I have seven doctors so far who are on the lookout for my condition. My attending physician is Dr.T, an infectious disease consultant. From the hub I have 1 infectious disease consultant and Dr. R., the resident physician. I have my friend, B., my nephrologist who monitors my creatinine. I have my pulmo doctor Dr. T. who is ready in case I have recurrence of my lung problems. I have Dr. N, my gastro intestinal doctor who monitors my liver. Today I'll be seeing Dr. M, my immuno allergologist who will monitor my body's reaction to the medicines....

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A Letter from My Brother

I wanna share a letter from my brother from California. From my first blog, I said that the minute we found out I was positive, we told our families about it to lessen our burden. I am sharing this because this may help other pozzies out there. So here it goes: XXX, I was traveling the last 2 weekends so I was not able to follow up on you. Sorry about that. I hope you are feeling much better now. Here's a response from XXX about one person's medical condition: "It is a law and mandatory in our Order if we are sick to consult a licensed physician and...

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Pay It Forward

I am just a luck guy. Well, that is, we are financially ok. Tag and I worked hard before that we have an emergency fund in the bank so in case of emergency we have money to spend. Good thing, Tag was so smart about money matters. I believe that our doctors are happy about us getting all lab exams and blood work when they are needed. We even have my CD4 tests done every month and my Viral Load every 3 months. Tag and I just want me to be well, soon. I dreamt about a plan that I have been thinking of for the past weeks since I was diagnosed....

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"Rash Boy"

I don't want to post pictures of my rashes here because they might be scary to some people, but I can just describe them. They look like prickly heat at first, then when they merge and multiple, they become one flat redness. First they appeared on my upper chest back of head and upper shoulders, on the first day. Second day, they are everywhere including face, back and legs. I am kinda used to rashes before especially when I apply astringent on face, thus the name "rash boy" coined by Tag every time I have rashes. Yesterday afternoon, my rashes...

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Spreading Like Wild Fire!

My rashes didn't go away overnight even after taking my antihistamines. Instead, when I woke up this morning they were all over my body now, even my face. Whoa! Tag was so positive today before he went to work saying everything will be fine. I am glad. Well, it's the itchiness that's bothersome though. It would have been fine if it's just rashes. Oh well. There are many conflicting articles about the rashes. Some literature says that rashes will just go away, some said they don't unless you stop the ARV causing it. Some said observe the symptoms...

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On Antihistamine Now

Early morning today, while in bed, I started to feel itchy on my head. This caused me to wake up at least 3 times. When I woke up, I saw rashes on my shoulders and chest. Wow. Perfect timing cuz today is my check up with Dr.T. Tag was quite happy because he feels that the medicines are working inside of me even though they are just rashes. Well, not to me. I would rather have no adverse effects at all. What I felt early this morning was my body was hot, like I didn't feel that the aircon was on. When Dr. T saw me in the hospital. After thorough...

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Why Am I Writing?

I’ve been searching for solace in most blogs. I wanna feel what others are feeling. However, most of the blogs are those of HIV pozzies and less of the full blowns like me. Sometimes it’s hard to identify myself because basically, we are on the different end of the spectrum. Especially me who really is on the deep end of the tunnel with my low CD4 and with my experience with an OI. So why am I writing? Simple. To reach out to people who are still afraid like me. Who are still scared about treatment, of the stigma, of facing families and friends,...

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I Had Low Grade Fever

I talked too soon. Today, I felt chills all over my body after I was doing my abdominal exercises. I abruptly stopped and just sat down and did my usual routine of surfing the net. After a few minutes, I felt that I had fever. I wasn't wearing a shirt then so I donned on my sweatshirt fast and laid down. I took my temperature and it was 37.8. Fever! Shit. I thought about the things that I did today. Usually I have brief moments of chills every now and then, but today was different. I had fever! It was impossible that I caught something in the...

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My 1st Week of Treatment

I finished my first week of treatment. Yehey! No side effects so far. Good. I don't feel anything at all. I just wish my liver and kidneys will cooperate too. I don't want a decrease of dosage or change of medicines. I am fine with what I am taking right now. I had my blood work done again early this morning. My GI doctor and ID doctor as well as the doctor in the hub where I got my medicines require it before I seek consultation on Monday. These were the following: 1. CBC with platelet count 2. ALT 3. Creatinine 4. AST 5. ALP 6. Bilirubin 7....

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Understanding the Test Result

When I was in the hospital last September 2011, while I was so sick with cough and fever, I was told that we need to get my CD4 count. After 2 days, Dr. T said that my count was 73. We got worried even though we didn’t fully understand what that really meant.  A month later, I got my 2nd CD4 count. It was 70. How come it didn’t go up now that I don’t feel anything. I didn’t get it until I was researching about medicines in american...

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