Please Note: Due to volume considerations, not all questions can be answered. Questions most likely to be answered will be those of general interest to a broad group of visitors to this forum. Questions pertaining to a specific case; requests for diagnosis, medical advice, or second opinion; or requests for opinions about untested alternative therapies will generally not be answered.
The participation of Dr. Ewald Horwath in this Forum is made possible by Boehringer Ingelheim.
|
|
 |
|
what do i do?
Apr 27, 2008
im 19 years old and i've just been infected with hiv and herpes. because of my drug addiction i've been forced into prostitution and now i really want to quit but i dont know what to do. all i want to know is realistically, how long can i expect to live? thank you
|
 |
|
 |
|
Response from Dr. Horwath
You can expect to live for quite a long time, but you will have to take some action.
First, you need to get treatment for your drug dependence. Continuing drug abuse is not consistent with getting control of your health and your life.
Second, you need to get out of prostitution. It exposes you to many risks, including abusive and violent clients and others who are involved in drug abuse & prostitution.
Third, you need to get a medical evaluation to assess your general health and your immune system. When you say you were just infected, I'm assuming that you mean that you just learned that you are HIV+. You may not know how long you've been infected. A simple blood test, measuring your T cells (CD4 cells) will give important information about your immune status and whether you may need treatment.
If you do need treatment now, you should find a physician with experience in treating HIV/AIDS. The treatment is highly effective, but requires you to be consistent and adherent with your treatment in order to succeed.
|
|
|
 Please remember that this forum is designed for educational purposes only, and experts are not engaged through this
forum in rendering legal or medical advice or professional services. Experts appearing on this page are independent and are solely responsible
for editing and fact-checking their material. Neither The Body nor any sponsor is the publisher or speaker of posted visitors' questions or the experts' material.
Questions and messages posted to this forum are not statements of advice, opinion, or information of The Body, Body Health Resources Corporation or any sponsor of this
forum. While neither The Body nor Body Health Resources Corporation regularly reviews posted content, we reserve the right to delete, move, or
edit postings if we deem it appropriate under the circumstances. Visitors submitting questions remain solely responsible for the content of their
messages.
Information provided by experts is general only and should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease, or relied upon as
legal or other professional advice. This information is not a substitute for professional advice or care. If you have or suspect you may have a
health or legal problem, you should consult your own health care provider or your attorney.
Copyright notice.
|
|
|
|
