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Geno
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Reged: 12/21/04
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Posts: 2
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Am I a Fast Progressor?
#128998 - 12/21/04 05:16 PM
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Hello all this is my first time posting here ive been tooling around the fourms for about 3 months though. I tested pos at a local clinic in August but I was infected in late june I had terrible ARS that lasted 5 weeks or so. Its been 6 months since my infection and I have not had any treatment at all. I took an anonymous test because I did not have a job or insurance at the time they wanted to do a western blot test to confirm the results but they said it had to be on the record I refused so I could get insurance from my job and be covered. I have had chronic headaches for the past 2 months and now I have developed thrush on my tounge and throat 6 months past infection. I just got my insurance a few weeks ago and i dont want them to find out im pos this soon b/c they may deny me benifits its an HMO does anyone have any information on how that works? I am very frightened and I dont know why i am getting these symptoms so soon after infection I thought I had some time to get things in order but it seems like im going to get sick very soon I dont know what to do I dont want to die I fear that treatment will fail since I am Progressing so fast is there hope for me or am i going to die soon. Please anyone with experience with this please give me some advice does treatment work for fast progressors I still cant believe this is happening to me. I have not missed a day or work for fear of lossing my job and insurance I feel nothing but impending doom and im tired of pretending everything is ok at home I have told no one about this and I feel like im going to explode. Im sorry for all the ME stuff im just very worried and I dont want to sound selfish or selfcentered. Any advice would be helpfull and very appreciated
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Jessie
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Guardian
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Reged: 06/15/04
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Posts: 395
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My poor Geno,
I am so sorry that you feel so sick...I am not a doctor but I think that maybe you are stressing a bit to much about having HIV and thinking to much about illness...your post was mainly about being sick and having insurance...I dont know where you are from but I am from NY and there are HIPPA laws that are effective in protecting patients health information...Like when you go for your labwork every three months, you have to sign a paper to have the HIV testing done(every visit)...These are privacy papers because the doctors and insurance company's do not want any law suits...I am sure that even with an hmo your insurance will be fine...You can go to the doctor and be seen for the thrush you think you may have and get meds for it as well..Many people that are negative get thrush as well...you dont have to be HIV+ to get thrush.....IF you are progressing fast, it is because of your stress...I dont know what your current numbers/percents are but I am sure they are not too bad....I think you may want to seek a counselor(if you do not already have one) or maybe you have a friend that you could trust to tell...just so you have someone to talk to.....there are also support groups for people living with HIV/Aids and hotlines you can call as well...and of course....there is always here!!!!!! There are great people on this board...helpful and loving people who really do care and want to help....you can keep reaching out to us and we will do our best to help....You were only newly diagnosed and this does take some time to adjust...a lifesyle change/health awareness/regular check ups with your HIV specialist and all the emotional stuff that goes along with it(safe sex as well). It is a rough road BUT you CAN and WILL have a normal life Geno.....I thought it was over when I was diagnosed and even now I have days that are not so great BUT you do get through it!!!!! You will begin to see life in a totally different way once you realize that you are NOT dying....Life is good my friend...no time for being sick.....I could be hit by a car tomarrow and die...just no time for sadness Geno...Hang in there and talk to your counselor about the insurance stuff...I am almost sure that HIPPA is in place in many area's and that HIV is kept confidential....Lots of infections that we get, negative people get as well....Try and be well and try to get the supports that you need and deserve....good luck...and remember...we are always here!
~Jessie~
HIV+ since 2-3-04
"While there is breath, there is hope".
"HIV is what I have, not who I am".
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Geno-Your feelings are totally understandable! Trying to keep the info secret, worrying about insurance....I wonder if it is your body simply reacting to having HIV, not necessarily HIV is causing a breakdown. Or late seroconversion? I believe I was infected between February and summer 1990, most likely earlier due to circumstances. I caught strep throat in August, I KNEW I was converting, never had strep, haven't had since. Just knew. You also have ALOT of stress which
can cause all types of problems.....headaches, colds, etc. and even HIV-persons can get thrush, my mom did! I hope you can talk to someone before you explode mentally....good luck, and don't panic if possible. There really is alot of hope for you, so many meds and more research all the time. And if
work denies insurance, look into state ADAP programs, check with County Health Dept/HIV.
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Geno-Your feelings are totally understandable! Trying to keep the info secret, worrying about insurance....I wonder if it is your body simply reacting to having HIV, not necessarily HIV is causing a breakdown. Or late seroconversion? I believe I was infected between February and summer 1990, most likely earlier due to circumstances. I caught strep throat in August, I KNEW I was converting, never had strep, haven't had since. Just knew. You also have ALOT of stress which
can cause all types of problems.....headaches, colds, etc. and even HIV-persons can get thrush, my mom did! I hope you can talk to someone before you explode mentally....good luck, and don't panic if possible. There really is alot of hope for you, so many meds and more research all the time. And if
work denies insurance, look into state ADAP programs, check with County Health Dept/HIV.
PS-I know I contracted HIV in 1990. When I had 1st labs done in 1992, my CD4 count was a little over 300!!! I thought I
was doomed. But I think it was alot of circumstances, because I am still here! :)
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Geno
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Newbie
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Reged: 12/21/04
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Posts: 2
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Thank you both for your kind words i am going to see my doctor on the 4th of january and tell him about my status hopefully im just being parinoid and all will be well I will keep you guys posted on how things are going its nice to know im not alone in dealing with this but i cant help feeling like an outcast
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My understanding is that sometimes during seroconversion thrush is one symtom but then things return to relatively normal for many years, approximately 10 years, before symptoms reappear. There are some really great books I checked out at the library that explained everything to me and what to look for, what to expect. Hiv docs can be obtained even with no money and no job as far as that goes. My spouse lost his job, insurance and all of that[not AIDS related] there was simply a cut back, but he has a card for the doctor, and the doc is one of the best in our area, so calm down and relax, even babies get thrush. I guess i'm not overly concerned if i am positive, I've been having unprotecteds sex for five years now, and hubby forgot to mention he was pos, but I figure it like this. If I am by the time any symptoms really get going there probably will be a cure. Even now the meds are so great it is no sense in progressing to AIDS. my sweetie just didn't take any meds at all, so he finally after ten years just now got sick. I hope that will help you to calm down. Try mediatating, yoga, deep-breathing, prayer, focusing on positive, life-affirming things. Love you all. Deb
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I think I'm a fast progressor too. I was Dx in June 2004, and started with CD4 of 590. However, I had a viral load of >300000. Now, 7months later, my CD4 count is barely over 300 and my viral load hasn't dropped much. I haven't been on any meds. My doc won't put me on drugs until my CD4 count reaches 200-250. At this rate, it'll likely be by summer.
I'm terrified, and never expected it to happen so fast. I thought I'd have a few years of NO meds and good health. Now, I'm exhausted all the time and starting to feel the affects of this damn disease. No serious illnesses yet, but it's getting hard to keep-up with my job. Imagine, less than a year after being infected, and already ready to throw-in the towel.
I never could have imagined my life turning out like this.
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