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scared to death for kids
#167006 - 12/14/05 03:35 PM
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Myself and my 10 and 8 year old were just diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. What realistically are our chances and why did it take so long.
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ny10001
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Grand Master
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Reged: 07/08/05
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Posts: 199
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Loc: New York
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The virus reacts differently in everyone. the statistical avg. from infection to AIDS in the US is 10 years; however, that figure is somewhat misleading. It can be as short as 1 or 2 years or as many as 20. 10 years just happens to be the average of all people.
Treatment options today are excellent. As long as you adhere to the treatment regimen faithfully, you can expect to live a near normal if not normal lifespan. It's up to you to make sure that you adhere...lack of adherence is what most often promotes resistance...and then it's time for a different medication. There are treatments available to children just as adults. Of course, with children the adherence part becomes the challenge...particularly as they enter adolescence.
As simple as it sounds, remembering to take those pills on time every single day, is one of the greatest challenges of all.
Good luck to you and your family. Thanks to modern medicine, you should have many happy years ahead of you.
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I just can't understand how I don't have any symptoms and then boom I have thrush, tongue lesions, and PID in a matter of two months. Then my kids are tested and are positive. Hardly sick ever! How is this happening!!!
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ny10001
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Grand Master
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Reged: 07/08/05
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Posts: 199
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Loc: New York
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Unfortunately that's the nature of the disease. It chips away at your immune system until you pass a certain threshold, and then it can't keep up. The good news, however, is that it IS treatable, and your immune system can and probably will return to normal/near normal condition which will naturally begin to control the opportunistic infections.
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I found out I was poz 5 months ago when I ended up in the hospital with PCP. I figure I had it about 8 years from my daughters father. I was at a cell count of 52 and within 3 weeks went up to 299. It is defenitly something treatable. I had no symptoms until then. Luckily my daughter is negative but be glad you found out with the kids. They can take the medication and live a long happy life. Good luck
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thank you so much for the positive encouragement. Once my children were diagnosed I see things that could have been signs, but for so many other things. My son is very thin and is getting canker sores. My daughter has stomach aches alot and has had a infrequent cough for a four months. I am hanging in there though! What symptoms was it that sent you to the hospital???
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I ended up with PCP. You may want to get your daughters cough checked out. If she is poz, do not take anything to lightly. I thought mine was an inncocent cough and there I was in the hosp for a month. Are you on meds and what about the kids?
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We are going on them soon. We are looking for a spcecialist...none in our area. You just had a simple cough?? Only symptom?? Why were you in for a month??
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Franfrog...how did you explain a hospital stay for a month. I am trying to keep this under wraps for the most part. Worried about the kids being shunned!
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How did I explain to who? At first I was told it was pneumonia. See, my parents I told and obviously had to tell my husband. My grandmother and sister were told too. My kids still do not know. (I do not want it to come out at school for what ever reason and they get pushed away.) Eveyone was sooooo supportive.(even my husband) I have not told some people in my family and dod not know when I will but they think I had pneumonia and while there had some bad reactions to the medication(which was true.) I would have probably only spent 2 weeks in there maybe three but of course I had to be allergic the the antibiotic and then one of the HIV meds could not be taken. It was not pretty.
Who are you trying not to tell? You never know though, they may be more supportive then you think. Support means a lot in this stage.
Telling the kids in your situation may be a little harder since I did not tell mine yet but there are many sites to go on which can explain the best way to tell them. Good luck and I bet they are old enough to be very understanding.
Fran
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