Letter to the Editor

Please rally your women around the issue of adding hormone replacement therapy to the ADAP formulary. I guess it shouldn't have shocked me to find out that testosterone is on the formulary for men. Why do we women have to fight so hard for proper care?

I am one of those women who keeps starting and stopping treatment due to side effects from medications. I believe the dosages for women are all wrong; however, 3 hospital stays (2 in October, 1 in March) for spinal meningitis have scared me into taking the AIDS medication again. I start this week. I am a 47-year-old female and I need hormone replacement therapy too. We must do all we can to make ourselves heard on this issue. I used to be quite the activist when I lived in O.C. I served on the council for 4 years, sat on every HIV committee in the county. I participated in Lobby days both in Washington and Sacramento. Plus, I'm a lead trainer with Positively Speaking. I moved to north CA 1 year ago and sort of retired. I see now it's really not an option.

I now attend a women AIDS support group in Auburn and expect to go to the council meeting up here. Thank you for the subscription.

Sincerely, Janice Kilbank