How Do You Tell If You Have Ks

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Coping With an HIV/AIDS Diagnosis

For most people, the hardest part of adjusting to life with HIV isn't the physical issues -- it's the emotional ones. HIV treatment has changed so drastically in recent years that the medical side of HIV has become much easier to tackle in most parts of the world. Newer HIV meds have increasingly few side effects, people on HIV treatment may live just as long as their HIV-negative counterparts , and many people need only take medications once or...

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Can advanced aging in HIV cause kyphosis?

I am a 42 year old asymptomatic Hiv+ man and suddenly I have developed a fat deposit at the base of the back of my neck. My doctor has ruled out lipodystophy and calls it dowagers hump. Is it possible advanced aging with Hiv is the cause of this at...

Response from Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D.

Rocky Mountain CARES

Hello and thanks for posting your interesting question.I'll assume that your doctor has made the correct diagnosis- that your neck curvature isn't lipodystrophy but rather a "dowager's hump". The later is actually a... Read more »

Can Ecstasy and GHB accelerate HIV?

Hello, I discovered that I have HIV during a routine exam half year ago. I'm really fine and my doctor said that I don't need to take any kind of ARVs now. My first exam was CD4: 787 and Viral Load: 31.000. My second exam is CD4: 886 and...

Response from David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W.

South Florida Center for Counseling and Therapy

Thanks for writing. I'm glad you are inquiring about these matters, but I cannot give you a definitive answer. It is true that some studies have shown that ecstasy has a negative effect on the body's immune system. Specifics as to how... Read more »

Is mararviroc safe?

Dear Dr. My son has been HIV+ for many years and has been on almost every regimen. They all caused side effects, so we kept moving on to the newer regimens. His virus was undetectable for many years on the protease inhibitors with truvada. We...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

In general maraviroc is well tolerated with minimal chance of diarrhea. An HIV tropism test would need to be performed first to determine if he has the right kind of HIV strain that could benefit from maraviroc. I assume his viral load was... Read more »

Truvada + Hypophospahemia

Dear Doctor,I have been on Truvada and Raltegravir for 2.5 years (positive 3.5 years). Since starting meds my VL has always been below 50 and CD4 above 600. I have no tolerance issues or obvious side effects. I do not drink or use drugs. However in...

Response from Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C.

Stanford University, School of Medicine

I would need to see some more kidney function numbers before making any decisions about switching meds. At a minimum, a urinanalysis, blood creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and from these an estimated glomerular filtration rate. Your doctor... Read more »

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Starting Complera

Posted by Gizmo, 1 Reply

I started Complera on 4/23/13. My recent bloodwork showed my CD4 had dropped to 591 (previously was 748) and my viral load had increased from 8,000 to 18,000. It has now been two weeks since I started taking Complera. I have had only couple of... Read more »

Possible HIV exposure or not...

Posted by blacks988

Ok here goes...

I gave head to a man, and he came in my mouth and i swallowed almost immediately... From what i could read is that this poses no threat what so ever concerning HIV doubled with the fact that since HIV appeared in the 80's there have... Read more »

HIV / Atripla & Bikram Yoga???

Posted by Surfer, 2 Replies

Has anyone tried this? I have been on Atripla now for a few months and recently started Bikram Yoga. I used to practice Bikram before finding out the news and stopped. Just want to hear other peoples view on it.

Thank you. Read more »

Off my meds

Posted by Trav, 1 Reply

At my latest dr appt on 05/14/2013 I informed my dr I've stopped taking my meds. At this point they just want to monitor me. My dr suggest if my numbers drop to the 500s I should go back on my meds. I'm on defense about that cause my first lab... Read more »

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