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Advantages / Disadvantages of early detection /diagonsis?
Is there any advantage to testing earlier (assuming detectable tests) and maybe getting an early +ve diagnosis?
Might it be advantageous to test later (assuming not sexually active)
Thoughts?
Might it be advantageous to test later (assuming not sexually active)
Thoughts?
"She said that all the people who test positive are either injecting drug users, gays or african, I am quite angry at them. "
This girl. is an idiot. I'm in school right now for Medical Assisting, going through my HIV/AIDS training. You can get aids a number of ways. Not just sharing needles being gay or african. Africans and hispanics only make up 25% of the people with HIV. That leaves the rest of it to white people.
And also. It has nothing to do with muscle deposits. HIV attacks your T-cells (white blood cells-lymphocytes) and once your T-cells drop below 200 then you are diagnosed with AIDS. A normal persons WBC is usually around 15000.
They wait the 3 months or "window period" because that's how long it takes the average person's body to build up the antibodies that show that someone has HIV/AIDS. But someone's body could present these antibodies in as little as 2 weeks. I wouldn't switch towns. I'd switch clinics.
This girl. is an idiot. I'm in school right now for Medical Assisting, going through my HIV/AIDS training. You can get aids a number of ways. Not just sharing needles being gay or african. Africans and hispanics only make up 25% of the people with HIV. That leaves the rest of it to white people.
And also. It has nothing to do with muscle deposits. HIV attacks your T-cells (white blood cells-lymphocytes) and once your T-cells drop below 200 then you are diagnosed with AIDS. A normal persons WBC is usually around 15000.
They wait the 3 months or "window period" because that's how long it takes the average person's body to build up the antibodies that show that someone has HIV/AIDS. But someone's body could present these antibodies in as little as 2 weeks. I wouldn't switch towns. I'd switch clinics.
Chapeau, I wasn't intending to be flippant and wasn't trying to suggest it would be a free ride. I was looking at the swimming/gym as a necessity to help me keep healthy and build muscle deposits for when I need them, not a leisure activity. It seems to have misinterpreted being considered disabled as meaning I woud be claiming disability benefits which is not the case. I have a strong work ethic and hate to be not working. I don't have a television at home.
I was back at the clinic today. They said a few weeks ago to come in for the antibiotics for chlamydia today and they would do my (42 days) bloods.
When I went in today (I had to take the morning off work) they said I didn''t need to be there as (I had gone in for the ABs when my balls were aching) they won't be testing me until 3 months.
The doctor laughed at me when I said early detection would be better and insisted the only window period is 3 months. What difference would six weeks make she quipped.
She said that all the people who test positive are either injecting drug users, gays or african, I am quite angry at them.
Also from the notes she said I presented with a minor rash, a minor throat iinfection and swollen nodes on my neck and the examining doctor wrote 'highly unlikely that this pateient has an STI'. I presented within 24 hours of suspected exposure actually but I was fobbed off by a nurse in a bad mood. What on earth is chlamydia then? Who would take a 14 hour coach journey overnight they can't afford to get PEP unless they had strong suspicion of HIV exposure.
She said as there weren't any mouth sores or ulcers the sore throat was unlikely to be HIV related. Don't symptoms vary in severity from asymptomatic to strong?
With only a couple of hundred people in the region living with HIV, I guess a move of city would be on the cards if, God forbid, it is positive.
I was back at the clinic today. They said a few weeks ago to come in for the antibiotics for chlamydia today and they would do my (42 days) bloods.
When I went in today (I had to take the morning off work) they said I didn''t need to be there as (I had gone in for the ABs when my balls were aching) they won't be testing me until 3 months.
The doctor laughed at me when I said early detection would be better and insisted the only window period is 3 months. What difference would six weeks make she quipped.
She said that all the people who test positive are either injecting drug users, gays or african, I am quite angry at them.
Also from the notes she said I presented with a minor rash, a minor throat iinfection and swollen nodes on my neck and the examining doctor wrote 'highly unlikely that this pateient has an STI'. I presented within 24 hours of suspected exposure actually but I was fobbed off by a nurse in a bad mood. What on earth is chlamydia then? Who would take a 14 hour coach journey overnight they can't afford to get PEP unless they had strong suspicion of HIV exposure.
She said as there weren't any mouth sores or ulcers the sore throat was unlikely to be HIV related. Don't symptoms vary in severity from asymptomatic to strong?
With only a couple of hundred people in the region living with HIV, I guess a move of city would be on the cards if, God forbid, it is positive.
Man, you make hiv sound like a free ride, like your just going to be cashing out checks, watching television and working out @ the gym for free bro'. It's not a vacation my friend, it's not a lifestyle, it's a very serious but manageable disease. Take care not to get, the last time i saw somebody with such a flipant attitude towards hiv they turned out to be +. Stay safe, be safe, move to a better city if you don't like, find a better job that provides you insurance...good luck to you Frank.
I would suggest you talk with people that live in the UK that are HIV positive. There is a number of them that will tell you the facts of disability in the UK. If you haven't checked HIV has been changed to a manageable disease. It's no longer considered a lethal disease. A newly diagnosed person has no reason not to work and with HAART they can continue to work.
I had this discussion with the Terrence Higgins Trust the UK's foremost HIV and AIDS charity. I meant register as disabled not claim disability benefit. Here in UK HIV is a seen as a disability from the day of diagnosis.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act employers are not even allowed to ask people about HIV or cancer now in health monitoring forms filled out pre-employment.
OK I'm not so sure about the registration. The local authority leisure centres swimming pools etc have free access for anyone registered disabled.
Disability Discrimination Act 2005 UK applies to those with cancer
...
Under the Disability Discrimination Act employers are not even allowed to ask people about HIV or cancer now in health monitoring forms filled out pre-employment.
OK I'm not so sure about the registration. The local authority leisure centres swimming pools etc have free access for anyone registered disabled.
Disability Discrimination Act 2005 UK applies to those with cancer
...
Just because you have HIV and or AIDS does not register you as disabled and does not qualify you to receive disability. Where ever you heard that is totally wrong. You can forget about doing a lot of things that you have done in the past if you are on disability. You won't have the money.
I was thinking on the scale of testing at 6 weeks v's testing at 12 weeks.
I tested -VE at 28 days (Antibody (ELISA) low prevalence area) .
Non-definitive tests, possibly within a window period may be adding to stress and battering my immune system.
Thinking it may be a waste of money testing at 6 weeks or 8 weeks if antibodies wouldn't show at that stage if my body does have the virus.
Also the time I'm remaining optimistic I could use to find a new job / education course, sort out insurance, get some muscle building exercise.
I'm taking more care of myself just now anyway, anything to boost my immune system.
The health authorities here leave ARV treatment until years down the line as they believe early treatment causes problems later.
However if I do have the virus, I would be able to register disabled, allowing me free access to a gym (which I can't afford).
One thing though, I'm currently in a job I don't like. I'm on cold, wet, draughty building sites exposed to the elements. There are sparse facilities there wasn't even water at a site yesterday and there was a sewage leak from a portable lavatory. I can't work in that if I have HIV or if I don't. I'm trying to get out of that whether I test -VE or +VE.
I can't even think of potential lovers just now.
I tested -VE at 28 days (Antibody (ELISA) low prevalence area) .
Non-definitive tests, possibly within a window period may be adding to stress and battering my immune system.
Thinking it may be a waste of money testing at 6 weeks or 8 weeks if antibodies wouldn't show at that stage if my body does have the virus.
Also the time I'm remaining optimistic I could use to find a new job / education course, sort out insurance, get some muscle building exercise.
I'm taking more care of myself just now anyway, anything to boost my immune system.
The health authorities here leave ARV treatment until years down the line as they believe early treatment causes problems later.
However if I do have the virus, I would be able to register disabled, allowing me free access to a gym (which I can't afford).
One thing though, I'm currently in a job I don't like. I'm on cold, wet, draughty building sites exposed to the elements. There are sparse facilities there wasn't even water at a site yesterday and there was a sewage leak from a portable lavatory. I can't work in that if I have HIV or if I don't. I'm trying to get out of that whether I test -VE or +VE.
I can't even think of potential lovers just now.
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