early treatment of hiv

[mike19856]

   I am wondering the value of getting treated for HIV infection 2 months after infection vs six months after infection?  I live in British Columbia Canada and they provide excellent treatment to those infected with HIV.

I am currently working in a foreign country and if I get tested I will be deported and wish not to arrive home for Christmas with hiv and no job - I would rather arrive home four months later with more money in the bank a place to live and then get treatment.

But I am not sure if I getting early treatment is important?  Waying that aside the depression that will set in if I must go home.  

Please provide some insight.

In conclusion,  I'd love to get tested but - there are too many factors involved I am not testing this moment.  Please help / guide.  thank you.

[mike19856]

tested neg @ 6 weeks.  Peace.

[swizz]

what did you do to become at such a risk?

[troggs]

Have you had a chance to test?

[meworried]

Everything you wrote in your post is shear assumption. How can you "declare" yourself a "poz" when not tested yet ? I guess you are currently working in the middle east probably in some emirates where infected persons are deported immediately but incoming "pros" from every corner of the world (from china to central Asia to Latin America) come freely without any screening at the port of entry.

I can understand your problem, these emirates are not like Europe or Americas where "anonymous" testing is common. There, you have to declare everything in black and white.

[mike19856]

thank you

[Teak]

Mike, you treatment is based on your CD4 count and your VL. Most people that are newly infected will still have a normal CD4 count and a lower VL. If your CD4 is within the normal range then, you won't start meds. Those that start meds immediately are those that have had HIV a while and when they test positive their CD4s are low and their VL is high.

[mike19856]

Hi Teak,  I am curious that you said I would not get treatment early.  I wonder why you would say that?  I have read conflicting information on the internet - most seems to suggest that the earlier the disease is treated the better it will be for the patient.  Can you provide any insight into this issue.  Thank you.

[troggs]

Good move Mike, and good luck.
I think you will find yourself negative.

[mike19856]

Well I was experiencing some miscommunication.  Now I understand I can get tested anonymously.  So I don't need to wait five months.  I will go tomorrow it will have been 4 weeks.  Peace.

[troggs]

Why do you have to wait 5 months man?
I don't get it.
Go to an anonymous test site if you are afraid of immigration,
get a test for stds/hiv and then make a decision based on solid info my friend.
Chin up, your probably negative anyways.

[mike19856]

My health is most important.

The thing I am grappling with now, Does it really make a difference if I get tested now or in five months.  Given I won't receive any treatment if I do test positive????

[Teak]

If you don't test then you won't know your status. I take it by your remarks that you job is more important than you health. You can always get another job. Which is more important?

[mike19856]

I am afraid of testing b/c I feel I will get a positive test result.  

It is these freakin purple marks on my hands they are really weirding me out.  The other day I thought I put a purple marker on my hands but it wasn't a marker.  Then the marks disapeared.

Also have had a rash on face and neck.

I went to the foreign doc's office they said oh don't worry its blood vessels.  But I know this is not normal and I know something is up and I can't think of what else it could be.  Menangitis caused by Herpes infection?

Thank you.

[troggs]

Are you stating that you are pos -or- are thinking that you are positive and afraid of testing before your ready to deal with what you think will be a positive test? I'm also Canadian my friend -Montrea, Quebec. I'm also afraid i maybe pos from a needle stick, what happened that makes you think you have hiv? Listen to Teak, he knows his stuff really well man.

[Teak]

You're not going to get treatment that early to begin with. Treatment will begin when your CD4's drop below 350 and your VL is highly elevated. It may take 3 years or longer to ever need treatment.