Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with hiv

Babysitter just diagnosed with HIV......

pamspanda — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:03:04 -0800

DESPERATE! Babysitter diagnosed with HIV...... The babysitter for our 17 month old granddaughter has been diagnosed with HIV. To make matter worse she is a family member of my daughter-in-law. What next ???? How do we handle this situation? I am trying very hard not to overeact - but - I need information and help before I jump out of my skin!!!!

AnxietyFilter: had a risky sex encounter 8 months ago, just tested HIV-negative, and still going a little crazy. Help?

Anonymous — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:32:01 -0800

AnxietyFilter: had a risky sex encounter 8 months ago, just tested HIV-negative, and still going a little crazy. Help? About eight months ago, I had unprotected receptive anal sex with a guy (I'm a guy) I later found out is HIV-positive. Incredibly stupid of me, something I had never done before, and very out of character. I had no exposures since. I went into complete freak-out mode and, mostly because of anxiety, did not get tested until just last week. I had an OraQuick Rapid blood test done, and it came back negative. Whew. I felt an enormous amount of relief for the first few days following the test, and then the anxiety started to come back as I started thinking about the possibility that it may have been a false negative.

I have another test scheduled for next week. My hope is that a second negative result will finally put my mind at ease. In the meantime, though, I am a complete wreck and can hardly function. Is it completely irrational of me to be worried about getting a possible false negative on a rapid blood HIV test? Or is it a real possibility, no matter how small? Are there any studies or other scientific data on false negative results (my own Internet searches have been less than successful)?

I may just need someone to shake me and say "Stop worrying." I think I have just lived with it for so long that I still cannot get past the idea. Again, I hope that the second test will help - but in the meantime, can you guys give me an idea if I am being crazy for no reason?

Friends in low places

ChabonJabon — Tue, 12 May 2009 00:50:46 -0800

A friend of mine, recently married, went to Africa and slept with 3 prostitutes. He came back about 3 months ago, and over the last 3 weeks he has had an insistent cough and flu like symptoms. He went to the doctor, and the doctor did a lung and throat check-up and everything was fine there. So the doctor ordered a HIV test. Results are coming on Friday. He said he slept with the girls and wore a condom. Since the doctor ordered the test he has obviously not slept with his wife anymore.

Now, in my opinion, it's possible that this guy has HIV. I don't know how, but everything pretty much points in that direction.

The question is : how do I prepare myself to be his friend when he gets the results? He may not even want to tell me, he could freak out and do something stupid, he may get depressed, he may find religion - I really don't know. But this is a very good friend of mine and he helped me massively at low points in my life, and I want to do the maximum I can do.

Obviously, I'm there for him to talk to, but is there more I can do? I feel a bit helpless, like even if the diagnosis is positive, there is almost nothing I can do.

Any ideas?

My hairdresser has HIV.

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:14:16 -0800

My hairdresser just learned that she has HIV. Should we do anything differently? My beautician still intends on doing hair, and I still intend on being her client and supporting her however I can. I'm not paranoid about being infected with HIV, but are there any precautions I/she should take? I'm thinking no--apart from not coming around her when I'm sick--but just thought I would ask. I'm sure I can talk about it with her, but at the time it was more about listening and being there for her, not asking about technicalities. Thanks

one “indeterminate” test + one “negative” test = HIV negative?

Anonymous — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 18:02:41 -0800

HIV testing filter: Does a negative test always trump an indeterminate one? A few days ago I had a rapid result HIV test where they swab the inside of your mouth and give you your results in 20 minutes. My first test came back “indeterminate.” I’m not so sure this wasn’t code for “positive,” but they didn’t want to use that word and completely freak me out. They immediately gave me a second rapid result test, this time a blood test, and it came back negative. They told me that a negative test always trumps and indeterminate one, and I have nothing to worry about. Of course, I’m still worrying a little. This was at one of those free “get tested” drives on a college campus, and I never actually talked to a doctor, just the volunteers running it. They’re supposed to know what they’re talking about, right?

A few data points: I’m female and haven’t had any risky contact in the 90 day “window” prior to the test. I did have a blood transfusion in the past year – that was the primary motivating factor for getting tested in the first place. (I know the risk is small, but it’s there nonetheless.)

I understand that false positives are much more likely than false negatives on these types of tests. Statistically speaking, I’m probably fine. Aside from easing my paranoid mind, is there any reason for me to have a third test?

How safe?

Anonymous — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 06:17:41 -0800

How safe is Craigslist? OK I use CL fairly often. I'm a guy and I meet men. Say 3-4 a week? Always safe, always condoms. Never use drugs, never anything with blood or scat or cutting. Test myself every 3 months, clean so far. I have a friend who I let know where I'm going when I go see a stranger so she can call 911 if I don't call her in time.

So how safe is it if I'm sleeping with a 100-odd men a year? What additional steps can I take to keep myself safe?

HIV Support in DC

Anonymous — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 14:20:35 -0800

I need support! In February of 2007, I found out that I am HIV+. In the last year and a half, I've done a lot of 'growing up' in terms of health and education, but I need more help.

I'm a white heterosexual female, and I really feel like I'm all alone out here. There are tons of support groups for homosexuals, there are tons of support groups for minorities, there are tons of support groups for addicts, but where is the support group for heteros?

I currently go to a monthly support group sponsored by my infectious disease doctor, but a) it's just monthly; and b) it's for african-american females -- they made an 'exception' to let me in. :)

I really just need to find more people like me - guys or girls - no matter what the color - that are HIV+. I need a group of people that I see often enough that we can become friends. (I only see my current group 12 times a year, if I make every single meeting, which I sometimes can't do).

The homosexuals really have done this right--being gay and positive is ok. There are tons of support systems, there is a lot of transparency in the dating process, and not nearly as much ignorance and judging.

Why do heterosexuals treat HIV as a dirty secret that should never be shared or talked about with anyone?

I have a therapist, I have great doctors, and I have amazing friends. But, the only person I know and can talk to about HIV who IS HIV+ is my ex, and he's my ex--it's not like he's tearing up the phone lines waiting to talk to me.

My questions:
1) Do you know of any hetero HIV+ support groups in the DC area?
2) Do you have any suggestions on how I can meet real, live (not internet chat rooms) HIV+ people in a safe, trusting environment? (Not everyone knows or needs to know my status, so it's not like I'm about to hang a big "HIV+" sign around my neck and walk around Dupont Circle look for friends....

Thanks.

Anxiety before HIV test

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:03:33 -0800

How do I deal with HIV test window period anxiety? I had a risky encounter (unprotected sex) with a girl last week -- I trusted her when she said she'd been tested, which she told me on the way to the bedroom (had she not said anything I wouldn't have asked, and just used a condom). Before the encounter, I thought I knew her pretty well as she'd been a friend for a few months. Shortly afterwards she announces that she has a new boyfriend and cuts off all contact with me. I know I should get tested, but HIV tests aren't conclusive until after 3 months since it takes time for the antibodies to show up. I wouldn't be so worried if she'd still be talking to me. My question is ... how do I deal with the anxiety for the next three months? I don't you to tell me I made a mistake, I know that, and it won't help. I know what I have to do, and that I just need to wait it out -- but in the meantime I've been driving myself crazy with nervousness.

For the next three months I just want to live my life normally and only worry about HIV if I actually test positive.

I also realize that it might be absurd of me to insinuate that this girl is going around deliberately infecting people with HIV ... It doesn't seem likely...

I Vant To Drink Your Blood!

P.o.B. — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 16:26:35 -0800

RidiculousHypotheticalQuestion: If someone were to drink a mouthful of HIV/AIDS infected blood, what would the chances of becoming infected be? (This was spawned from one of those ridiculous back-and-forths, about infected candy, at work.)

Anonymous, free, non-needle-based HIV testing in NYC?

Anonymous — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 06:24:06 -0800

In NYC: routine HIV testing that is anonymous (not "confidential"), uses saliva or a fingertip-prick (not a blood draw from the arm), and is free or very cheap -- those three things are musts -- that is in or close to the 5 boroughs? I don't need fast results; just looking for my usual periodic tests. This was easy and free in my former (smaller) city; am I just missing something in NYC?

Looking for a crash course in immunology and HIV.

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 09:34:04 -0800

I have been hired to write a slide kit focusing primarily on developments in the field of HIV vaccines. Problem is, I have no medical training at all -- not even a biology course. I need to find resources that will give me a basic background in immunology without assuming prior medical knowledge. My client is aware of my lack of training, as I've worked with them before and have always been honest about my background. I've been a freelance medical writer for a number of years, and have done a little read-and-regurgitate work on antiretrovirals, but never really picked up the science.

I'll be working with several physicians on this piece, and they will be driving the content. However, I'd like to be able to talk intelligently with them, without stopping every other sentence to stammer, "Uh... what's an envelope glycoprotein, again?" It's important that I impress this client with this project. I don't want to be a transcriptionist -- I want to give them more knowledge, and more intelligent input, than they were expecting. And I want to be assigned more work in this field.

I start work on Wednesday. With that in mind...

Can anyone recommend resources that can help me quickly learn to understand the basics of immunology, particularly as it relates to HIV infecton? I'm not looking for resources about the virus itself, but about how the body reacts to it. I realize some of this science is still theoretical, and I want to learn about that too.

Most of the layperson-friendly online resources I've seen barely skim the surface of immunology, focusing instead on the MOAs of various ARVs and on practical treatment consideratons. I'm willing to pay for good immunology resources -- say, DVD courses or layperson-accessible texts. Online resources would be great too. Audiovisual or interactive sources would be the best, and they need to start at the basics, because I have no background in cell biology. In order to understand the role of, say, lymphocytes, I need to see it demonstrated in context; a glossary definition isn't enough.

Clearly, I will not be an expert on HIV and the immune system by Wednesday. My hope is that, with the right resources and a couple weeks of study, I'll be able to converse intelligently with someone who is.

I can be reached at immunologycramming@gmail.com if you have any questions.

Is there a doctor in the house?

inoculatedcities — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:00:12 -0800

Calling ikkyu2: How is a clinical diagnosis of AIDS (as distinct from HIV infection) made? A question for ikkyu2 and the other physicians on MeFi: How does an MD distinguish between a diagnosis of HIV infection and AIDS? Is it based on CD4+ count or is the diagnosis based on something else altogether, like the presence of opportunistic infection(s)? Forgive my ignorance and thanks in advance for any replies.

Anonymous Hep A, B, and HIV testing.

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 01:03:00 -0800

I am looking for places that do anonymous testing for Hep B, Hep A and HIV. The county I live in tracks Hep B and HIV cases and I have no desire to enter into their records if I test positive.

I've found that my county health department does do anonymous HIV testing but their anonymous procedure leaves much to be desired and they don't offer an anonymous Hep B test. I've already tried Planned Parenthood and my GP, they both just directed me back to the county health department.

I'm running short on ideas.

I live in western Michigan and would be willing to drive a few hours to find this service.

Viral and bacterial infection at the same time?

Anonymous — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 18:19:44 -0800

So my girlfriend went to the "girl doctor" and was told that she might have chlamydia..ok shocking but no big deal. The doctor also noticed a bump on her rear end..and stated that it was a type of viral infection. Now the doctor tells her that its very uncommon to have a bacterial and viral infection at the same time. That it could be a sign of HIV..... Any truth to this? We are both freaking out now and the test results don't come back until wednesday.. She said she was tested before me and was clean.. I personally was never tested, but my ex-girlfriend was (the only other one I've been with) and she was clean of HIV and everything as well..

Bisexuality and the law?

GoodJob! — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 17:36:09 -0800

Calling all legal experts. Is it a potential lawsuit when a bisexual male does not disclose the fact he's active bisexual while he's actively involved with a heterosexual female?

HIV confidentiality on the internet

lassie — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 15:37:58 -0800

Search engines and HIV confidentiality Is there a way to get Google and other search engines to remove a link to an old court decision which references a person by name along with his HIV+ status? The court decision is a public record, and there's not much that can be done about that, but has anyone heard of situations where search engines will respond positively to a request for removal of information on the basis of the sensitivity of the information that's being put out there?

The person was a minor when the court issued the decision, and thus had no control over the use of his name. He's now an adult and is experiencing some grief over this issue.

He took the blue pill...

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 19:19:46 -0800

Is there a doctor in the house? Is the medication Trizivir used for ANYTHING other than to treat HIV? I'm a gay man who has been in a relationship for 5 months now. My partner and I were both tested for HIV, we were both negative. I never actually saw him take the test. We haven't been using protection ever since. For what it's worth we're both 'versatile', top and bottom.

Today I discovered some blue pills in his bathroom stamped 'GX LL1'. I know he takes at least one every day. He always said he takes them for joint pain, but google shows that it is for the treatment for HIV. I'd never actually seen them up close until today, and I decided to research it since he said it always gives him a little bit of nausea.

Before I totally lose my shit, can trizivir be prescribed for anything other than HIV treatment? I am going to go get tested tomorrow before I confront him.

A complicated situation with an FIV-positive (Feline HIV) cat...

soulbarn — Tue, 01 May 2007 13:45:20 -0800

Our neighbor abandoned his cat. We've been taking care of him. We're moving. We just found out he has FIV (feline HIV.) The complex dilemmas and a plea for advice within... This is a bit complicated, so I'll break it into steps:
1) We're moving. We have four cats. That's already pushing the limits of her new lease, but so far it is OK.
2) We've also been feeding another cat, an old tabby who was abandoned by the jackass crackhead next door. The other cat is an outdoor cat (maybe was once indoors - he's very gentle.)
3) We were going to take the tabby - his name is Mr. Jenkins - with us and continue basically the same arrangement (at some risk, see the "pushing the lease" comment, above.)
4) We took the tabby to the vet prior to moving to get him neutered. The vet told us he had feline HIV (FIV).
5) We know that Jenkins could (and maybe has) infected other cats, though he's certaintly not a fighter or a scratcher. We can't in good conscience leave him outside. We can't take him inside without being evicted. And though we're trying to adopt him out, today - May 1 - is the day we are leaving the old place. Right now, we've got him boarded at a vet's, but we can't afford that for long.
6) Except for some crusty nose stuff, the cat is totally energetic, healthy, and absolutely sweet. He's even fat. So the disease seems not to be affecting him now.

What do we do? In the cold, hard light of day, given the situation - and if we can't adopt him out - the humane thing to do to the OTHER cats would be to put him down. But, per item six, he's not sick seeming at all. In fact, he's happy. And I can't bear to put him down if he's not suffering.

Advice?

Resources and anectdotes related to Feline HIV

paddingtonb — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 14:27:36 -0800

Seeking resources and anecdotes related to Feline HIV My mom's cat was just diagnosed with Feline HIV, and she is just devastated. She feels like it is her fault because she let him go out, and he got in a fight (which, it turns out, is the most common way for it to be transmitted).

To make matters worse, the vet told her there was nothing she could do to treat him or manage the condition, and they sent her home without even disinfecting the wound he had on his neck (which was her original reason for the visit). They also harassed her about her responsibility to not infect other cats while she was crying. He is obviously going to live indoors from now on.

From what I've been able to google (http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/fiv.html, http://cats.about.com/cs/healthissues/a/fiv_in_cats.htm), There is no cure. But, there are certainly lots of things she can do to keep him from getting sicker and to prolong his quality of life. One of the main things is quick treatment of secondary illnesses, so I am pretty dubious about this vet too.

I'm looking for reliable resources on FIV management, and anecdotes from kitty moms and dads who have been there.

Bonus points for someone who can recommend a compassionate, capable vet in the Honolulu area! (She is currently at VCA in Kaneohe).

Could HIV be frozen out?

atchafalaya — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 20:56:56 -0800

Could HIV be treated cryogenically? Could body temperature be lowered enough to kill the AIDS virus? I remember reading some years ago about patients who were chilled to a 'storage' temperature for heart operations, then thawed out afterward. Could something similar work for HIV or other viral diseases?

Volunteering for an HIV/AIDS Organization?

bryanzera — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 16:09:53 -0800

As part of my Peace Corps application procedure, I have been asked to do some volunteer work with an organization that assists people with HIV and AIDS. I know that Planned Parenthood in our area works with people who have HIV and AIDS, but I don't know how well someone coming in off the street and saying "I'd like to volunteer for your organization" will work.

What HIV/AIDS organizations are out there that would need and accept volunteers? What organizations might I be overlooking? How do I approach the organizations about volunteering once I find them?

I'm in Fresno, CA.

Why doesn't anybody care about HIV/AIDS in the US anymore?

onepapertiger — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 06:57:31 -0800

Why doesn't anybody care about HIV/AIDS in the US anymore? Here in DC, the statistics are alarming:
1 out of 20 District residents is infected with HIV.
1 out of 50 District residents is already living with AIDS
I was told that if DC were a country, it would rank between the Congo and Rwanda in terms of HIV infection rates.

The media generally focuses on Africa when talking about HIV/AIDS.

But it's like the media and politicians don't care anymore? Why is that?

Responding to a friend's HIV diagnosis

Anonymous — Sat, 01 Apr 2006 07:05:35 -0800

What is the best way to respond to an acquaintance who reveals he has been recently diagnosed with HIV? Saying, "I'm sorry," just doesn't seem like the proper response at all. I feel like the correct response is something hopeful, not depressing. I'm just not sure what it is. Offering support, while not being to alarmist, is how I handled it. Though I admit his point-blank way of telling me shook me to the core.

Him: "Yeah, I was diagnosed with HIV."
You: ?

This isn't a close friend, but rather someone I would call a good acquaintance.

Viral PCR test for HIV

Anonymous — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 08:38:27 -0800

Is it a good idea at the moment to have a viral PCR test for HIV 10 days after being exposed to risk? I've done something stupid and risky and need to get checked out. A local clinic is offering a viral PCR test 10 days after exposure. I feel that it would be good to get a negative result soon, although I will confirm with standard tests at 3 and 6 months.

This site seems to approve of the test and says it's accurate, but suggests 48-72 hours.

This site doesn't recommend it (search for pcr in the page).

Do you think I should get it, and if so any ideas on how long I should wait?

My email is uabd6mz02@sneakemail.com if you'd rather stay anon.

Is anonymous HIV testing really anonymous?

Anonymous — Thu, 24 Nov 2005 22:25:27 -0800

Are anonymous HIV tests in New York State really anonymous? In particular, I've heard that clinics/labs that determine that someone is HIV-positive are required to report that information to the state; wouldn't that make anonymous HIV testing not so anonymous after all?