Feelings...

There've been a lot of articles over chemsex parties & how they're refueling the HIV epidemic.  This isn't just an American phenomenon.   This piece is about the issue throughout Europe. Chemsex isn't really the problem, it's just a symptom.  

Whether a chemsex party or gathering of backwoods types to shoot-up, the reasons are pretty much the same.  These people are looking for escape.   They need contact. They need not to think.  They're drowning in their own misery & trying to escape even for a few moments in a very dangerous way.   Giving these people other options, opportunities, or even just some compassion & acknowledgement might go a long way.  These people feel disconnected, alone & hopeless.  They need an out.

Less judging & more understanding is the path to helping this situation. 

Cya...

PS - Starting to feel better.  Hope it holds.  That crap sucked.

Basic, But Necessary...

This article describes some of the varied signs you may have HIV.  For many, this isn't new information, but for some it may be.  It goes to show why HIV can be so hard to diagnose.  

These 16 signs run the gamut from allergic reactions, exhaustion to GI disorders.   Any 1 of them, or even several together, could be easily written off as something else entirely.  Most likely something benign like a cold or allergies.

This makes the point of why we should be aware of our health & what our personal health stories are.  How do react to stress, allergies  or rashes?  Is this thing normal?  Isn't it odd I've been dealing with this cough for months?

Diagnosing HIV from a visit to the doctor may be difficult, but getting tested isn't.  Get tested for HIV.  Know your status.  Stop playing the guessing game with your health.

Cya...

Staying Warm...

It warmed up  a bit yesterday & so far it's been fairly nice today.  Jacket weather, but still nice.  I'm not up to much today.  I'm a little worn out from yesterday.   But, for now, I'm inside & not planning anything for the rest of the day.

Yesterday, was my appointment with telemedicine.   It went predictably & well.  There are always the same questions & the same basics covered.    I really don't like going to these appointments.  They want me to talk about how I'm feeling. 

I want to tell them I'm feeling like a person of my age who was diagnosed late in the game as + & who has been HIV & on meds for nearly 15 years.  Sometimes I'm OK, a lot of times I'm not, rarely am I good or above.  That's just the way things go & I really don't want to talk about it repeatedly.  

They always act like they want to change my meds when I talk about anything.  I was told yesterday I'm the only patient they still have taking Didanosine.    There are only so many HIV drugs available & I don't want to run through any I don't have.  As long as my meds are working, leave them alone, thank you very much.

My top health issues at this time with HIV are:

• Gastrointestinal issues - diarrhea, gas, nausea, discomfort bloating
• Exhaustion - sometimes for days, others just out of the blue
• Lack of focus or attention to things like reading or TV
• Aches & joint pain
• Alopecia & other sebum issues

There are other issues, but I'm not sure if some of my other concerns are HIV related or just getting older or both.  That is another problem, aging & HIV.   That just sounds lovely, doesn't it?  The gastro issues are nearly constant.  The exhaustion is fairly prevalent.  I used to be an avid reader, I haven't been able to focus & finish a novel in years.  The aches & pains make everything more tiresome & challenging.  Being bald would be 1 thing.   Having alopecia that leaves you with splotchy hair loss on your scalp, face & eye brows is another.  There's no way I could hide being ill from anyone for any length of time.

Those are the thing I deal with daily.  The things I'm tired of talking about with my doctors.  Those are just some of the more common things HIV brings into your life.  Look tempting?  Didn't think so.

Cya...

No Commonalities...

This article discusses common symptoms in the early sages of HIV.  It states, there are none.  It goes on to list many common ailments people frequently have that they may never even associate with being +.

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Aches& Pains 
• Sore Throat
• Headaches
• Menstrual Irregularities

These were just some of the many common conditions that filled this list.  Any of which you wouldn't think twice about having.  You'd take a Advil & go on.  

The point here is exactly that.  The symptoms early on are easily misconstrued or even ignored.  That's why 1 in 5 HIV + people in the United States are unaware they have the virus.  This is why it's so important to get tested.  

Sometimes, I find it hard to believe these conversations are still necessary.  Where's everyone been for the last 30 years?  Hopefully things will get better.

Cya...