yinkeys:

Heard yesterday they’ve found a reliable cure
What’s your take on that

GoodHardDick:
Make una dey stop this kind talk, it's annoying
For the fact HIV isn't a death sentence, does it mean people should now start getting infected with such disease?

HIV is not a death sentence. But it's wisdom not to catch at all.

Megabig:

I don’t think I actually should though. It’s totally unnecessary now

obidadon:


Does one with a high CD4 (1500) count
stand a chance of not contacting Hiv if exposed to unprotected sex with someone living with the virus with a high viral load?

Megabig:
Devastated, worried and I lost weight in just 4 days because I was thinking. Nearly ended my life because I didn’t understand how that happened. I only had sex three times in my life at that time. Once in SS1 with condom and twice the pervious year(first year in school). I felt so stupid, like how can I be positive, how will my life transcend from there and I came from a poor family, the shame it will bring to my family and stuffs. It was a painful experience. I was planning to travel to onitcha from my school in two weeks before I decided to attend that confession in that Catholic parish because I needed someone to talk to, I knew the priest is the only person that can listen because they sit on the other side and just listen to peoples voice and not see who is speaking so it was a nice idea for me to go speak to him. His initial approach saved me. When I said I was positive, the said and so what? Is that all? Wait after confession. It’s nothing to worry about and that’s it. I think that point changed certain things about the way I was thinking about it

GoodHardDick:
Make una dey stop this kind talk, it's annoying
For the fact HIV isn't a death sentence, does it mean people should now start getting infected with such disease?

HIV is not a death sentence. But it's wisdom not to catch at all.

We4all:
I think the reason people are stigmatized is because majority of the victims contacted HIV from unprotected sex. And humans, with their hypocritical nature perceive sexually active people as unclean even when they’re also actively involved in sex.

I could recall in the 90’s, I knew almost everyone infected with HIV in my neighborhood. This was because a friend of mine who worked at the lab revealed the names of those that were positive.

The last time I was down with fever, I went to a private hospital for treatment and the annoying doctor insisted that I took an HIV test. I ignored him and told him to just go ahead and treat malaria. If I have HIV, I will be the first to know.

The yeye doctor decided to report to a relative of mine that I refused to undergo HIV test. I was like, what the hell?

Megabig:
lmao ok… so the 12 hospitals I went to all lied without knowing themselves as at the time I went for tests? Alright buddy

FreeStuffsNG:
Nice one. I remember the research we conducted then to see if this practice of hiding the medications affects the strenght of the active constituents in the medications.

We had tremendious support from our public health institutions during the research.

The service for the PLWHA and the support we were given in those facilities were both phenomenal so I am a bit suprised about OP's unpleasant experience in his geopolitical zone.


Well done sir.

SenecaTheYonger:


It is found in west Africa but it is very few and hard to spread.
HIV-1 is the most dominant everywhere in the word and most deadly. Stop misleading yourself and other people.

I know you might have had unprotected recently so all these HIV post makes your heart skip. That’s how the campaign is. After a holiday like valentine which is basically a sex holiday, it is advisable to create awareness about HIV since it is the deadliest infection one can get from sex if not caught on time

Golan007:


I'm insisting that it isn't free whether you make 60k, less or more.

I provided documentary evidence.

Provide proof if you want people to believe.

1Sharon:




You do know prostitute don't allow sex without condoms?

Megabig:
Hello Nairalanders,

I once said I will be giving a brief summary of my journey so far living with HIV. I made an initial post but deleted most of it because it was too long. I’ll try run through my journey here, the difference between Naija and the US (which is where I reside) and maybe things I would have done differently back home.

I realized I was positive in 2008. That was while still in 2nd year in the university, I won’t go into details how I felt, but what led to me privately going for a HIV test was because I had chronic headaches while in campus, infact I went home and told my parents I had migraine, we went to different hospitals and of course paid bills and got pills for migraine, when I went back to school, it continued. I tried with several pills to sure that but on doing a couple of research, I thought I should go for a hiv test, I went and then was positive. I informed my parents immediately that my migraine is gone (lol) because they kept asking how I was doing, they thought I should return maybe after 3 months to go for another general examination but because I now know what’s up, I told them I’m good.

I went to one Catholic confession because I was not sure who to tell, I don’t trust anyone including my sisters, that means I had all the secret myself. When I told the priest, he then asked me to wait after and directed me to a clinic at FMC Umuahia. My first visit there, I was not asked to start Antiretrovirals because my viral load is still above 500, what I was given was just septrin (I learnt it’s mostly to prevent cough, that’s the most deadly thing that can reduce positive person instantly).

I managed my viral load for almost 2 years until I moved from Abia to Abuja. In Abj, every positive person have to start taking Antiretroviral so I started taking that (one pill a day). Even at that time, I never told anyone, I fought and got a visa to move out of Naija and it’s been stressless all these years in the states.
Here are the disadvantages:

1. Visiting FMC Umuahia was horrible, there is confidentiality in terms of files and others. The nurses are terrible, once I get there on my scheduled appointment (of course with maybe 70-100 other people), I’ll sit at the back and they have to scream when they are calling names and everyone will turn to see who the person is. I know we all there are positive but at least respect me for once.

2. Because I wanted to be discreet which eventually paid off (please tell people you trust if you have to, me being discreet was tasking, I wish I had the courage to talk but sadly I don’t trust anyone), I had to hide my drugs, I haven’t seen something so hard in my life, because I have to take it daily, I usually have a cup for a month and then hide the other two months surplus. At the same time, I was scared someone may see it.

3. Even when I became undetectable (can’t transmit HIV), I was still too careful when dealing with people, it took me time to finally loosen up. A lot changed about me, I became very quiet most times, lost interest in a lot of things and questioned certain things as well.

4. Relationships became a huge task for me, infact I stop wooing babes, I’ve always wanted to date so as to lead to something but again I thought of a time I have to have this conversation on me being positive, that discouraged me a lot. Even though I can’t transmit, my mental state still shielded me from it all.

4. I hated taking pills but because I need to make sure I stay undetectable, it’s now a norm for me, one pill a day and that’s it. But this only happened because of my first visit to Umuahia, I thought I will see a few people there, but I was wrong. I saw people living with HIV for almost 40 years, people come with old family members to pick their pills and infact the look on their faces too seem like nothing is wrong, l loud and happy while I sat in the corner filled with thought. Again I saw people too who never took either never took their drugs or didn’t find out early they are positive therefore have very low viral load and have been attacked my illnesses or have lost so much weight. They are there to pick drugs too and keep trying. I learnt in most cases, some survive as well but sadly others won’t make it. After my second visit and research, I knew it nothing at all if I take my pill.

A different world Living in US:
1. Drugs remain free and infact delivered to my address once in 3 months.

2. I still continued my routine test free of charge to ensure I remain undetectable.

3. The amount of confidentiality is second to none (OMG), any health practitioner dealing with you is very careful to ensure he/she or the organisation don’t get sued so you are covered. Infact you come to the hospital like others and mixed with other people who came for different things (unlike Umuahia) where anyone walking into that part of the building is already known to be positive.

4. People are very open with being positive in US, people are well learned about HIV and already aware all they need is to be undetectable and that’s it unlike back home where majority will stigmatize when they hear “he/she has hiv” when it takes them just 10 seconds to google and learn more about it (knowledge is power).

Finally, since the 14 years (from the time I knew I was positive), I’ve only lost one girl I met at the clinic, I confirmed this from her Facebook account, I knew she probably will not find it funny because at the time I started conversing with her and others, she works for a firm in PH and lived with her Uncle who had kids, so she sometimes leaves her pills (so they won’t know) and can go weeks without taking it. I was scared for her because what anyone wouldn’t want to do is to have a “hiv drug resistance”.

Stop stigmatization, if someone is able to inform you about their status, let them know you are educated about this and inform them to stay undetectable.

Alert: I have never had fever or any serious health related issue since those years and I’m glad I pulled through this. Till date, no family or friend is aware.

I will finally start informing my siblings soon, at least telling them then will be a shock to them because we’ve all lived those years and they didn’t notice a thing and I’m already in control of my life.

HIV is not death sentence.

Be kind and Be blessed once again…. peace

If you discreetly need to speak to me, send an email to kelvinscottndu@gmail.com

azpekuliar:


Sardonicus

There’s a third variant recently discovered in the Netherlands. It’s the most virulent. People infected with it progress to AIDS in less than 2-3 years. Good news is that it responds well to ARVS like the dominant variants.

https://www.health.com/condition/hiv/new-hiv-variant-discovered

Megabig:

I don’t want you to believe, I already told my story and that’s it. Call Family health center in Harlem New York or do a simple google search

slimanyd:


And have u do well to inform those 2 flings of ladies u had sex with to go for text aswell ? U no show love at all. Did you how many more of people they will have transmitted the virus too? U did the worst thing by not curbing the spread at the earliest time or saving those 2 girls u had sex with to also start taking there drugs or go for test ASAP.

Megabig:
Devastated, worried and I lost weight in just 4 days because I was thinking. Nearly ended my life because I didn’t understand how that happened. I only had sex three times in my life at that time. Once in SS1 with condom and twice the pervious year(first year in school). I felt so stupid, like how can I be positive, how will my life transcend from there and I came from a poor family, the shame it will bring to my family and stuffs. It was a painful experience. I was planning to travel to onitcha from my school in two weeks before I decided to attend that confession in that Catholic parish because I needed someone to talk to, I knew the priest is the only person that can listen because they sit on the other side and just listen to peoples voice and not see who is speaking so it was a nice idea for me to go speak to him. His initial approach saved me. When I said I was positive, the said and so what? Is that all? Wait after confession. It’s nothing to worry about and that’s it. I think that point changed certain things about the way I was thinking about it

klawaaa:
Op, I think you talking of the UK. Nothing is outrightly free in the states! Someone, somewhere would have to carry the burden.

GoodHardDick:
Make una dey stop this kind talk, it's annoying
For the fact HIV isn't a death sentence, does it mean people should now start getting infected with such disease?

HIV is not a death sentence. But it's wisdom not to catch at all.

Megabig:


It’s not a risk dating someone while undetectable.

Megabig:
I don’t know what to call you, wether to say you are daft or a dimwit. A young ignorant 200 level student that go infect and not knowing what to do, then the next thing I should do is to scream to one girl I had sec with, what if she is negative and then she now knows I’m positive and I become a risk to everyone around me. How did I get it in the first place? It flew from the air and then came to me and I transferred it to them. I should go fight them to have infected me… don’t be useless and start thinking instead of being a clown

WhatCanIsay:


Bros are you ok? Someone that is living the life and is experiencing the reality is telling you the facts of his life directly, and you are telling him it's a lie because you watched a YouTube video? Have you researched on NGOs that take care of people with HIV in America too?

When you got infected where you charged for the drugs there in America?

slimanyd:


Now I see why u are such a bittered soul. At your young age. U already know how to sleep with different girls all in the name of been a big guy abi . Ode, He even said he was ignorant . Stfu. But he wasn't ignorant of having sex with different ladies abi. Its south sha u got what u got via same enjoyment of ignorant . Osinwin eniyan.

edimaan:


I don't think this is true.

Megabig:

I honestly don’t know, as at the time I got tested, I’ve only had sex thrice, once SS1 and then twice in Year 1 in school. I have tracked those girls I’ve had stuff with in the past just to see if one is loosing weight or something but they are all married and with kids. Till date, I can’t think of where and how. Also the only time I had sex without condom was the times in the university.