I'm somewhat disturbed at what I'm reading. I'm basing my statement, of course, on my own personal experience. I've even read "harmless retrovirus" in one statement. Harmless?!!
I was someone that took care of himself and did nothing out of the ordinary in terms of how I took care of myself (went to the gym, meditated, yoga, ate fairly well).
I contracted HIV in a relationship from someone who "didn't know" he was positive. Just months before final test results, I was negative. My doctor insisted I didn't need to get a test because I was negative. I didn't give him a full explanation but asked to do another test. He did. While waiting 2 weeks for results, I had an anonymous test done elsewhere. They both came back positive. My doctor repeated. Positive. My viral load went from 200,000 to off the charts within several months; my t-cells went from 500-270. I watched this happen on paper. But before all of the testing, etc., I felt the sero-conversion, I felt the effects and they weren't comfortable. I watched and felt the subtle (some not so subtle) changes in my body.
Although I tried to stave off the meds, my doctor informed me this was beyond an initial spike and that I wasn't one of the lucky folk that could go without meds. I didn't want to hear that so I switched doctors... to a friend of the family! I was given similar information (after re-testing). When my t-cells hit 220, I started meds. My viral load was extremely high and I was breaking out everywhere and losing weight (not just stress, kids, sorry! I was eating like crazy to stop the losses).
I agreed to start meds and over the months watched everything return to, well, not normal, but much better. Within a year, I was excellent and as normal feeling as I was before. I remained undetectable...UNTIL... I asked my doctor if I could break from meds to stop a side effect. He said, "sure" (my doctor is great, by the way).
Over the 5 months following, I watched my viral load return. It shot up to 275,000 and my t-cells went from about 960 down to 680 (and then, lower, even after meds restarted before climbing back up again). I'm now waiting for my next round of results but I've watched the viral load drop to 1,800 and my t-cells begin climbing again since returning to a regimen.
I have no doubt that everyone's bodies handle HIV differently. I have friends (one goes to the same doctor), that need no meds at all and remain fine. But in my own experience, I've watched this happen, I've felt it happen and I can only say that I would not be writing this right now if it hadn't been for the drugs available.
I suppose, if going off meds works for someone, it's easy for them to say, "oh, drugs are bullshit." But I'm here to tell you that they worked for me and they prevented me from getting AIDS.
Whether or not you want to say HIV leads to AIDS or not. I also believe that long-term nonprogressors have that "magic protein" in their genes.
I am not someone who trusts the government and I think the pharmaceutical companies are blackballing all of us ($30 a pill? COME ON!). But I do believe there is a virus called HIV that does lead to AIDS and I've watched it kill countless friends (gay, straight and children) over the past 25 years.
If you've got evidence to back up otherwise, please put it on the table. Maybe you can come up with your own personal, drugless regimen that can stop this "harmless retrovirus" from taking such an emotional and physical toll on all of us. When your research results come in, give a holler. Until then, naysayers, I can only say what I told my former chiropractor that told me to stop taking my meds: "Shut the f**k up!" —Anonymous
