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I have been diagnosed 29 yrs ago 2020 in April will be 30 yrs. I have lost all my friends and loved ones to HIV not to mention the ones as I get older that I loved and depended on for friendship. I work full time still trying to get a somewhat 401 k and retirement together when I hope to retire at 70 yrs old 6 yrs from now. I should be happier but aging has it sadness and loneliness, Thank God for my dog. I did join LKAS so maybe that will help
HIV will not be over until there's a CURE! Those CELEBRITIES living with stage1-HIV who started treatment early are totally oblivious to the real symptoms of HIV. These famous people diminish what the rest of us (stage3-HIV) suffer with every day! What haunts me is that many Long-Term AIDS Survivors are at the point of not being able to live independently because of HIV-disabilities. Will we be back living on the streets? (like the 80s) We have become invisible..... #HIVHasChanged #AIDSHasNOT
Sometimes I wonder if being a long term Survivor is something to celebrate. HIV actually is a non-issue for me today. I now live with being old and alone, somewhat isolated and having so many debilitating & potentially life threatening diseases that getting out of bed daily is literally a physical & emotional struggle. I sleep at one-two hour intervals at night. I have chronic pain from RA & OA & neuropathy. Diabetes, CHF, lung disease & a 2nd recurrence of anal cancer. Why celebrate survival?
Greetings from LTS in South Africa. Infected 1989, aged 25, diagnosed in 1991. I consider myself blessed. Have never had complications from HIV and on ARV 's only for the past 12 years on my doctors advise. Viral load undetectable for as long as I've been on ARV's and have had no complications, side effects etc. Its been a tough and sometimes lonely journey but I persevere. I do worry sometimes about aging with this but hearing your positive stories I am rejuvenated. Bless all of you.
Positive - 35years. Live alone; my friends have died.. Good doctors, drugs (no side effects, except lipodystrophy--larger stomach, but sunken face). Can never tell if my new invisibility is due to my general looks, age, or HIVish face. Went back to my roots when I was happy....church, family, etc. Found a radical Catholic church/priest and congregation (American National Catholic Church). Live with straight Jewish seniors in a condo high rise. Made new friends. Open minded, but unaware my +.
Hi, Larmia, do you think that the 1981 Hep B Vaccine Trial was contaminated? I think it was. And I don't think that it was contaminated with only HIV.
I was in the 1981 NIH hep B vaccine trial, and later the NIH MACS in 1984, when I learned that my first 81 blood draw had been positive. I didn't start treatment until 94, after my partner died, along with everyone else we knew. Well, I'm still here, and wonder if there are other long-term survivors around me who may want to communicate and be supportive in our senior years. Hey Jim, as a fellow Dakotan and long-term survivor, if you want to chat, respond or see larmia at personals.poz.com.
BriJack56
Thank you so much for this article. I am a long term survivor and for years thought I was alone and just waiting for the next illness to take my lonely life. I have 50 t cells a high viral load and going from life threatening illness to the next. It is hard to get out of this mind set that I am not going to die from AIDS. Again thank you. Robert B Jackson
June 8, 2021 • Atlanta