HIV Support Group

HIV (also known as human immunodeficiency virus, and formerly known as HTLV-III and lymphadenopathy-associated virus) is a retrovirus that primarily infects vital components of the human immune system which can lead the syndrome known as AIDS. Many of the problems faced by people infected with HIV result from failure of the immune system to protect from opportunistic...

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Dave-Burris 08/07/2012

I was watching some videos on you tube on the HIV debate.
The 1 st one i watched was two hrs, then i watched a lot more.
In light of some of this information i have decided to stop
taking the atripla i have been taking for 3 years and see if I
fall back in aids.I just had my blood work done and will know in a few
days what mt Tcell count is,

I will continue to see my doctor as usual but i am not going to tell him i'm off the meds. I want to see If the HIV rears its ugly head again or
if my Tcell count stays up and I can stay off the meds.

3 yrs ago i had pneumonia, or PCP pneumonia they called it.
But they didnt call it PCP until they tested me for HIV,
But by that time I was almost over it and on my way home.
But id did take a long time for me to get over it thats why they ran the HIV test.

Im very curious to see If I take care of my immune system with a good diet and vitamins If I will stay healthy.

Please go and watch this video and give me back some input.
I really would like to know others think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTxvmKHYajQ&feature=related

DrDuke 08/07/2012

For any topic you can think of, there is both good information and misinformation available on the web, as well as in books and other places. Although the USA Food and Drug administration and other such organizations have made rules and laws about selling dangerous products, it is in general perfectly legal to tell lies about medical conditions. Scientists and licensed doctors are under rules and laws requiring them to be honest, but other people are free to tell lies. For example, it may be illegal in the USA to sell a product labelled as the cure for cancer, but it is legal to sell a book saying that product x is the cure for cancer. Likewise it is legal to say that HIV does not exist, or that there is "controversy" about whether or not it exists, even when there is no such controversy.

deleted_user 08/09/2012

I looked into these questions and know one thing. My T-Cell count dropped to 68 after being HIV+ for 16 years. I refused to take the drugs because of HIV/AIDS denialists. I finally started meds and my T-Cell count was up to 200 and viral load undetectable with one moth. I am now 2 and a half years into taking meds and my T-Cell count is 400 and viral load still undetectable. I tried "alternative" treatments, but only the HIV meds worked. I'm sticking with my experience and staying on the meds. Good luck.

Dave-Burris 08/10/2012

Thanks for the reply guys.
Seems there is always someone crying wolf.
I have to say that since I have been on atripla I have had no hospital returns. My tcell count has been rising and my viral load is 0.

Mark your story seems to answer my question.
I was wondering did you get sick and then found out your T cell
count was low? or did a blood test tell you before you got sick?
Seems being that low a cold breeze could get you sick.

I guess I'll stay on the meds and put up with the side affects.
thanks again..

deleted_user 08/10/2012

I know someone who stopped taking his meds after being on the routine for the past 3 years, he got very sick, his Tcells dropped and the meds he used to take become irresponsive. Unfortunately, he died of Tuberculosis as complications from it. :(

deleted_user 08/11/2012

I am grateful for the fact that I live in the UK and have the option to take meds or not and because of that I do and remain healthy because of it. I am glad that I do not live in a part of the world where these meds are not even available or are so expensive I could never dream of being able to afford them. So long as the meds work and I believe they do I will continue to take them.

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