Newly Diagnosed

Just Found Out?
Taken from the POZ.com Guide for HIV Rookies

So you just tested HIV positive. Don’t panic!

Testing positive is not:

The end of the world.
The end of your relationships.
The end of you.

Testing positive is:

A raw deal you’ll probably feel strongly about, even if at first you’re numb.
A challenge to you and to the people in your life.
An opportunity to grow.

Take a deep breath. And check out our guide for the newly diagnosed below by the staff at Poz magazine and Poz.com.

Why me?
People react very differently when they learn they have HIV. Perhaps you …

FEEL ANGRY?
“I was angry at him for not telling me sooner. I was angry at myself for not protecting myself. I resented him because he knew years before we got together.” —Andres Huertas, Bronx, NY, Diagnosed: 2005

Your HIV diagnosis got you piping mad: At yourself for taking risks? At the person you believe may have infected you? Anger at this life-changing event is understandable. But the energy pounding through your head is better off directed towards something more self-affirming – like taking care of your physical and mental health or getting involved with an organization that’s fighting for something you believe in.

FEEL SELF-DESTRUCTIVE?
For some, life as an HIV rookie is one long party, fueled by drugs, alcohol or sex. The worst has happened – why not just push it to the limit and die young and pretty? The problem with this strategy is that you probably won’t die (at least not from HIV, anyway). Instead you’ll come out at the other end drowning in debt, looking 10 years older, with more STDs than you can shake a stick at, and possibly the burden of knowing you have infected others. Don’t isolate yourself; get support as quickly as possible. If you have an addictive personality, now is the time to check out a 12-step group. An HIV diagnosis may be the alarm you need to sort out your life.

FEEL DEPRESSED?
Can’t think straight – or get out of bed? Everyone gets depressed sometimes, and it can serve a useful purpose by slowing down the pace of our lives while we recover from a major blow. But, boy, does depression outstay its welcome! I t’s important for an HIVer to tend to his or her mental, as well as, physical health. A positive outlook can make all the difference in your physical outcome. Check with a local AIDS service organization to find HIV-friendly therapists, psychologists or psychiatrists – or at the very least, a support group. Help’s available; you don’t need to make this journey alone.

FEEL ASHAMED?
“I felt kinda stupid because it was my fault ultimately.” —Andre Cruz, San Antonio, TX, Diagnosed: 2004

Shame is not uncommon for rookies, especially now that we’re all supposed to “know better.” Whatever your experience with the stigma of being HIV positive, it’s hard not to take it to heart. If you’re beating yourself up, just remember: HIV is not a judgment of your value as a human being. It hits men and women, straight and gay, adult and child, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and atheist. It doesn’t care whether you live below the poverty level or have a billion in the bank. Most of us got HIV when we were looking for love or a good time. That’s human. Forgiving yourself is an important step forward. It takes time. Be patient.
Where Can I go for Support?
Contact the agencies listed on this website for tons of support resources.
Will I die?
Myths and Realities of HIV
You probably have enough on your mind without dwelling on ideas about HIV that aren’t the slightest bit true.

Myth: HIV infection is a death sentence.
Reality: No, it’s not – the meds really work.

Myth: HIV infection is no big deal any more – I can just take some pills.
Reality: It’s still a serious medical condition, requiring life-long treatment.

Myth: The side effects of the meds are worse than the disease.
Reality: The side effects are mostly manageable.

Myth: I can’t ever have children.
Reality: Yes you can. HIV-positive women who control their virus with meds during pregnancy, have a Caesarean section and don’t breast feed, reduce the risk of passing on HIV to their baby to less than 2 percent.

Myth: I have to tell everyone.
Reality: In Ohio, if you don’t tell a sex partner, you can be prosecuted. But otherwise, disclosure should be at your own speed and to whomever you choose – keeping in mind, however, that disclosure can be a relief and it can even be empowering.

Who do I tell?
Disclosure is as much a statement about how you see yourself as it is about your health. It’s an act of fundamental self-respect. It also marks your own victory in the war against AIDS stigma. But once you’ve told someone, you can’t un-tell them. And you have very little control over what they do with the knowledge.

Here are some things to think about before you tell someone:

Do you trust them?
Do they need to know?
Do you know their attitudes about HIV? If they’re ignorant about HIV, educate them about it before you educate them about you.
Practice with people you don’t know. Go to an HIV support group or practice in an Internet chat room.
Prepare yourself for a range of reactions.

What’s happening to my body?

HIV 101: HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Human refers to you.

Immunodeficiency refers to the way HIV reduces your body’s ability to fight other diseases.

Virus refers to the kind of organism that is now inside you. These do only one thing, and with blind efficiency: they make copies of themselves. They don’t split in two or make baby viruses. They use us – our bodies – as their raw material. In a way, a virus is nothing more than a packaged set of instructions. When this package gets inside a human cell, it takes over the cell’s normal function and turns it into a virus-producing factory.

Will treatment work?

“The biggest thing isn’t the side effects. Failure to adhere to the meds is the number one reason people fail to live long term. Eventually that’s what’s going to kill you. That’s when you’re going to have problems. You don’t skip days; you don’t forget.” —Joshua Sacks, Washington, DC, Diagnosed: 2004

HIV will trick you (and your treatment) if it can. Given the opportunity – especially if you miss doses and therefore don’t keep a steady level of a drug in your blood – the virus will develop resistance to it. Next thing you know, the drug has stopped working, your viral load is on the rise, and you’re looking around for a new combo. The problem with this is that there are only so many HIV meds to run through.

Key to making the most of your combo is adherence – your ability to take your HIV meds exactly when and how they’re prescribed. Studies show that HIV meds work best when you stay on schedule at least 95 percent of the time.

Ask your doctor for tips on how to take your meds the right way and at the right time every time.

WARNING! Party drugs pose two problems. First, your meds are likely the last thing you think about when you’re high. Second – and this is serious – party drugs may interact with some of your HIV drugs which may bump up levels of drugs like ecstasy, Viagra and GHB in your body to very dangerous levels. Many other medications may also interact with your combo, so make sure your docs are aware of everything you’re taking, including herbal treatments.

For more advice to the newly diagnosed, or for other HIV information,
visit www. POZ.com

Watch video Jeromy: Advice for the Newly Diagnosed