11 days living with the knowledge.

Posted by: tebogo | 2012/05/31

Wow this is what this forum needs encouragements and positive comments. I am sending you all a big virtual hug

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Posted by: Brendan | 2012/05/29

Wow! I needed that too! Love you all!

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Posted by: TULZ | 2012/05/29

god bless all you wonderful soals for your advise and encouragement.. I am amazed and proud to be part of this forum. I will follow all these advise.. My spirituality has been failing long before hiv please pray for me to recovere that relationship with god.

I have been to counseling and i feel a step closer to better , dizziness is gone and i can day dream of a better life once more tho my dreams are nolonger as bright but they are back... Thank u a million

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Posted by: sisonke | 2012/05/29

Wow you guys are such a blessing from above may God richly bless each and everyone of you for such encouraging words , Thuli I have been living wt virus for 11 years not on medication as yet but CD4 has gone down to 400 M taking Bestum and revivo tea now and again I snack wt brazillian nuts all these advise got from this wonderful people M lazy to exercise but have tried to reduce stress and live a happy life !! All the best sis . Sisonke la

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Posted by: Freedom | 2012/05/29

Hi Thuli
I am living with virus for 10 years now, just started with my arv''s last year, it was not an easy road was hospitilised twice and had tb but I am over the treatement. My cd 4 count went up and now we trying for the baby, keeping my fingers crossed. I am going stronger everyday and my hubby as well. We living so happy and at times we forget about this virus. As long you will condomise follow the nurses advice and drink your meds daily, you shall be fine. I also collect my meds from the clinic and i found my second home there. All the best.

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Posted by: Mashudu | 2012/05/28

Thuli

I will be living with HIV full 14yrs in June! It has not been easy but the forum has been very informative and supportive throughout the last 8/9yrs for me.

Keep up a positive attitude, have a stress managemnet and supportive system in place, eat healthy (it is not expensive at all, you should try set up a vegetable garden at home), try fish chicken soy other proteins and try limit red meat intake ,exercise, develop a faith or spirituality.

Do have faith in our gov health facilities no matter how fragile they can be most times.Develop a good professional relationship with your health care practinioner. Research as much as you can about hiv, get to know the virus better so it does not get the better of you.

Most importantly practise safe sex at all times

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Posted by: Mmetse | 2012/05/28

Hey Gal.

I guess enough has been said. HIV is not a death sentence like it was previously perceived to be.

I was diagnised last year June. It wasn''t easy, but today I''m happy, healthy and liviing my life. The support of this forum saw me through.

HIV is no longer perceived as a death sentence like it was previously.

What will life be without trials? HIV is just once of those trials that we have to face, and we can beat it.

This is your life, fight for it, do not let the stigma destroy you. Though it might be difficult as its still early days, but you will be FINE. Next year this time, you''ll be asking yourself ukuthi what were you fussing about.

As for umsebenzi, remember when one door closes another one opens. There''s blessings in abundance, all you need to do is work with GOD. I.e Apply, pray, trust and believe that in no time you will be blessed with another Job. Blessings are in abundance be ready to receive.

ALL THE BEST BABES!

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Posted by: Cony | 2012/05/28

Sis Thuli

as a big sister I feel for you as I do not wish this hiv trauma on anyone its a painful path but its doable. I have been positive for more than 20 years now according to my calculations though I have been on treatment since 2004. Am doing well, had a healthy children along the way managed to do most things that healthy people do. so yes you can do it. it doesnt matter whether you go private or government you will get the same help and you will be fine. if you turn out to still have a good cd4 count please try your utmost to look after your health to delay taking meds as much as possible. Yes they are a life saver but taking drugs everyday is tiring, yes we all have to do it at some point when the system gets too weak but still look after yourself, you can grow own spinach, carrots and herbs and when you eat the pap just reduce the quantity. we all have so much to share with you we cant do it in day. we love you and if you ever need to talk the platform is this one.

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Posted by: t | 2012/05/28

in gauteng

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Posted by: thuli | 2012/05/28

thanks mazz

Pretty i was a call center agent and ended up being a receptionist at the same company.

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Posted by: Pretty | 2012/05/28

what do you do and which province are you at??

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Posted by: Mazz | 2012/05/28

Hi
Gal i just want 2 ASSURE u that you will be fine , I DISCOVERED my status when i was preg last year and its was a shock of my life believe me.

But with the luv and support from this forum im ok and still gonna be around for a very long time.

you will be fine my sister and dont forget to pray we serving a living GOD

Reply to Mazz

Posted by: thuli | 2012/05/28

thank you all for sharing your opinions, makes me feel a lot better knowing theres a platform where i can share my worries and have people who''ve been there advise me... Mt thanks i''ll skip this sequencing i''ve never even smelled 7000 in my life lets pray there nothing unique abt my hiv *heee my hiv??*

@@@ your words are inspirering. I''m off to find representative for my disciplinery hearing one more stress to get through then i can start the rest of positively positive life...

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Posted by: @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ | 2012/05/28

Well Thuli hope this will inject a quantum leap into how you view the WORLD around you: YOU have 1 days living with the knowledge about your diagnosis, I have 11 years this year. It does NOT make me any better or special than the next person that I managed to pull through for eleven years. If I can do it or someone can, SO can YOU my Sister.

Take from the YESTERDAY'' BOOK the leaf or two and make them your religious script, as yesterday''s encounters make us better people for today and tomorrow. Search for the change that you yearn for in your life and around YOU, and be that change YOURSELF. Remember LIFE is a marathon, it is your OWN marathon so run IT with your own pace and rhythm. There will be cheerers along the roadside and distracters too, never lose YOURSELF.

GRATITUDE is the state of mind of happiness about who YOU are, remain grateful in LIFE and strive for better heights. Create your own REALITY and YOU will achieve everything in LIFE. Me and many of US here and everywhere are the living proof, you just have to look around YOURSELF. Stay BLESSED my Sister...........

Reply to @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Posted by: Mthondosheshayo | 2012/05/28

Like I said the test is optional. It all depends on your financial position as it very expensive (about R7000) but it does help if it happens that you have a rare strain that may be resistant to most ARV combinations. For more common strains you will never need it as the current ARV combination are quite effective in dealing with most strains. Some strains need more specialised medicine. Thats just my 2 cents.

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Posted by: Me | 2012/05/28

Thuli if you cant afford that test just leave it, its not important. I discovered my hiv status 8 yrs ago thru a good physician but he never suggested that test. I had a gud medical aid, change doctors and even the second doctor didnt think it was important. Just yo cd4 and vl will be sufficient. I am on arv, dont know the strain i have but so far im gud and wont add any more stress as i get my meds from govt clinic. Follow the clinic''s advise

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Posted by: thuli | 2012/05/28

how much are we talking here?

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Posted by: Mthondosheshayo | 2012/05/27

Unfortunately you will have to do the HIV sequencing to know your HIV strain. It is quite an expensive service thats only availble through private labs like Path care. However that is not the end of the world if affordabiulity is the issue. They will give you ARV''s and if the type they give doesnt work they will change you to another combination. The unfortunate truth is that no ARV''s are good in tackling all the strains so it helps when you know your exact strain but like I said its optional. Its just something that come in handy when you want the right medication instead of being at doctor''s mercy of trying experiments on you. As for food I dont know as I am no dietician by profession but I think she was trying to say that you should try brown rice instead of the white one. Both versions of rice are healthy but the brown one is much more healthy. As for pap I have no idea.

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Posted by: thuli | 2012/05/27

good to hear, thanks . So they will tell what strain i have and put me on the right medication when the time come?... My consela also tels me that white foods like pap and rice are not healthy how true is that? Thats like my staple food... I cant ask the whole house hold to give that up

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Posted by: Mthondosheshayo | 2012/05/27

The clinics are just as good so you are sorted. Actually the nurses at clinics are much more experienced as they deal with several similar HIV cases on daily basis

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Posted by: thuli | 2012/05/27

thank you all for your encouraging words, unfortunaly i''m un employed and dr''s are out of my rage.. So i''m getting help from local clinics, i''m waiting for my cd4 count... Can i trust the local health system to help me in a correct manner. I''m not the type to spread desease so people are safe infact just thinking or feeling any sexual feelings makes me feel so guilty. Looks like i''m going to have to learn a lot

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Posted by: Mthondosheshayo | 2012/05/27

Remember that it is not important to think about who infected you because that will stress you. stress+hiv=quick death. Whats more important is to accept your status, eat healthy,go to gym and seek medical help to help you control it. It will help to do CD4 counts and viral load to establish the progress of the HIV. And if cash is not an issue you can do HIV sequencing too.Pathcare offeres this but its epensive. It does help if it turns out that your CD4 is too low and you have to take ARV''s. Knowing your strain will ensure that you have right medication instead of relying on doctor''s guess work hence we hear people saying they have changed ARV''s combinations a number of times. These strain work differently and its important to know yours . And like Tegobo said trying to infect other people will ensure that you get more resistant strains that will just smile at ARV''s and continue to chow you. All the best

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Posted by: Tebogo | 2012/05/27

Sorry you had to discover this life changing news. As the days go by you will learn to cope and accept your status. Just take good care of yourself by that I mean seek medical help hiv can be controlled. Most importantly don''t go infecting other people protect them please.

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Posted by: thuli | 2012/05/27

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