Hello Nairalanders,

I once said I will be giving a brief summary of my journey so far living with HIV. I made an initial post but deleted most of it because it was too long. I’ll try run through my journey here, the difference between Naija and the US (which is where I reside) and maybe things I would have done differently back home.

I realized I was positive in 2008. That was while still in 2nd year in the university, I won’t go into details how I felt, but what led to me privately going for a HIV test was because I had chronic headaches while in campus, infact I went home and told my parents I had migraine, we went to different hospitals and of course paid bills and got pills for migraine, when I went back to school, it continued. I tried with several pills to sure that but on doing a couple of research, I thought I should go for a hiv test, I went and then was positive. I informed my parents immediately that my migraine is gone (lol) because they kept asking how I was doing, they thought I should return maybe after 3 months to go for another general examination but because I now know what’s up, I told them I’m good.

I went to one Catholic confession because I was not sure who to tell, I don’t trust anyone including my sisters, that means I had all the secret myself. When I told the priest, he then asked me to wait after and directed me to a clinic at FMC Umuahia. My first visit there, I was not asked to start Antiretrovirals because my viral load is still above 500, what I was given was just septrin (I learnt it’s mostly to prevent cough, that’s the most deadly thing that can reduce positive person instantly).

I managed my viral load for almost 2 years until I moved from Abia to Abuja. In Abj, every positive person have to start taking Antiretroviral so I started taking that (one pill a day). Even at that time, I never told anyone, I fought and got a visa to move out of Naija and it’s been stressless all these years in the states.
Here are the disadvantages:

1. Visiting FMC Umuahia was horrible, there is confidentiality in terms of files and others. The nurses are terrible, once I get there on my scheduled appointment (of course with maybe 70-100 other people), I’ll sit at the back and they have to scream when they are calling names and everyone will turn to see who the person is. I know we all there are positive but at least respect me for once.

2. Because I wanted to be discreet which eventually paid off (please tell people you trust if you have to, me being discreet was tasking, I wish I had the courage to talk but sadly I don’t trust anyone), I had to hide my drugs, I haven’t seen something so hard in my life, because I have to take it daily, I usually have a cup for a month and then hide the other two months surplus. At the same time, I was scared someone may see it.

3. Even when I became undetectable (can’t transmit HIV), I was still too careful when dealing with people, it took me time to finally loosen up. A lot changed about me, I became very quiet most times, lost interest in a lot of things and questioned certain things as well.

4. Relationships became a huge task for me, infact I stop wooing babes, I’ve always wanted to date so as to lead to something but again I thought of a time I have to have this conversation on me being positive, that discouraged me a lot. Even though I can’t transmit, my mental state still shielded me from it all.

4. I hated taking pills but because I need to make sure I stay undetectable, it’s now a norm for me, one pill a day and that’s it. But this only happened because of my first visit to Umuahia, I thought I will see a few people there, but I was wrong. I saw people living with HIV for almost 40 years, people come with old family members to pick their pills and infact the look on their faces too seem like nothing is wrong, l loud and happy while I sat in the corner filled with thought. Again I saw people too who never took either never took their drugs or didn’t find out early they are positive therefore have very low viral load and have been attacked my illnesses or have lost so much weight. They are there to pick drugs too and keep trying. I learnt in most cases, some survive as well but sadly others won’t make it. After my second visit and research, I knew it nothing at all if I take my pill.

A different world Living in US:
1. Drugs remain free and infact delivered to my address once in 3 months.

2. I still continued my routine test free of charge to ensure I remain undetectable.

3. The amount of confidentiality is second to none (OMG), any health practitioner dealing with you is very careful to ensure he/she or the organisation don’t get sued so you are covered. Infact you come to the hospital like others and mixed with other people who came for different things (unlike Umuahia) where anyone walking into that part of the building is already known to be positive.

4. People are very open with being positive in US, people are well learned about HIV and already aware all they need is to be undetectable and that’s it unlike back home where majority will stigmatize when they hear “he/she has hiv” when it takes them just 10 seconds to google and learn more about it (knowledge is power).

Finally, since the 14 years (from the time I knew I was positive), I’ve only lost one girl I met at the clinic, I confirmed this from her Facebook account, I knew she probably will not find it funny because at the time I started conversing with her and others, she works for a firm in PH and lived with her Uncle who had kids, so she sometimes leaves her pills (so they won’t know) and can go weeks without taking it. I was scared for her because what anyone wouldn’t want to do is to have a “hiv drug resistance”.

Stop stigmatization, if someone is able to inform you about their status, let them know you are educated about this and inform them to stay undetectable.

Alert: I have never had fever or any serious health related issue since those years and I’m glad I pulled through this. Till date, no family or friend is aware.

I will finally start informing my siblings soon, at least telling them then will be a shock to them because we’ve all lived those years and they didn’t notice a thing and I’m already in control of my life.

HIV is not death sentence.

Be kind and Be blessed once again…. peace

You've got some confidence, especially now that you're in the States.

Thank u for this timely information.

May God continue to be with everyone whether positive or negative and I hope people would learn from your insight and adjust to life and not by what they hear.

Good bless u real good.

Front page material. Mods lalasticlala or whoever is the mod for health come and push this all important post to the Permanent Site. @poster I hail your courage and I wish you strength.

wow

Oya naa…ppl wey get hiv wey dey live in fear,una food don done finally..

Did you know??



There is no single food that provides all the nutrients that humans need, except for breast milk.

Reading...

HIV is not a death sentence but it's better you dont have it.

Nice story.

Though very true about the 100 people at HIV clinics. having spent a long time running HIV clincs as part of my job, it can be stressful.

Am happy we are getting better REGIMENS, and hopefully getting close to a cure.

Good luck OP.

K

Live carefully

HIV IS NO BIG DEAL

For all of you that do visit doctor every week for medical check up........................





I pray you see what you want

Still better not to catch that sh*t or other forms of STIs, thanks but no thanks.

Abeg anybody wey read finish make dem epp us summarize abeg

Make una dey stop this kind talk, it's annoying
For the fact HIV isn't a death sentence, does it mean people should now start getting infected with such disease?

HIV is not a death sentence. But it's wisdom not to catch at all.

ok

True that


Need a US used laptop? Are you in Lagos? Check my profile. Or hit me via my signature on WhatsApp

4

Thanks for the information.
Nigeria shaa...