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My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) - Health (4) - Nairaland

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Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by SenecaTheYonger: 4:44pm On Feb 17, 2022
WiszyFraud:
Did you know??



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


lipsrsealed
. Irish Sea moss too
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by yinkeys(m): 4:47pm On Feb 17, 2022
babzo:


Immigrant Visa to USA does medical including HIV.

I don't think they do for Visting etc. OP went through Visting
Sharp guy stayed back with visiting visa
I must commend him.
Street smart.
They hardly give visiting visa since Trump became president & Buhari totally crippled our economy
I think.

1 Like

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by mannasseh(m): 4:47pm On Feb 17, 2022
pls keep the secret with you, the person you will disclose it too, might not be ready to handle it

4 Likes

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by SenecaTheYonger: 4:47pm On Feb 17, 2022
Sardonicus:
Who is bankrolling all these recent HIV campaigns?

FUN FACT: HIV-2, which is found in west Africa is less virulent with lower transmission rate and a longer asymptomatic stage.
The majority of HIV-2-infected patients can be classified as long-term non-progressors or elite controllers.

Some people have lived their life-time with this virus without even knowing.

It is found in west Africa but it is very few and hard to spread.
HIV-1 is the most dominant everywhere in the word and most deadly. Stop misleading yourself and other people.

I know you might have had unprotected recently so all these HIV post makes your heart skip. That’s how the campaign is. After a holiday like valentine which is basically a sex holiday, it is advisable to create awareness about HIV since it is the deadliest infection one can get from sex if not caught on time

1 Like

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Ochelyko1: 4:48pm On Feb 17, 2022
Megabig:
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

If you discreetly need to speak to me, send an email to kelvinscottndu@gmail.com

God bless you bro for this keep on taking your drugs and at the same time if u are a believer pray towards it there is no ailments our God can't remove from our body.

Just keep trusting Him and have total faith in him I assured you, you will see the HIV disappear from ur body and dat which is positive before will be turn to negative.

1 Like

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Megabig: 4:48pm On Feb 17, 2022
Smarttravels:
How are you able to get your medications for free in the US?

I work for a firm that pays for my medical insurance and that doesn’t touch my paycheck. When I first arrived though, I lived in LA and New York, there are organizations in Manhattan that gave me pills for free and I also had free lunch too. There is one called Family Health Centre in Harlem, they also registered people and direct them to places where they get pills and even groceries for free(all these are for low income people at that time, they have to prove the person is not making above 60k a year), but now I’m making above that but my insurance still covers it all. So I have no issues at all.

13 Likes

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by 1Sharon(f): 4:50pm On Feb 17, 2022
We4all:
I think the reason people are stigmatized is because majority of the victims contacted HIV from unprotected sex. And humans, with their hypocritical nature perceive sexually active people as unclean even when they’re also actively involved in sex.

I could recall in the 90’s, I knew almost everyone infected with HIV in my neighborhood. This was because a friend of mine who worked at the lab revealed the names of those that were positive.

The last time I was down with fever, I went to a private hospital for treatment and the annoying doctor insisted that I took an HIV test. I ignored him and told him to just go ahead and treat malaria. If I have HIV, I will be the first to know.

The yeye doctor decided to report to a relative of mine that I refused to undergo HIV test. I was like, what the hell?

It's his job?
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Megabig: 4:51pm On Feb 17, 2022
Ochelyko1:


God bless you bro for this keep on taking your drugs and at the same time if u are a believer pray towards it there is no ailments our God can't remove from our body.

Just keep trusting Him and have total faith in him I assured you, you will see the HIV disappear from ur body and dat which is positive before will be turn to negative.
thanks for that, this isn’t a very good advice for people living with HIV, faith without works is fruitless. The advice is to stay on medication while praying. I’ve seen pastors tell int people to abandon their pills and they end up suffering it.Not saying you want me to but I assure you, people are reading and will think it’s something that will just disappear, it will not!!!!!!! People should be on their pills just like every other ailment and continue to pay for good health(HIV has never affected my health at all)

4 Likes

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by 1Sharon(f): 4:53pm On Feb 17, 2022
Golan007:


He's even lying about drugs being free in the states.

I've watched a number of documentaries and they always complain about the cost.

Guy appears fake.

I guess he went to a private hospital?

Even in Nigeria those drugs are meant to be free, but they're scamming people.
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Megabig: 4:55pm On Feb 17, 2022
yinkeys:

It’s one of them.
Some ladies just don’t care or bother to check their status. They can be very reckless
I hear men see the signs instantly compared to women
yes, both can go years without knowing, but the chances of men seeing it is so high, a doctor in New York told me that clearly.
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by 1Sharon(f): 4:55pm On Feb 17, 2022
wink2015:
AVOID SEX WITH PROSTITUTE

You will be free from HIV !



You do know prostitute don't allow sex without condoms?

1 Like

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by MzBertty(f): 4:55pm On Feb 17, 2022
Thanks for sharing!
I know someone out there needs to read this to have courage!
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Golan007: 4:55pm On Feb 17, 2022
babzo:


No need for evidence bro, I can give you phone number of a hospital and you call them yourself grin


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwxx1AUZ3v8

Watch from 14:40.

1 Like

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Legendoo: 4:56pm On Feb 17, 2022
JackDaAlienz:
HIV IS NO BIG DEAL

Yes because you have no reason to be healthy in first place.

Ode.

Op , carry on jumping..

5 Likes 1 Share

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Sardonicus: 4:57pm On Feb 17, 2022
SenecaTheYonger:


It is found in west Africa but it is very few and hard to spread.
HIV-1 is the most dominant everywhere in the word and most deadly. Stop misleading yourself and other people.

I know you might have had unprotected recently so all these HIV post makes your heart skip. That’s how the campaign is. After a holiday like valentine which is basically a sex holiday, it is advisable to create awareness about HIV since it is the deadliest infection one can get from sex if not caught on time


You don't scare me. HIV is overhyped.
I'm not saying it doesn't exist. It's a big pharmaceutical business.
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by stonecoldcafe: 4:57pm On Feb 17, 2022
Megabig:
Hello Nairalanders,

I
HIV is not death sentence.

Be kind and Be blessed once again…. peace

If you discreetly need to speak to me, send an email to kelvinscottndu@gmail.com

Thank you for sharing
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Megabig: 4:59pm On Feb 17, 2022
Richy4:
WOW!!! This dude can keep secrets for Africa...
Assuming u were working for late General Sani Abacha, No one would have known that an Indian lady offered him an Apple smiley
The secret no be here, I was keeping secret when I needed help, hiding my drugs was the most painful and hardest. I had to loosen our tv at some point to hide it, I tore under my dad’s car seat to hide some too, all I did was to stuff inside with paper to ensure it doesn’t jiggle when the car is moving and my dad is a transporter. So you can imagine my dad carry my pills around the city without knowing.I stopped hiding in the ceiling when I saw snake one time I climb to take it. Tore under the chair in the sitting room to hide too, we can all be watching tv but my pill is under where my mum is sitting. It wasn’t funny honestly…

17 Likes

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by yinkeys(m): 4:59pm On Feb 17, 2022
Megabig:
yes, both can go years without knowing, but the chances of men seeing it is so high, a doctor in New York told me that clearly.
Without letting their husbands know initially. Nawa o
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by 1Sharon(f): 5:01pm On Feb 17, 2022
Deicide:
So are your parents still in the dark about your HIV status?

Abeg. He should let it be that way.
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by yinkeys(m): 5:03pm On Feb 17, 2022
So you can get HIV from kissing & felatio shocked
What do I know undecided
Everything we learnt in high school went out the other ear after graduation
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Megabig: 5:04pm On Feb 17, 2022
Deicide:
So are your parents still in the dark about your HIV status?
Everyone is in the dark, even my friends, they don’t have to know anymore because I’m already over it. I don’t need help anymore as well. They should have known when I needed help so I pulled through it

10 Likes

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by 1Sharon(f): 5:05pm On Feb 17, 2022
babzo:


People don't seem to realize the number of possible besides sex that cause HIV.

Before the 90s and even till late 90s, hospitals share syringes for patients. It was 90s, they started boiling them before re use.

But how is one sure, the nurse probably boiled the syringe.

Also barbing saloons that used same clipper for many people without properly cleaning.

This is a myth. Hiv cannot be transmitted through surface cuts.

And besides the virus cannot survive for long outside the human body.

4 Likes 1 Share

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by kponkedenge(m): 5:05pm On Feb 17, 2022
Megabig:
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).

Just curious, I thought someone who's positive would be denied entry to US after your medicals shows you're positive.
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Megabig: 5:06pm On Feb 17, 2022
yinkeys:
@Megabig I used to think these top tier (US, UK, Australia, Canada & NZ) countries deny people with serious health compromising issues visa
Surprised you got to USA
Especially since they deny a ton of people’s visa applications daily in Lagos
Well 2008 is totally different from today.
Getting it in level 200, that’s crazy young. Congrats to getting out of that depression well.
A ton of people won’t be able to handle it.
Oh yes, that catholic priest saved me. If not for him. I think I would have ended my life actually. All I needed to do what to research but of course fear did not let me do so initially

2 Likes

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Golan007: 5:06pm On Feb 17, 2022
yinkeys:
So you can get HIV from kissing too shocked
What do I know undecided
Everything we learnt in high school went out the other ear after graduation

Which kissing?

Very low chance of it happening.

Though HIV can be heterosexually transmitted it is mostly found among gay men.

Much as I'm not homophobic, it is the truth.

1 Like

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by babzo(m): 5:07pm On Feb 17, 2022
1Sharon:


This is a myth. Hiv cannot be transmitted through surface cuts.

And besides the virus cannot survive for long outside the human body.

Oga, don't miss road o. Abeg; don't miss road.

1 Like

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Megabig: 5:08pm On Feb 17, 2022
pembisco:
Just a little correction@op. People who don't know about their status on time get to have higher viral load not like the way you put it in your write up.
Can happen but when they gradually get ill and still not know, they of course reduces the immune system and they can go down too. The best thing is to know and take charge of it. That’s why people should avoid being infected in the first place, if infected, the person should better know and take charge of his or her life
Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by yinkeys(m): 5:10pm On Feb 17, 2022
Megabig:
Everyone is in the dark, even my friends, they don’t have to know anymore because I’m already over it. I don’t need help anymore as well. They should have known when I needed help so I pulled through it
Good keep it that way.
They don’t need to know sh*t
Only your spouse who’d obviously be positive

Except you want to be a monster by choosing a negative girl.
Honour is not a feminine trait that’s why the girls you dated obviously are married without informing their hubbies initially. I’m somewhat sure of that.

1 Like

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Megabig: 5:11pm On Feb 17, 2022
Golan007:


He's even lying about drugs being free in the states.

I've watched a number of documentaries and they always complain about the cost.

Guy appears fake.
why will I lie about being hiv positive? People steal from other through these pill, it is entirely free in government hospitals in Nigeria. In United States it’s free if you make less than 60k a year and there are organisations that offer those. If you make more, you either will pay through you work insurance or pay part of it and get sponsorships from Other drug agencies. Why I go lie say I be hiv positive please? Just call government agencies in charge of HIV in Nigeria and ask them how much is a hiv pill and get your answers. That’s why research is important

5 Likes

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by Megabig: 5:14pm On Feb 17, 2022
yinkeys:

Good keep it that way.
They don’t need to know sh*t
Only your spouse who’d obviously be positive

Except you want to be a monster by choosing a negative girl.
Honour is not a feminine trait that’s why the girls you dated obviously are married without informing their hubbies initially. I’m somewhat sure of that.
my spouse obviously have to know, I’m clearly undetectable and have seen couples where one is positive and the other is not. All the person needs to do is to stay undetectable but telling a partner is important. Not telling a partner is a terrible idea because you still have to hide everything. It’s not a risk dating someone while undetectable. The best thing is to disclose it to the person and they choose to either stay or not. That’s why education is important

2 Likes

Re: My HIV Journey In Nigeria Vs US (Pros And Cons) by 1Sharon(f): 5:15pm On Feb 17, 2022
Megabig:
Can happen but when they gradually get ill and still not know, they of course reduces the immune system and they can go down too. The best thing is to know and take charge of it. That’s why people should avoid being infected in the first place, if infected, the person should better know and take charge of his or her life

How did you feel when you found out

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