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ako si BONG
ito ang aking diary
...and this is my HIV diary
Showing posts with label medications. Show all posts
Showing posts with label medications. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Posted with Blogsy
Friday, April 4, 2014
MY NEW REPORT CARD!
April 03, i got an email from my doctor:
Lab results:
1. CBC normal
2. FBS normal, Hgb A1C is controlled (6%)
3. Lipid profile shows bad cholesterol normal, good cholesterol is now at adequate levels, but triglycerides increased compared to previous. need to cut down on carbs. we will repeat in 3 months.
4. Liver and kidney tests normal.
4. cd4 is 429 (14.28%) compared to previous of 329 (13.7%) last august 8.
Schedules to keep:
a. flu and pneumo shots soonest
b. next cd4 sep 23, 2014
c. next appt for refill, routine, lipid profile determination on may 26
pls coordinate with nurse carl for schedule confirmation. thanks.
Best, Dra. Kate
and so after 7months of ARV. my labs are almost perfect. cd4 are improving. no missed dose of meds except for some some late intake.
time to celebrate.
i am happy!
ito ang aking diary
ako si BONG
Friday, March 21, 2014
NEWBIE SI JOE!
On Mar 17, 2014, at 5:13 PM, Joe wrote:
Hi sir bong,
My name is joe. Bagong enroll po ako sa sagip. Natatakot po ako kasi nitong january ko lng po nalaman na positive din ako. Nung nabasa ko yung blog mo natakot ako sa shingles, kasi may shingles like din ako sa left arm... Diko pa po sure kung shingles ngato kasi di pako nakikita ng doctors. Still waiting padin po ako sa cd4baseline result ko. Pag lmabas nadaw po cd4 ko thats the tym lng na i eeskdyul nila ko sa doctor. Natatakot po ako. Sa blog m po nagkaron ka ng shingles, kumusta napo kayo? Delikado po ba un? Tip naman po on how to deal with it. Wala pa po kasi akong arv e.
Salamat
-joe
----------
On Mar 18, 2014, at 1:53 AM, Bong Lopez
Shingles ay parang medyo katulad ng chicken pox, kapag nagkachicken pox ka na nasa katawan na natin ito. Sabi ni doc common daw ito sa mga immunocompromised kahit anu pa ang cd4 level. Madalas daw lumalabas ito kapag sobrang stress, naaactivate daw ito na nagiging shingles.
Kung shingles talaga yan dapat masakit at makati at nakikita sa isang side lang ng katawan natin. At dadami ng dadami kung di agad gagamutin.
Dapat pinakita mo kaagad kung sino man ang nurse or duktor sa SAGIP para naagapan.
Medyo mahal ang gamot, almost 8thousand yung nagastos ko. Pero dahil day1 pa lang napacheck ul ki na agad. Di na sya dumami sa akin at di naging masakit. Me maliit na lang na mark sa may tuhod ko ngayon.
Pacheck up mo agad sa duktor.
Bong
----------
On Mar 18, 2014, at 9:46 AM, Joe wrote:
Nawala din po ba sya? I mean after ng gamutan di na sya bumalik. D naman po masakit at makati yung sakin. Ngayon po nag black na sya. Parang sugat na gumagaling na.
----------
On Mar 18, 2014, at 12:06 PM, Bong Lopez
Mawawala daw yung mark pero medyo matagal yata. In the future pwede pa rin daw bumalik.
Bong
On Mar 18, 2014, at 1:41 PM, Joe wrote:
Nakita nyo napo ba yung bagong news.... 448 new cases daw po of hiv in january 2014. Average age 28 yo. 85% male. Natatakot po ako. Isa ako sa 448. Ang dami masyado.... Kayo po ba malakas pa? I mean na confine napo ba kayo before. May mga naging infections napo ba kayo? Pasensya napo madamim akong question gusto ko po kasing maging aware sa mga common infections and gustong gusto ko po kasi nakakarinig ng mga success stories pampalakas ng loob ko. Ryt now po kasi di pa alam ng family ko even bf ko. :( Salamat
Joe
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On Mar 19, 2014, at 2:54 PM, Joe wrote:
Hi ser bong...galing po akong sagip just now. Hindi binigay ni nurse anne yung exact number ng cd4 count ko. Sabin kasi nya doctor ko ang magrereveal sakin. Sabe nya below 350 nako. Per di namn daw sobrang baba :( natakot nnman po ako. Nagwoworry po ako. Sabe nya i-sskedyul padaw nya ko. Regarding namn po sa shingles like na nasa arm ko..... Sabe nila di namn daw po to shingles. So negative po ako sa shingles. Insect bite lng daw to na di gumaling. Haist..... Nkakapag worry tlga tong araw nato.
After nun di po ako napakali so nagpatingin po ako sa derma sa metropolitan medical ctr.. Pinakita ko yung shingles-like sa arm ko gaya ng advise nyo. Ayun bingo.... Ang sabe ng derma is herpes zoster daw so niresetahan nya ko ng gamot. Sabe nman po nya pagaling nayung nasa arm ko pero inadvise padin po ako na inumin yung antibiotic.
Thannk you po sa mga responses nyo.. It helps a lot. Salamat din po sa blog nyo kasi nagiging aware ako sa condition ko.. Plus pag may naririnig po akong mga success stories sa gaya natin lumalakas ang loob ko. Tumatapang ako. At nagkakaron ng will to survive. Salamat po.
-Joe
----------
On 3/19/14, Bong Lopez
Good news yan. Mabuti at nagpatingin ka sa duktor agad. Just drink the
antibiotic in complete dose. Kung talagang below 350 na ang cd4 mo, most
probably eh irerecommend na ng duktor na mag ARV (gamot) ka na sa susunod na
appointment mo. Mabuti na rin yun para maagapan ang gamutan. Goodluck sa
iyo. Balitaan mo ako ha.
wag masyado magworry. Kasi lalo makakasama ang pagwoworry.
Bong
----------
On Mar 19, 2014, at 4:45 PM, Joe wrote:
ikaw po ba? Kmusta napo pakiramdam nyo? Nakakaramdam din po ba kayo ng
panghihina simula nung nag arv kayo? - salamat
Joe
----------
On Mar 19, 2014, at 7:13 PM, Bong Lopez
I feel perfectly fine. Wala akong nararamdaman masama sa katawan ko.
Paminsan minsan may fungal and viral infection, which is minor lang naman at common sa mga immunocompromised. Ang kelangan lang masipag magpatingin sa duktor at sundin lagi ang gamot.
Dipende sa ARV na ibibigay sa yo, me kanya kanyang side effects naman, eventually magiging manageable na rin. Ieexplain naman sa iyo ng mabuti yan ng duktor bago ka magsimula.
Makabubuting magresearch ka sa www.thebody.com kasi kumpleto iyan sa lahat ng mga sagot sa mga katanungan ng mga bagong diagnosed.
Yes sagip ako pero semi private clinic ako ni dra kate sa shaw blvd. Di pa ako nakakarating sagip unit ng pgh eh.
San eh eventually magkalakas loob ka ng sabihin kahit sa ilan sa kaibigan, pamilya or BF mo. At wag kakalimutan lagi ang magproteksyon.
Goodluck sa atin.
;)
ito ang aking diary
ako si BONG
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
INSTANT ARVs!
this breakng news just came in! 8000bottles of the 3in1 ARV combi tablet TENOFOVIR-LAMIVUDINE-EFAVIRENZ has just been released by Philippine Customs. it will be available in our respective hubs in a few days/hours.
alam kong aligaga na ang mga pusits this past few days. so this is great news especially to those teno-lami-efav users like me.
just in time for my 3-month refill next week.
with other combi drugs please talk to your hub doctor.
3-in-1 INSTANT ARV, parang kape lang.
this is great para sa halip na 4 na caps ang iniinom ko, isa na lang sa gabi
am sooooo excited!
ito ang aking diary
ako si BONG
Sunday, December 1, 2013
PLAYING SUNGKA ON WAD 2013!
december 1, 2013
today is WORLD AIDS DAY
today is also sunday
and what do i do first thing in the morning on a sunday?
I PLAY SUNGKA!
hanggang kelan kaya ito?
ako si BONG
ito ang aking diary
Saturday, November 30, 2013
STAYIN' ALIVE!
Well now, I get low and I get high,
And if I can't get either, I really try.
Got the wings of heaven on my shoes.
I'm a dancin' man and I just can't lose.
You know it's all right. It's OK.
I'll live to see another day.
We can try to understand
The New York Times' effect on man.
Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother,
You're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin',
And we're stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive.
~ bee gees
this is how much i have to deal with to stay alive.
difficult you say? nah!!!
it takes a little time to get used to
definitely confusing at times
pero its actually easy
these meds keeps me healthy
parang multivitamins lang
today my routine labs went well, spotless
and so i can breathe easy
coudn't ask for more
sabi nga ni Janina San Miguel,
"i dont peel eyni preysyur rayt now"
today we celebrate WORLD AIDS DAY!
25 days til christmas!
HAPPY!
ako si BONG
ito ang aking diary
Friday, November 29, 2013
1st SHOT!
Waiting for my 2nd doctor's appointment, i already had my 1st shot of HPV Vaccine a while back. 2 more shots in the next 6months. hepa B and pneumonia vaccines are next!
Mahal magkasakit, mahal din ang mga vaccine para maiwasan magkasakit. thanks to my younger brother for sponsoring some of my upcoming meds and vaccines.
Yes nagdisclose na ako sa younger brother ko who is a nurse. Siya kauna unahang nakakaalam sa family ko. I was desperate, and got no one else to turn to. He was shocked and asked me how i can keep this to myself and not tell them for more than 2 years. I said i dont want anyone to worry about me and since i got my close friends to support me naman, so there wasn't any real threat to my life. He said for me to get the best treatment and not to hesitate to ask for funds. Im touched. Makes my life much easier and i just have to really take care of myself and not worry about looking for funds if needed be.
Today is my 3rd month on ARVs without any issues. After todays routine check-up i will have my 3months supply of ARVs.
Salamat naman, the scary stage is over and am doing really well so far.
Kayo? Kamusta naman kayo?
ako si BONG
ito and aking diary
Saturday, September 7, 2013
GENITAL WARTS
through the years, there has been a lot of inquiries about Genital Warts among PLHIVs (even non PLHIVs) to the point na meron na akong top 3 clinics where i refer them everytime me nagtatanung sa akin. mukhang usong uso ang ganito sa mga immunocompromised na mga tao...
SABI NG WIKIPEDIA:
Genital warts (or condylomata acuminata, venereal warts, anal warts and anogenital warts) are symptoms of a highly contagious sexually transmitted disease caused by some types of human papillomavirus (HPV). It is spread through direct skin-to-skin contact, usually during oral, genital, or anal sex with an infected partner. Warts are the most easily recognized symptom of genital HPV infection. Although some types of HPV are known to cause cervical cancer and anal cancers, these are not the same types of HPV that cause genital warts.[1] Although 90% of those who contract HPV will not develop genital warts, those infected can still transmit the virus. Although estimates of incidence vary between studies, HPV is so common that nearly all sexually active people will get it at some point in their lives.[2]
HPV types 6 and 11 are most frequently the cause of genital warts. The Gardasil vaccine includes coverage for these types. While types 6 and 11 are considered low risk for progression to cancers, it is also possible to be infected with different varieties of HPV, such as a low-risk HPV that causes warts and a high-risk HPV, either at the same or different times.
end~
di ko na lang ipopost ang mga pictures kasi medyo gross...
dahil na rin sa kung anu anung mga horror stories na narinig ko before on sobrang mahal daw mag pa treat (cautery) meron pa daw minsan sumisingil ng P30k, some naman said 5k and above. what i did na lang is to research further and visit the best recommended clinic base sa mga PLHIV friends na napagtanungan ko.
dipende naman daw pala talaga kung anu ang extent ng kaso, ang sina suggest na lang ng mga duktor eh magpatingin kaagad sa first sign pa lang ng warts para maagapan. kasi kung masyado na daw malala, mas mahal syempre, kasi kung super konti palang minor lang daw at topical anaesthesia lang ang ginagamit.
back to the clinic. i found that the best recommended and affordable clinic that caters for Genital Warts is BARIA CLINIC (or Surgical Specialist) sa Cainta. consulation is about Php300 and Cautery procedure starts at Php 1500 only for early stage. here's how to reach them.
CAINTA JUNCTION
ALMOST AT THE JUNCTION MALAPIT SA ROBINSONS
MWF - 9am to 1130am
TThS - 2pm to 5pm
CALL MARYANN: 02.655.4701
ayan thats all that i found out. reminder that the earlier you seek medical attention, maaring mas mura ang cautery procedure. and since HPV ang cause ng genital warts, get vaccinated, whether positive ka na or negative ka pa sa HPV advisable pa rin na mag HPV vaccine para daw di pabalik balik ang warts or mas bumagal bumalik kasi ganun daw talaga yun. pinakamurang HPV vaccine na narinig ko for groups would be Php 2225 or as high as 5k per shot and we're supposed to get 3 shots in a span of 6 months.
yan muna.
stay safe always
ako si BONG
ito ang aking diary
Friday, September 6, 2013
SURVIVED DAY 1!
OA naman, parang big big deal. parang nagkasakit... hindi naman. i just survived Day 1 of m ARV medications. am now on day 2. So far so good, its not as bad as i expected.
(SHIP - my new clinic in shaw blvd)
TRANSFERED HUBS
i am now with SAGIP Unit (STI/AIDS Guidance Intervention & Prevention Unit) under UP-PGH. lumipat ako from RITM-ARG at mabilis lang naman ang proseso, napaka accommodating pa rin ng mga taga RITM Alabang and i soooo love them still. pero there are some important considerations why i have to transfer. kaya ayun, wednesday morning i was at RITM Alabang then kinahapunan, dala ko na ang endorsement at medical abstract ko sa clinic sa shaw.
bakit kamo? kasi nga am about to start ARV na. eversince naman eh naisip ko na that when the time comes na kelangan ko ng mag gamot and my CD4 count gets to lower than 350, i would like to have a private doctor, someone who can give my case more attention. syempre lahat naman tayo gusto yung naaalagaan tayo. hassle din kasi minsan ung dami nakapila for consulatation then all you get is a few minutes with the attending doctor. minsan lang feeling ko baka may di mapansin sa case ko at baka may mamiss-out.
and so i found a great doctor, (si Dra. Kate) dahil super duper highly recommended sya ng ilang friends ko. at dahil under sya sa UP-PGH kaya i needed to transfer hubs. ang good news pa eh she holds clinic sa shaw blvd lang, lapit lang sa akin, all labs and dispensing of medications can be done there so super convenient para rin sa akin. syempre dahil sa philhealth libre pa rin lahat ng gamot and labs, mabuti na lang at continuous ang contributions ko. having a private doctor means me consultation fee (not free) and for me its totally fine, so long as ensured ako na naaalagaan ang case ko. Php 550 per consultation, i'd say not bad kasi halos ganun din naman nagagastos ko everytime bumibiyahe ako sa Alabang.
i am going to miss alabang.
DAY 1
after waiting for a few weeks para sa results ng sputum at xray ko, i was finally cleared and ready to start ARVs. all my labs wer great except that medyo mataas daw cholesterol ko - DIET DIET DIET sabi ni dra.!!! kaloka i soooo love her, sya yung duktor na super kwela at masaya kausap, walang ni isa mang hint ng judgement sa pagkatao mo kaya nga because of that i feel soooooo safe to tell her everything even my occassional recreational drug use. tapos super sipag pang sumagot sa mga emal at text, feel ko na she really wants to help out and take care of you.
so i brought my BF during my ARV counseling para maging treatment partner ko. naexplain naman ni doc ang mga gamot ko and possible side effects. sabi nya of all yung EFAV lang talaga ang medyo nakakagroggy kaya sa gabi sya tinatake before sleeping.
(efavirenz -adverse effects)
and so yesterday was day 1, TENOFOVIR - LAMIVUDINE - EFAVIRENZ, considered 2nd-line ARV na yata yun because dra thinks its best for my case. i stayed at home the whole day to see what happens.
morning medications did not have any noticeable effect whatsoever. yung efav sa gabi ang medyo nahilo at nagroggy nga ako. parang slight naka ecstasy ka lang pero since nakahiga na rin ako agad 30mins after taking it di ko na siguro naramdaman yung ibang effects. i just noticed mga 3x ako nagising middle of the night at parang medyo restless, pagkagising ko kaninang umaga hilo pa rin ako for about 1hr tapos unti unti rin nawala. itinodo ko na rin yung aircon kagabi kasi sabi nila it can feel hot sometimes. dahil dun di ko naman nafeel kung uminit nga ako.
so ayun success ang day 1 ko ko, i hope tuloy tuloy lang and that after 1 month my labs will show good numbers pa rin. wish me luck.
VACCINES
have to save money pala for more vaccines to protect myself from other possible diseases. magastos din but have to do it. IPON IPON IPON!
so ayan, alam nyo na na buhay pa rin ako, alive and kicking all over. happy lang. tamad lang talaga ako magblog lately. sensya naman.
o kamusta naman kayo?
ako si BONG
ito ang aking diary
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Thursday, August 8, 2013
ITS TIME!
kasalukuyang nasa canteen ng RITM alabang, naghihintay ng 1 oras bago lamnan ang pangalawang sputum vial.
dahil sa resulta ng huling CD4 count ko kanina, nag request ang aking duktor ng karagdagang chest xray at sputum test.
mukhang kailangan na talagang magsimula at hindi na pwedeng ipagpaliban, dalawang taon din akong naghintay.
meron pa akong mga 2 linggo para gawin ang mga nararapat na lab tests at mga konsultasyon.
maliban duon eh wala naman ibang dapat ikabahala, wala naman akong nararammdaman.
pero bagong adustment na naman.
but i feel great.
i am ready.
329 = arv
;)
ito ang aking diary,
ako si BONG
(PS: sira ang aking mobile number, you can reach me sa email)
Thursday, May 30, 2013
THE ELUSIVE 500!
Stats update, i'm back at 498 from a low of 382 two months ago. so am back to "not wanting to get meds" ulit.
it was actually a steady improvement for 1 1/2 years until i got some bacterial infection last february that led to some neuropathic problems (unrelated to my serostatus). i was under medications which is expected to bring my immune system down. fortunately i recovered fast in just a matter of 3 weeks and my doctor said that it's a sign that despite my HIV status my immune system seems strong.
true enough my cd4 went down 382 last february and the doctor recommended that i start ARVs na. i hesitated and decided to wait another 3 months and see if my cd4 count would improve. nevertheless they started me on 6mo of daily doze isoniazid which is a phropylactic medications for TB.
and now the great news --- as of May my cd4 is up at 498 and i should say back on track.
improving without ARV medications.
something that i am very thankful of.
hindi nagpapatalo ang immune system ko, palaban pa rin.
i dont know how long they can hold this fight and i sincerely hope that they would not need medicinal reinforcements soon.
but then again there are a lot of study pointing to early medications as very beneficial to PLHIVs and that it will promise better protection for my sexual partner (bf). kaya mahirap pa rin magdecide i am torn between keeping a status quo and try to live a healthy life free of medications. or starting a new life on medications which can potentially impact my lifestyle.
for now am choosing the easier route of the status quo. i think my immune system deserves a chance to prove itself and fight this virus without reinforcements.
the elusive 500 cd4 count, i hope in another 3 months time i get to that mark or higher. it will surely make my resolve stronger that despite my serostatus, my body is winning the battle, for now.
ito ang aking diary
ako si BONG
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
HIV MEDS ADHERENCE???
Exactly what level of adherence to HIV medications is required to maintain virological control?
Dear Dr. Young:
This is a question that has always intrigued me, ever since I started on an effective antiretroviral treatment combination in 1997. Back then we were warned that even missing a single dose of our medications could spell disaster i.e. HIV resistance and subsequent loss of virological control. So I mustered all the self-discipline I could and took my medications as "correctly" as humanly possible and attained virological control (viral load measurements below the limit of quantification using whatever technology at the time) that I have maintained. Recently I undertook a very rigorous audit of my adherence that disclosed that in fact I take about 99 per cent of my doses and completely miss about one per cent in a one-year timeframe. Despite this error and lack of perfection my viral load remains undectable. I was just curious because even with the utmost of care that I bring to the task I still fall short of one hundred per cent perfection. Thank you for any insight you can provide.
Please accept my best regards,
Wayne Toronto, Canada
______________________
Response from Dr. Young
Hi Wayne and thanks for posting from Canada.
Perfection might be a goal, but rarely achieved.
You're adherence is exemplary- 99% is excellent and not associated with any decline in viral suppression. I would not be concerned about a 1% missed dose at all.
While we continue to quote a 95% goal (from a ~1999 study), with current medications, it's quite likely that lower levels of adherence continue to provide very good viral suppression.
In my clinic of less-than-perfect patients, loss of viral control has been exceptionally rare, and often the result of complete discontinuation of medications, rather than the inadvertent missed dose. So, worry not.
Be well, BY
Source: http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/Meds/Q229268.html?ic=700101
Sunday, May 5, 2013
THE CURE! IS IT ALMOST HERE?
By Jake Wallis Simons (6:30PM BST 27 Apr 2013)
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10022664/Scientists-hope-for-HIV-cure.html
Researchers are working on "novel strategies" to find a cure for HIV, with the first results expected “within months”.
Danish scientists are hoping for results that will show that “finding a mass-distributable and affordable cure to HIV is possible”.
They are conducting a clinical trial to test a “novel strategy” in which the HIV virus is "reactivated" from its hiding place within human DNA and potentially destroyed permanently by the immune system.
The move would represent a step forward in the attempt to find a cure for the virus, which causes Aids.
The scientists are currently conducting human trials on their treatment, in the hope of proving that it is effective. It has already been found to work in laboratory tests.
The technique involves unmasking the “reservoirs” formed by the HIV virus inside resting immune cells, bringing it to the surface of the cells. Once it comes to the surface, the body’s natural immune system may be able to kill the virus.
In vitro studies — those that use human cells in a laboratory — of the new technique proved so successful that in January, the Danish Research Council awarded the team 12 million Danish kroner (£1.5 million) to pursue their findings in clinical trials with human subjects.
These are now under way, and according to Dr Ole Søgaard, a senior researcher at the Aarhus University Hospital in Denmark and part of the research team, the early signs are “promising”.
“I am almost certain that we will be successful in activating HIV from the reservoirs," he said.
“The challenge will be getting the patients’ immune system to recognise the virus and destroy it. This depends on the strength and sensitivity of individual immune systems, as well as how large a proportion of the hidden HIV is unmasked.”
Fifteen patients are currently taking part in the trials, and ithe first results from the trial are expected to presented in the second half of 2013.
Dr Søgaard stressed that a cure is not the same as a preventative vaccine, and that raising awareness of unsafe behaviour, including unprotected sex and sharing needles, remains of paramount importance in combating HIV.
With modern HIV treatment, a patient can live an almost normal life, even into old age, with limited side effects.
However, if medication is stopped, HIV reservoirs become active and start to produce more of the virus, meaning that symptoms can reappear within two weeks.
Finding a cure would free a patient from the need to take continuous HIV medication, and save health services billions of pounds.
The technique is being researched in Britain, but studies have not yet moved on to the clinical trial stage. Five universities — Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial College, London, University College, London and King’s College, London — have jointly formed the Collaborative HIV Eradication of Reservoirs UK Biomedical Research Centre group (CHERUB), which is dedicated to finding an HIV cure.
They have applied to the Medical Research Council for funding to conduct clinical trials, which will seek to combine techniques to release the reservoirs of HIV with "immunotherapy", which gives patients a better chance of destroying the virus.
In addition, they are focusing on patients that have only recently been infected, as they believe this will improve chances of a cure. The group hopes to receive a funding decision in May.
“When the first patient is cured in this way it will be a spectacular moment,” says Dr John Frater, a clinical research fellow at the Nuffield School of Medicine, Oxford University, and a member of the CHERUB group.
“It will prove that we are heading in the right direction and demonstrate that a cure is possible. But I think it will be five years before we see a cure that can be offered on a large scale.”
The Danish team’s research is among the most advanced and fast moving in the world, as that they have streamlined the process of putting the latest basic science discoveries into clinical testing.
This means that researchers can progress more quickly to clinical trials, accelerating the process and reaching reliable results sooner than many others.
The technique uses drugs called HDAC Inhibitors, which are more commonly used in treating cancer, to drive out the HIV from a patient’s DNA and onto the surface of infected cells. The Danish researchers are using a particularly powerful type of HDAC inhibitor.
Five years ago, the general consensus was that HIV could not be cured. But then Timothy Ray Brown, an HIV sufferer — who has become known in the field as the Berlin Patient — developed leukaemia.
He had a bone marrow transplant from a donor with a rare genetic mutation that made his cells resistant to HIV. As a result, in 2007 Mr Brown became the first man to ever be fully cured of the disease.
Replicating this procedure on a mass scale is impossible. Nevertheless, the Brown case caused a sea change in research, with scientists focusing on finding a cure as well as suppressing the symptoms.
Two principal approaches are currently being pursued. The first, gene therapy, aims to make a patient’s immune system resistant to HIV. This is complex and expensive, and not easily transferrable to diverse gene pools around the world.
The second approach is the one being pursued by Dr Søgaard and his colleagues in Denmark, the CHERUB group in Britain, and by other laboratories in the United States and Europe.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Life Expectancy for PLHIV
Many patients taking HIV drugs can now expect to live into their 70s
Michael Carter
Published: 25 July 2008
A large international study has provided evidence that people taking HIV treatment can now expect to live into their 60s and beyond. The study is published in the July 26th edition of The Lancet, and showed that an individual starting successful HIV treatment aged 20 would be expected to live to be 63, and that a patient initiating an anti-HIV drugs regimen aged 35 could live to the age of 67. It also provided evidence of the dramatic and continued decline in the risk of death amongst people with HIV since effective HIV treatment became available.
What is more, the researchers found that starting treatment with a CD4 cell count above 200 cells/mm3 would mean that a person aged 20 could expect to live to be 70, and that a 35 year-old could survive into their 72nd year.
Nevertheless, they still found that even in their most optimistic estimates, the life-expectancy of HIV-positive individuals was approximately ten years shorter than that of an HIV-negative individual. Furthermore injecting drug users and patients who started HIV treatment with lower CD4 cell counts had lower life-expectancies.
The author of an accompanying editorial calls these findings “exciting” and believes that they underline the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment of HIV. He also suggests that the risk of death would be diminished and overall prognosis further improved by starting anti-HIV drugs with a CD4 cell count of 500 cells/mm3.
Almost immediately after multi-drug antiretroviral therapy became available in 1996, doctors observed dramatic reductions in rates of illness and death in HIV-positive patients treated with such drugs. A number of studies have shown that antiretroviral therapy has the potential to dramatically improve the prognosis of HIV-positive patients, but they have only considered patients in single cohorts or countries.
Therefore researchers from the Antiretroviral Cohort Collaboration which involves 14 large HIV cohort studies in Canada, Europe and the USA, looked at rates of mortality and the life-expectancy of over 43,000 patients who started HIV treatment for the first time between 1996 – 99, 2000 – 02 and 2002 – 05. They also looked at whether there were any patient characteristics which affected the risk of death or prognosis.
A total of 2056 (5%) patients died. The mortality rate fell from 16 deaths per 1000 person years between 1996- 99 to 10 per 1000 person years between 2002 – 05.
They also noted significant improvements in the prognosis for HIV-positive patients in the ten years of the study. Overall, a 20 year-old starting HIV treatment between 1996 and 2005 would be expected to live another 43 years. Between 1996 and 1999, they calculated that such a patient would live to be 56 years old, but in the period 2002 to 2005 this had improved to a little under 70 years.
There were also impressive improvements in the prognosis of 35 year-olds starting treatment, with an expectation of a further 32 years in life after HIV therapy was initiated. But, once more, prognosis improved over time from an expectation of a further 25 years of life in 1996 – 99, to 32 years by 2002- 05.
Patients who started HIV treatment with a low CD4 cell count (below 100 cells/mm3) had much higher mortality rates than patients initiating antiretroviral therapy with a CD4 cell count above 200 cells/mm3 (aged 20 – 44, 20 per 1000 person years vs. five per 1000 person years).
Furthermore a 20 year-old starting treatment with a CD4 cell count below 100 cells/mm3 would have a life-expectancy of 54 years compared to a life-expectancy of 70 years for a 20 year-old starting treatment with a CD4 cell count above 200 cells/mm3. The importance of CD4 cell count at the time of therapy initiation to prognosis was also seen in 35 year-olds, with patients with a CD4 cell count below 100 cells/mm3 expected to live until they were 62 compared to a prognosis of 72 years for patients with a CD4 cell count above 200 cells/mm3.
The investigators also found that women had a better prognosis than men, but that injecting drug users had a life-expectancy that was up to 20 years shorter than non-injecting drug users.
“There has been an improvement of outcomes with combination antiretroviral therapy between 1996 and 2005, characterised by a marked decrease in mortality rates” write the investigators. They attribute such reductions in mortality and improvements in life-expectancy to “improvements in therapy during the first decade of combination therapy.”
But they note that their study suggests that the prognosis of people taking antiretroviral therapy is still not normal. Picking up on this point, the author of the accompanying editorial highlights the findings of the SMART study which showed that patients with lower CD4 cell counts had a higher risk of serious non-HIV-related illnesses. The SMART study’s conclusions were one of the factors leading to HIV treatment guidelines recommending that antiretroviral therapy should be started at a CD4 cell count of 350 cells/mm3. The author notes the “clinical mischief of untreated HIV infection” and looks forward to the results of a clinical trial which could show if there is any benefit in starting HIV treatment at a CD4 cell count of 500 cells/mm3.
Reference
The Antiretroviral Cohort Collaboration. Life expectancy of individuals on combination therapy in high-income countries: a collaborative analysis of 14 cohort studies. The Lancet 372: 293 – 299, 2008.
Cooper DA. Life and death in the cART era. The Lancet 372: 266 – 267, 2008.
Saturday, March 16, 2013
ANNIV NI DAN!
hi everyone
aun, kaya nga pla ako nagsulat ng story kc aniv ko na sa pagiging HIV + gusto maging memorable ang experience and ma share ito
kc until now marami pa akong d alam at gusto matutunan about HIV
nakakaloka dba pero wla na kong magagwa eto na ko....
ako nga pla si Dan 25 yrs old pero pag nakita nyo ko am look like 17, gaya ng sabi sakin dun sa HIV seminar namin baby face kasi ako eh, small built white complexion tska appealing ( uy am not making my self proud ah hahahahhaha description lang) going back i want to share my story kc gusto maging makabuluhan ang pagintindi ko sa sakit natin at matuto ng sobra.. takot eh... TAKOT AKONG MAMATAY
i was diagnose last 2012 April un the second un ang pinaka malungkot na pangyayari sa buhay ko, gusto ko lang mag patest nun sa HEPA B kc para un sa ojt ko sa hotel requirement eh, so i went to my auntie aun di ko alam she tested me for HIV aun sapul ako, i went to several test lahat positive, nakakalungot dba, ako nga di ko talga alam ang aggawin, i can't even tell it to anyone.
limipas ang mga buwan, days, and weeks, nag start ako mag pa baseline test awa ng diyos lahat negative until now ni hindi ako nag kaka sipon or ubo, even any sympthoms wla. healthy tlga siguro dhl wla pang manifestations, early detection eh
pasensya na pero magiging emotional na ako, gusto ko lang malabas lahat na alam kong un din ang nararamdaman ng marami sa atin...
lumipas ang araw at buwan naramdaman ko na ang sympthoms ng sakit ko i had lymph node sa leeg, sa armpit at sa shoulders siguro mga 10 sila lahat wla nmn akong nararamdaman kya deadma lang... i took anti boitics kc sabi nila mamwawala daw ang lymph pag ng anti bacterial mali pla ako
pang 7month ko na andyan parin sila nakatatak na sa leeg, balikat at dibdib ko, nakakatakot, nakakaalarma
pumunta ako sa treament hub ko sa alabang
pinagpala ako wla nmn findings kc sa totoo lang ni hindi ako nagkasakit or what even khit wla akong vaccine ( thank you lord )
pero di nagtagl nakakaranas na ko ng back pain upper part it almost last for now cguro mga 8 months na di nawawala di nmn ganun kasikt tolerable but mararamdaman mo
natatakot ako, ayoko nmn mag pa xray bka may lumabas at di ko nmn matanggap, kc honestly nung nalaman ko na meron ako gusto ko gumanti at i kalat ito, para patas patas tyo, kso naisip ko ako nga di ko matanggap hahayaan ko pa bang maranasan to ng iba?
di pa ako nag gagamot kc last CD4 ko 567 pa sya naun di ko na alam kung anu scheduled para para sa susunod na CD4
nagyoyosi at nagiimon pa ako
at malala kc di ko na maiwasan mag yosi at maginom
pasensya na pero simula ng malan ko to nalungkot parang ninakaw nya sakin lahat
ung kababtaan ko, ung kagustuhan kong i enjoy ang buhay ko, ang paginom at pakikibarkada
lahat un nawala na
pero alam nyo ba ginawa ko parin sya madalas pa din akong maginom at mag yosi
un na siguro ako
pero natatakot ako madami sa kaibigan ko ang namatay dhl din sa HIV
maswerte ako dhl wla pa akong OI anu ba gagawin ko? para matigil ang mga bisyo kong ito PLEASE HELP ME
naun gagraduate ako sa HRM ang saya ko nga eh, pero malungkot pa din kc wla pa din tyong gamot
nga pla marami akong kilala sa mga kaibigan ko parang positibo pero nahihya ako iapproach to take test anu ba gagagwin ko dun?
gusto ko sana matulungan nyo ko about sa situation ko kc nahihirap ung back shoulders ko may something tlga
atska natatakot tlga ako mamatay alam ko na alam nyo rin di lang ako bka kyo rin may mga kaibigan at mahal sa buhay na namatay dhil dito
natatakot din ako para sa sarili ko, na parang wla na akong karapatan maging bata at ma enjoy ang lahat, ung tipong iinom makikisalamuha ta makikipag yosi sa iba
wla na INAGAW NA NYA
ayoko mamatay, gusto ko mabuhay pero may bisyo ako anu ggwin ko?
naiiyak akokc parang wla na tyong silbi. uu meron tyo HIV pero anu it will eventually become AIDS, mamamatay, tapos paguusapan at pastsitsismisan
nasaksihan ko kc yan sa mga pumanaw kong mga kaibigan na kgayan ntn
alam nyo kapag naginuma kmi at HIV ang topic natatamemme ako, pero pag nagsalita na ko nakiknig sila,sana na aabsorb nila
ang irap noh, ung tipong paniwalain ang sarili mo na wla ka kahit meron ka!
lasing na ko, nagkalakas lang ng ako ng loob na ikwento to dhla natatakot ako sobra... SOBRA d ko na tlga alam ang ggwin
sana di katulad ang istirya ko ng istorya nyo
bsta KAPITBISIG TYO
sana may gamot na
sana paggalingin nila tyo
sana wla na lang ganito
Dan
Hello dan,
salamat sa iyong pagsulat, masaya ako dahil pinagkaabalahan mo ang pagsulat sa akin. hindi madali ang mag share ng ating mga nararamdaman.
lalong masaya ako at mukhang medyo mas upbeat ka na ngayon compared nung makilala kita sa training natin dati. newly diagnosed ka pa lang yata nun di ba at kamamatay lang din ng bestfriend mo? at sa buong batch ikaw nga ang pinaka bata at pinaka maganda! pero ikaw rin ang pinaka mukhang pinagsakluban ng mundo noong panahong yun. kaya sa tono ng sulat mo eh mukhang kinakaya mo naman, kaya masaya na rin ako.
ilang ulit mong sinasabi sa sulat mo na "ayaw mo pang mamatay" - ay maganda yan, ako rin ayaw ko pang mamatay, sinong bang me gusto nun. at sino bang nagsabi sa yo na mamamatay ka na, o mamatay na tayo? hindi ibig sabihin na positive tayo eh mamamatay na tayo. sa panahon ngayon sa tinagal tagal ng panahon na may HIV sa mundo, wala na dapat namamatay sa AIDS related complications. dahil epektibo naman ang mga gamot na available ngayon. kaya lang marami pa rin ang namamatay eh dahil too late na ng madiagnose sila. totally wala silang alam na positive sila, o mas pinili pa nila na wag malaman dahil naduwag sila, or alam nila pero ayaw magpagamot ng maaga, o mas pinili pang madepress, o natatakot sila sa sasabihin ng ibang tao at ituring silang outcast --- pagkaduwag, wala o maling kaalaman, stigma at diskriminasyon sa ating komunidad --- ito ang mga tunay na dahilan kung bakit marami pa rin namamatay sa AIDS. leche kasi ang mga moralista at self-righteous nating kababayan, nakakalungkot nga eh. kung me mga namatay ka ng friends, mas marami sa akin, i lost count na, mga 12 na yata sila. nakita mo ba akong naglulupasay at nawawalan ng pag asa? hinde! dahil the more i feel bad about my being pusit, the more am risking losing points on my cd4 ;) kaya dapat happy lang girl.
maswerte ka, maswerte tayo at maaga pa lang eh alam na natin ang ating status, ngayon pwede na nating alagaan ang ating sarili... sayang naman ang ganda mo kung magmumukmok ka lang dyan.
potah ka! ;) antaas taas nga ng cd4 count mo no. 567 ka pa... pinakamataas ko eh 499 lang. ngayon am down to 382 (feb 2013)... nirerecommend na nga ni doc na mag ARV na ako. sabi ko pagiisipan ko muna. sa next test ko sa august will be my big decision. sana tumaas ulit.
every 6months dapat ang baseline tests teh, baka due ka na for lab tests, go back to alabang na - bakla dont lose your FOCUS, ngayon kelangan mas maging masinsin tayo sa mga health issues natin. pay attention sa lahat ng sinasabi ng duktor.
maganda at ur always paying attention sa mga sakit sa katawan mo, everytime na may nararamdaman, visit your HIV doctor agad, ganyan din ako. madalas nga eh sinasabi ng duktor sa akin na dont worry dahil halos lahat ng ibang nararamdaman ko eh di naman related sa HIV status ko. normal na yatang maging paranoid tayo sa maliliit na bagay. pero dapat iwas stress, wag masyado magworry, basta check up lang lagi ang katapat and trust your doctors.
www.thebody.com --- yan ang bibliya ko sa lahat ng concerns ko, plus meron akong mga kaibigan duktor at nurses na lagi kong napapagtanungan pag kinakailangan. marami ring kaibigan ang nag aalaga sa akin at alam nila ang staus ko kaya kampante ako na di nila ako pababayaan.
sa ngayon am just concentrating on staying happy and living a productive life. living my life as if everyday is my last. masaya lang.
marami akong kilala na mga pusit na matataas ang posisyon sa kumpanya, maganda ang trabaho, malakas, maganda tulad mo. kaya girl wag ka magiinarte na wala ka ng kinabukasan at inagaw na ng HIV (kukurutin kita eh). you have your whole life ahead of you, maaaring mas mahirap ng konti ang landas na tatahakin natin subalit hindi ibig sabihin na sadyang mas kont ang oportunidad na ilalaan sa atin ng mundo. it's all about your attitude sabi nga nila, ikaw lang ang gumagawa ng iyong kinabukasan kaya tigilan na ang kaartehan at rumampa ka na at mabuhay sa matuwid na daan.
matuwid na daan means healthy life, which is what it should be naman, positive or not. minimize if not abolish your bisyo, kung di kaya ng bigla, unti unti. anything na makakapagpababa ng resistensya ng katawan natin, dapat iwasan. ituring mo na lang na mas babasagin ka kesa sa mga tropa mo. mas alagaan mo ang iyong sarili. pwede namang mag enjoy na hindi pinapabayaan ang ating health. sorry na lang tayo dahil pusit tayo, nagkamali tayo, nabawasan ang ating freedom kumbaga, alang alang sa ikahahaba ng ating buhay.
pwede pa rin i enjoy ang sex ng safe, hay naku teh, ang sarap din kaya. ;)
hihi.
madam, baka matagalan pa ang himala! wala pang gamot! how i wish meron na, pero ang kawalan nito ay hindi magiging hadlang para mabuhay ako ng masaya. papaano kung hindi ito dumating sa lifetime natin?
anung gagawin natin?
NGANGANGA*¥^<{}#<~~]{^???
happy anniversary dan, lets hang out soon...
ako si BONG
ito ang aking diary
My CD4 Count
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