What does it mean to be hiv positive?

I was just diagnosed with hiv. my life is in total kaos right now. ! mostly...i feel completely dead...on the inside. going through my day in total shock! can't sleep, throwing up everyday! sick to my stomach. either i'm staring into nothingness or i'm crying...can't make out the tears!

i'm new to austin 2 months as of today. no friends here. i can't talk to anyone about what i'm going through. besides being unable to identify my emotions. i can't posibily tell anyone that i'm positive! Holy ****! i'm positive! WHAT THE **** DOES THAT MEAN? i don't know what to do! my 1st appointments tuesday at david powell.

HIV+ means that you have been infected with the virus. With that said you will need to make some changes in your life. Eat well balanced meals, get plenty of rest, exercise, when you go to the Doctors have a geno type done on your blood, this will tell what medication the person who infected you was resistant to. This will be important when the Doctor puts you on medication. When on the medications take them as prescribed, if not you will become immune to them much faster.

If you drink a lot or do drugs, you have to stop.

HIV is not a death sentence anymore, there are great medications that will keep the virus in check. My partner has been HIV+ for 24 year and is still OK.

BUT when you want to have sex, use condoms.

Also find a support group. You are not alone.

It means your lifetime may be shorter than you had thought before, so it is time to figure out what really is important. I'd recommend family. I'm really sorry, but stay strong and realize that you're here.

It means you have a Sexually transmitted Diseaese (STD), it is not curable, but they do have ways to lengthen your life. You can spread HIV so dont have unprotected sex (i suggest dont even have sex at all, unless that person is HIV positive also) Im very sorry, God bless

Testing positive for HIV means that your blood has signs of the virus that causes AIDS.

A positive test does not mean that you have AIDS. Many people who test positive for HIV do not get symptoms of
AIDS for 8 to 10 years or longer after the virus infects them.

A positive test does mean that you need to:
-Avoid giving the virus to other people.
-Take good care of your own health.

If you test positive for HIV, tell all your past and present sex partners that you have HIV. Urge them to have the HIV test.

Here are four steps for taking good care of your health if you have HIV:
-Visit a doctor or clinic right away for a check-up. You will need to go back for regular visits so the doctor or nurse can check on how well your body can fight off disease.
-Ask about new treatments that can help people with HIV stay healthy. These include medicines to help prevent pneumonia and other infections and medicines to slow the spread of the virus.
-Keep a close watch on your health between check-ups.
-Be good to yourself. Listed below are steps that will help you stay well longer.

You may want to talk about each step with your doctor or nurse.

Today, there are more ways than ever to fight back against HIV. Some medicines can slow down the virus and help you feel well longer. Some can prevent or delay illness caused by HIV. Other medicines can help you if you get sick.

-Ask your doctor or nurse if there are any medicines that you should take now.

-Be your own health advocate! Learn as much as possible about HIV treatments.

-Talk to the doctor, nurse, or social worker if paying for your medicine is a problem. You may be able to get help.

-It is important to know how and when to take any medicines you receive. Fill in the schedule below to help you remember.

Some diseases linked to HIV have early warning signs. Call your doctor or clinic if you feel sick or have any of the problems listed below. These are not necessarily signs that you have AIDS, but they may need to be treated by your doctor.

-Swollen glands in your neck, armpits, or groin.
-White patches in your mouth.
-Bruises or sores on your skin that don't clear up.
-Fever or diarrhea.
-Weight loss, when you have not tried to lose weight.
-Cough and shortness of breath.
-Night sweats.
-Severe headaches.
-Vaginal yeast infections that do not go away after treatment.
-Irregular bleeding and abdominal pain that does not go away.

For your own health, I suggest you to:
-Eat a healthy diet. Ask your doctor or nurse what foods will help keep you feeling your best.
-Get plenty of rest to keep your body healthy.
-Don't drink alcohol, use drugs, or smoke. Doing these things can weaken your body's defense against disease.
-Exercise. Staying active helps keep you stronger and can also relieve stress.
-Share your feelings with friends and loved ones when you are ready to do so. It can help a lot.
-Ask the clinic or call your local health department to find a support group for people with HIV. Try to find one that fits your own special needs. It is important that you feel comfortable in the group you choose.

Hope this information may be helpful for you.

I'm sorry for what you are going through. Maybe you should try looking up some support groups so you can talk to other people going through it too, and make some friends. And I don't see why you need to tell anyone if you don't have to, unless you are sleeping with them or doing something where you could pass it on to them.

Just know that you are not going through this alone. You can joine support groups. It is always important to talk to someone. This doesnt mean your life is over. You just need to take better care of your health now. people live long healthy lives while being HIV positive. Look at Magic Johnson. He has been HIV positive for years. I know this news is absolutely devistating and this is a process that everyone i'm sure goes through when they first find out. I know talking to others who are going through the same thing could help. when you go to your apointment, ask your doctor about this i'm sure he could give you answers. hope this helps. I'll keep you in my prayers.

It means absolutely nothing, HIV does not cause AIDS, don't believe me... oh well, have fun dying because you chose not to listen to me.

HIV positive means that you have the antibodies to the Human immunodeficiency virus detected by standard tests (ELISA and Western Blot). That means that you have been infected with the HIV virus (a retrovirus).
This does not tell us if you are HIV or has AIDS. You might need your HIV viral load and CD4 cell count determination.
Patients with a CD4 cell count less than 200 has AIDS or anyone above 200 but have an AIDS defining illness.

I don't think I can add anything to what Snoopy said except to say that if you feel like it I would welcome an e-mail from you. I'd like to hear from you and maybe offer morale support.