The Days After...

"Michael honey, yesterday you did not quite hit the mark you were hoping for but today it can be a whole new story. You should be ready to take things by storm as you're in the perfect position to make things happen. It won't take long to figure out the best way to improve your cash flow. Your strength and positive attitude will take you to exciting challenges." Anita's Pisces Horoscope

 

Date: Wed Mar 13, 2002 9:15 am
Subject: [AEGiS] A Q&A from Ask the Doc
To: "aids" <webmaster@a...>Question: What exactly is HIV positive? Also, this is kind of a difficult question, but if a person with HIV infection has survived for the past 10 years, how much longer will he continue to do so? One last question, is there any sexual activity for him that can be engaged in without his partner contracting the virus?
Answer: The average time someone survives from the moment of infection until death (due to HIV) continues to increase. At the beginning of the epidemic, the average time was about 10 years. Many people confuse the date of diagnosis with the date of actual infection. The former is usually well known, the latter typically not known at all. There can be many years separating the two dates. It currently is estimated that at least 25% of persons infected with HIV today will survive for more than 20 years, utilizing drugs and treatments available today. The effect of combination antiretroviral therapy has been estimated to have added at least 3 years to the average survival of 7 years ago. Average survival today (of persons infected 5-10 years ago) is about 15 years from moment of infection until death. But averages are exactly that: averages. More precise estimates for individuals depend on current and past HIV RNA levels, current and past CD4+ cell counts, number of antiretroviral regimens used, adherence to therapy, response to therapy, current health status, and CD4+ cell count trends over time. At least 5% of HIV infected persons are estimated to be long term non-progressors. That is, in the absence of therapy, these individuals maintain a CD4+ cell count 450 cells and typically have HIV RNA levels < 5000 copies/ml. It is not clear what immunologic features distinguish these individuals from the other 95% of HIV infected persons.

HIV - positive simply means infection with HIV. It is not synonymous with AIDS (which is and always has been an arbitrary constellation of indicator conditions). The virus is active making copies of itself (and typically destroying the CD4+ cells) from the moment it enters the body.

Sexual intercourse when the male uses a latex condom is considered very low risk. The risk is not zero, because the condom could break. Similarly, the risk of transmission from male to female is very low when the woman uses a female condom. Oral insertive and oral receptive sexual activity is low risk. Mutual masturbation (without condoms) approaches zero risk of transmission of the virus. Deep kissing is risk free (unless each person has active bleeding).
Rodger MacArthur, M.D.

When it comes to living in a world with HIV, realizing how misconstrued understandings and assumptions impact our thoughts and actions is critical to all of our well being. Myths about living with HIV and the transmission of the virus are the foundation of stigma. With no origin in factual information, these myths breed ignorance, instill fear, form bias and ultimately source new infections. Repairing the damage caused by stigma and producing a society that is inclusive of all people, regardless of status, is crucial to prevention efforts and "quality of life"  post-diagnoses.

Coming Out Day! A Pop-Up LGBTQ resource center and evening of music and storytelling

Public Event · By Katie Meyer, Bonnie McGinnis-Meyer and 3 others

H/T & REMINDER! This event is 21+

Free HIV testing by NKY Health Dpt and St. John United Church of Christ!!

5-7pm Resource Center
Kentuckians for the Commonwealth

Equality Ohio
NKY Health Department
Greater Cincinnati Gay Chamber of Commerce
Richelle Frabotta, Sexpert
Cincinnati Trans* Community Group
Midwest Trans* and Queer Wellness Initiative

7-10pm Open Mic + Music: Guest Speakers:
Covington City Commissioner, Shawn Masters
Cincinnati City Councilman, Chris Seelbach

10pm Dance party with Dig-It!

Hosts:
Bonnie McGinnis-Meyer
JAC Stringer AKA Midwest GenderQueer
Linda and Taryn 
Freeze Kitten 
Mandy Watts



 



WORLD AIDS DAY - December 1st, 1999

This years Theme is "END THE SILENCE!", which refers to the complacency over the Epidemic which has come about as a result of the significant strides that have been made in drug therapies and slowing the rate of deaths. As we approach the New Millennium, there is still NO CURE or VACCINE and it is urgent that we keep the troops mobilized in the ongoing battle against this scourge that continues to afflict all peoples throught the World.

HOUSING

This October, in the 31st year of this grotesque calamity, marked the 21st year of my personal Journey through AIDS. AIDS is an extraordinary kind of crisis; it is both an emergency and a long-term development issue. Despite increased funding, political commitment and progress in expanding access to HIV treatment, the AIDS epidemic continues to outpace our response. No segment of humanity has been spared. The epidemic remains extremely dynamic, growing and changing character as the virus exploits new opportunities for transmission.

 

From the AIDS Treatment Data Network:

You don't have AIDS as soon as you're infected with HIV. The disease process takes a while, around 10 years on average. The process goes from being HIV+ without any symptoms or signs of disease to being HIV+ with symptoms to having AIDS. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Immune deficiency means that your immune system has been damaged by HIV. A damaged immune system can't protect you from infections as well as a healthy immune system.

 

Greetings All

As noted in the definition given above, there are three distinct phases of HIV disease that we now look to. I think "Full-Blown AIDS" is pretty much a scary misnomer born in the media, while AIDS is indeed the end stage of the disease.  While I am currently "healthy"; I have experienced the symptoms of wasting, night sweats, thrush, etc. thru  the middle stage where I was 1st Tested & Diagnosed in 1991, known as HIV+ Symptomatic. As my CD4 counts have primarily all come in below the 500 mark, I've been on meds pretty much since the beginning and have, therefore, been susceptible to the side-effects associated with them as well. Luckily, I've never experienced any difficulties taking or tolerating any of my meds. Even so, I have never experienced any of the "major" defining illnesses that we've now come to associate with an AIDS diagnosis, so I am considered a long-term survivor or non-progressor.

The indisputable truth remains that once you have HIV, you will live with it forever. However, how one goes about doing that is what's important and what we talk about here. And lately, what we've been commiserating on here is the sad fact that so many have decided to do it with great disregard for the future, irresponsibility for the truth and indifference to the consequences.

The whole point of this discussion and the new campaigns that are emerging is indeed that "HIV is NO PICNIC". It is still something to be very much AVOIDED and SCARED OF. While my mission is to help them on their own personal Journey as best I can and I welcome the newly diagnosed and share the concern that they not be scared off, I can't help but wonder "Well, what were you thinking/expecting?". Just my thoughts..."

 

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or HIV infection

AIDS is caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1. The HIV virus infects cells in the body that fight infection. The primary cell infected is the CD4 lymphocyte, but it infects other infection-fighting cells as well. This causes immune system impairment and difficulty fighting infection. Because the immune system has a role in cancer prevention, there is also an increase in certain cancers. To be HIV positive means that one is infected with the HIV virus. To be given the diagnosis of AIDS, one must be infected with HIV, which means that the HIV infection has compromised the immune system to the extent that an AIDS-defining illness (one of multiple illnesses) has occurred. Before current "triple therapy" was developed, nearly all those who were HIV positive went on to develop AIDS. Now it is not the case. But, not all persons respond to "triple therapy" and a proportion still goes on to develop AIDS.

HIV syndrome occurs 3 to 6 weeks after infection and includes (these I've personally experienced):FeverSweatsSore throatEnlarged lymph glandsHeadachesWeight lossJoint achesMuscle aches

Reaching the Unreachable.. Online Outreach

Outreach professionals are always looking for those hard-to-reach populations where HIV education is in desparate need. They take to the streets; to local bars and clubs; to bath houses. Now there is a new way to reach those hard to reach populations...online. The need for this type of outreach is certainly there. The web site Gay.com surveyed 3000 of their site visitors. 84% of those visitors reported they had met sexual partners online (Brown, Washington Post, 2/03). Other studies have traced STD outbreaks to internet chat rooms. many who have been diagnosed with STDs report the met the person who infected them via the internet.

Why the Internet?What makes the internet so attractive to those seeking sexual liaisons? First of all, the initial meetings and discussions take place in a safe enviroment...in front of a computer. For obvious reasons, many people fear meeting a stranger in a strange, secluded place. Yet they are looking for sexual contacts. To ease their fear and still meet potential partners, people take to the chat rooms. Before any potentially harmful meeting takes place, two people can get to "know" one another online.

Knowing one another brings us to the second reason the internet is so appealing. People can be whatever or whoever they please. Six feet tall, blue eyes and blond hair....an artist....an athelete...single....or "well endowed". The internet provides a safety net for those who want to pretend.

On the other side of that same coin, chat rooms allow people to be themselves without the fear of rejection. Being cast aside online is a far cry from being rejected in person. Chatters are free to learn about one another without the pressures of that uncomfortable "first meeting".

Finally, the internet can be a very private place. Many people exploring their sexual desires want to do so under the umbrella of anonymity. For instance, many heterosexual men look for male sexual partners to explore their bisexual desires. They wish to keep these relationships and their feelings of bisexuality from their wives or girlfriends. Chat rooms are a perfect place to do so.

Is there a need for online outreach?Simply put, yes there certainly is. Several studies have linked outbreaks of STD's such as syphilis with partners found in internet chat rooms. Two studies presented at the 2003 National HIV Prevention Conference noted that online chatrooms and Web sites are replacing gay bathhouses and sex clubs as the most popular meeting points for arranging high-risk sex. In fact the need is being recognized by prevention and outreach agencies across the country. Funding streams are now allocating funds to maintain online outreach staff. Mind you, the funds are limited but the fact that any money is available unscores the perceived importance and value of online outreach. Programs are now in place in Detroit, Seattle, Boston, Miami and Los Angeles.

What is the advantage of online outreach?Experts agree, people who use the internet to find sexual partners have a greater number of partners than those who find sexual partners the traditional way. In addition, many of their partners are nonlocatable which makes partner notification, testing, and counseling problematic. Online outreach gives prevention specialists another tool with which to educate about safer sex and to locate potentially exposed persons. In addition, many times, online counselors are reaching people at precisely the time they are deciding whether or not to have anonymouos sex. Terrence Lo, epidemiologist with the California Department of Health Services points out that by providing anonymity, the internet allows counselors to reach those people who may be reluctant to discuss safer sex issues in other settings.

Does online outreach work?How effective is online outreach? It's too soon to tell however some programs are showing promise. From January 2003 to October 2003, The Midwest AIDS Prevention Project in Ferndale Michigan spent over 100 hours online in chat rooms. According to their data, 289 client interventions took place (Resource: Midwest AIDS Prention Project, November, 2003). How many of those people would have engaged any prevention efforts offline?

Reaching the unreachable...online outreach and prevention. Using the internet to educate...ironic...that's what the founding fathers of the internet had intended all along. ~ Mark Cichocki

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