HIV meds and its side effects...

tuls, I fainted today...

oh... what happened?

my vision went blurry and i black out...

oh my .... then how?

my colleagues brought me to the clinic...

so what did the doctor say?

the doctor referred me to the eye specialist...

huh... why one?

he say that i will go blind with my condition like that and ask me not to not wait long and quickly go..

what the.... why would he say that? 


and so i googled his symptoms and what the doctor said.... it kinda pointed towards HIV retinopathy..


im afraid....

dont be afraid...  the doctor is wrong... he shouldnt have said it that straight forward... he could have use better words... but... maybe he just dont know how.... but whatever it is, you need to get your eyes checked... , is it still blurry? 

yea one side... ..... ....will i die?

hm.... ..... ..... did the doctor say what's wrong?

no.... not really...

well, i kinda try looking up on the net for your condition....

and?

hm..... it is best if you go and see the specialist... 

but.... i just started this job 2 weeks ago..... i dont wanna portray myself as a slacker or someone who uses sickness to skip work...

well, do you wanna die? or go blind?

-.- youre scaring me...

hm.....

you waited 2 years to start treatment.... so many things couldve happen along the way... this might be one of it... 

:(

the doctor say try not to wait too long to go see the specialist.... if you dont listen to me, maybe listen to him...

:( 

it is your eye.... dying is easy, living a life in blindness, that is a torture.

:(  bitch....


and so he went to the specialist after a week.. the nurse took his blood sample for a routine blood test...

after one vial of blood taken, he turned slight blue...

one vial of blood isnt that much that could turn someone slight blue...

and i guess he fainted...

when he woke up, he texted me...


hm.... i loss consciousness...

what happen...?

dont know... they took my blood for test and my vision went blur again... and then now.... .....doctor say im anemic..

well, that's good news!

why?

it is most probably caused by your meds you just started!

huh...

yup.... side effects... anemia, it is not that uncommon after all...

hm......

yup, and that means......!!!!! you might not go blind....

YAY! maybe not yet....! -.- i hate you....


there was quite a long pause after that....


doctor say i need transfusion.. i dont have energy to type anymore... the procedure will be done tomorrow..

ok.. rest well...



basically first things first, the doctor could have picked the signs up if he wouldve examined my friend properly..

my friend told him that he just started on anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) and he could and should suspect side effects and make immediate referral...

the specialist in charge of his case should have told my friend about some signs to look out just in case side effects do happen... i didnt really ask my friend about it but sometimes during these kinda situation, it is really hard to remember so many stuffs when there are so many other stuffs going on in your mind....

hm....


my special friend was on

Zidovudine + Lamivudine  and Efavirenz


With initiation of any new meds, there is always a chance of incompatibility with the user, so if a rash do happens that is widespread throughout the body, it is most probably an allergic reaction, telling you that the medicine is not suitable and you should go back to the hospital to get assessed and be given new set of different class of medicine.

Zidovudine + Lamivudine
Specifically for this combo, they commonly attack the liver, the blood, or the muscles.

So if you're feeling dizzy, you look pale and is cold and clammy, most probably your reb blood is affected.

If you keep falling sick, like a simple flu or sore throat that is taking weeks to heal or maybe not heal at all? Your white blood is affected.

If you turn yellow, your liver could be it.

If your muscles ache for no reason, you should get it checked as well.


Efavirenz
Specifically for this med, they commonly affect the brain and the liver.

If you have suicidal thoughts or newly developed negativity or anxiety depression kinda feeling, it could be the meds.

If it is the liver, you might go yellow. Maybe the white of the eyeball? or the skin.



If you suspect any of the side effects, to be safe, just get it checked. But if you are feeling fine, maybe you are one of the lucky one that doesnt have side effects, and so for you lucky lot, just go and attend your next doctors appointment as scheduled.

There are many combo that one could be started on. Just make sure you know a little bit more about the meds you take and how it might affect you in terms of side effects so you could pick the signs and symptoms up before it gets too complicated like my friend.

There are a lot of gay healthcare professionals and gay healthcare bloggers out here and there if you need someone to talk to or enquire if you feel more comfortable to. Just give us an email and we will try to help you out the best we can.

Dont be shy and always have your meds on time.


love
TULS