they can live long health lifes blablabla. LONG how long is it? i want time pls if it's possible and when is the pain going to start i got hiv 1 month ago
@wilyoustay: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. It's impossible for even a doctor to make specific predictions for individual people; doctors can only speak in terms of averages. I don't recall exact numbers, but I recall a study showing that in the U.S., with modern ARV treatment, the projected lifespan for HIV+ people was beginning to approach that of HIV- people. Follow your doctor's instructions. If they prescribe ARVs, take every dose on schedule. Take care of your general health. Good luck!
Why does it take so long to start on HIV meds? I was diagnosed w/AIDS after being admitted to the hospital. I had no idea what was going on, only that I could barely breath, stayed 6 days (doctors wanted me to stay longer), in 6 days I lost about 20 lbs. I'm seeing an infectious diease doctor who wants me in the Gilead Quad pill clinical trial. My concern, left the hospital October 24, 2011, but I'm still not taking meds. CD-4 count of 60, viral load of 127,000. scared!
@TheATLSurvivor: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Speaking as a layperson: (1) IIRC in the U.S. any HIV+ person with a CD-4 count less than 550 (or certainly 350) should be immediately put on ARVs. (2) Is the issue that you have no health insurance, are relying on the Ryan White Care Act to obtain health care, and are stuck on a waiting list? Due to lack of funding, people sometimes have to wait on a list in their state before obtaining care under Ryan White. Talk to your doctor. Good luck!
@AIDSvideos: If you are HIV+, have a CD-4 count of 60, and your doctor isn't prescribing ARVs, get a second opinion from another doctor. Presumably one or the other will prescribe ARVs. At that point, you need to find a way to obtain them. If you have health insurance, great. Otherwise, Ryan White Care Act. Also note that pharmaceutical companies will sometimes reduce or waive charges for medication for people who can't afford the medication they need.
Hi Can you help please. If a 80 year old man get HIV positive can this have implications with kids and family contracting the virus. Also will his age be a factor as
@cormacgj: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Watch our video "HIV in the Household." An 80 year old man, like anyone else, might transmit HIV to sexual partners or needle sharing partners, but living in the same household shouldn't put the others in the household at any risk of HIV. (He should not share shaving razors with anyone else--but you wouldn't want to do that anyway for other reasons.)
Thank you for the reassurance. I found out that I was HIV positive after being diagnosed with full blown AIDS. I have since recovered and am on medication (AARV's). What I want to know is the average lifespan for an individual on meds.
God bless you for taking the time to help people and reassure them. What you said makes sense and I hope to god there is a cure soon. Everybody makes mistakes, but I don't think good people deserve to die for them. You are a good doctor and a smart lady. Take care
@EvansGuy81186: Unfortunately, it's not that simple. We don't know "everything there is to know about" HIV. Even if we did, we do not currently have the technology to automatically create a safe, effective vaccine if we know "enough" or "everything" about a virus. Vaccine development is hard. It's harder still with a virus like HIV that mutates rapidly. We have no vaccine available for most viruses. Those with vaccines are the rare exceptions.
@AIDSvideos do you think it is possible to develop and test a special kind of a really heavy duty, 2 or 3 thousand milligram regiment of an antibiotic that kills retroviruses, or viruses at all ?
just curious if you think such a drug has 1 % chance at a crack at having a war with hiv ?
@EvansGuy81186: Antibiotics have no effect on viruses such as HIV. There are antiviral medications that interfere with viruses in various ways, and antiretrovirals that interfere with retroviruses such as HIV, but they aren't silver bullets. They interfere with, but do not eliminate, viruses and retroviruses, respectively. I'm a layperson and in no position to estimate percentage chances of what might be possible someday.
obviously we can't become a police state, and go door to door...lol
but do you think that we should find, arrest and convict people who use websites to make comments against the existance of this disease, and arrest people who use the media to publish aids denialism ?
aids denialism is the largest non-scientific, social reason for the spread of this disease, and other diseases of the same origin as hiv.
@EvansGuy81186: Should we arrest people for saying things that are false? Of course not. In the United States, speech is protected by the First Amendment, which includes the right to say things that are factually incorrect. (There are rare exceptions like shouting "fire" in a crowded theater or threatening the life of the President for example, but those are the exceptions. As a rule, freedom of speech is protected.)
@EvansGuy25: I note that EvansGuy25 has closed his YouTube account. Not surprising. He appears to be a troll. I bend over backwards giving people & questions the benefit of the doubt on this channel, and I don't say this very often, but whoever you are, please stop wasting my time with questions like "do you think that school teachers should be allowed to teach falsehoods to vulnerable kids, like they do in north korea?" You appear to be someone who just wants to burn my time.
i am living with Aids and it has been 12 yrs since i was diagnosed, i was born with it and did not find out till almost my 15th birthday, i have a little boy who is negitive and a husband who is positive also, I know how hard it can be for someone to find out they are positive, i almost took my own life when i was only 15, i am so glad i did not!! thank you so much for this great information!
@joshmyra19: Not true. If an HIV+ person follows their doctor's instructions (including taking ARVs on schedule if prescribed) and takes care of their general health (sleep, nutrition, exercise, etc.) and has a bit of luck, they can sometimes live a natural lifespan without progressing to clinical AIDS. Watch our video "The Top Ten Myths About HIV/AIDS" for more. Also, remember that anyone (HIV+ or otherwise) can die of other causes (e.g. car crash)before a progressive disease kills them.
Please, please call this video 'Being HIV positive is not a death sentence'. I was convinced I had HIV a few weeks ago and it was by far the hardest time of my life. There is no way I would have had the courage to click on this video with its current title
@megatajikistan2: Good suggestion! I made the change on the YouTube video title. I can't change the title within the video itself (YouTube doesn't let you edit/swap videos once they're uploaded), but this will reassure people who are afraid to make the first click.
@YoSoySanto89: This is Eric. I'm not a doctor or scientist, so what I think counts for little. But since you asked: (1) We have created vaccines for many viruses. HIV is a hard one to create a vaccine for, but we'll keep trying and maybe one day we'll succeed. (2) Humans have never created a cure for any virus the body can't eliminate itself. But we've seen more progress on genetics and immunology in the last 10 years than in all human history beforehand. Perhaps we'll come up with a cure.
@foof811: I'm not a doctor or scientist so unfortunately I have no plan to cure any virus. ;-( However, all viruses are subject to mutation. HIV mutates faster than many (continuously, even in a patient's body, not just every 10 years), which is one reason it's hard to create a vaccine for. It might be possible to create a vaccine that targets a portion of the virus's structure that changes slowly or not at all. Or we may develop a new approach at some point.
@csume1: There *is* medicine for treating HIV/AIDS. It's called antiretroviral medications. They block HIV from replicating in the body and therefore help to prevent the progression of the disease. However there is no cure. Why? Simple. HIV is a virus. Humans have never developed a CURE for *any* virus that the body doesn't eliminate on its own. It may take a long time for the technology necessary for curing *any* virus (HIV or otherwise) is developed, if ever.
@megamunchit2008: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor, and I'm not in the business of telling people over the Internet that they are GUARANTEED not to contract HIV if they do a certain thing. Generally speaking, intact skin is considered a barrier to HIV transmission, so if your skin is intact (no cuts, sores, etc.), touching a partner's genitals should not create a risk of HIV transmission. Call CDC National Prevention Information Network HIV hotline for info.
@AIDSvideos Hi Eric, today I went to my local clinic and got a urine test. Apparently, the doctor said if I should have anything, it would be either gonorrhea or chlamydia, but he also told me I should not be worried and to come in the next day to do another urine exam. My question is, do you trust doctors? Are doctors always right?
@megamunchit2008: Doctors are human. Humans err. Even if doctors were perfect, the tests and medications they use are usually imperfect. But the bottom line is that following the instructions of a doctor generally leaves you better off than not following the instructions.
i am waiting for my hiv test result, and it feels torture becouse i know my sexual behaviour are, if i turn out to be positive, what are the chance i survive?? bcoz im living in indonesia, is there free medication available, i'm not rich so i don't think i can afford antiretroviral medication, can anyone help me with this question...thx u......
@GSpeedEmotion: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Getting a positive on ELISA but a negative on Western Blot *could* mean that the ELISA was a false positive. Getting a positive on ELISA but an "indeterminate" on Western Blot may mean that the person is "in transition" and will get a positive on a later Western Blot. Anyone who has any doubts about their own HIV status should make an appointment with a doctor and ask them and follow their instructions.
Uh hi, I did have safe sex a week ago but I did it with a prostitute. this is gonna sound like a dumb question but while I was doing it, I got so into it and I ended up pissing on myself while doing it. Is the pee powerful enough to break a condom open? please answer my question, I know this sounds stupid but Im scared!
@daredevil335619 fisrt of all I'm not a doctor but a chemst anyway the dumbest question ever i that you never aks. and as for yours, pure urine is not likely to disolve latex, whatever, urine can contain come chemicals that could dissolve latex, like traces of alcohol, drugs or other, however even with this it is not to probableif the condom was new. But get out of doubts, go toa hospital to get a test. all the best
@daredevil335619 hey man, you're not alone, me too are afraid of getting infected, 2 years ago i had a threesome with this couple, her husband invite me, so dumbly i do it, while we had sex i used condom, but sadly when i used my finger in his wive V, it has blood in it, that's make me vulnerable of infected with hiv, i am waiting for my test result, and believe me man, im scared for the result... :(
Just practice safe sex, but then again, there is still like that 0.3 chance u still might get it. So the bottom line is, don't have sex, just masturbate....here is my 2 cent of thought for all u.
Please help, im really scared bc someone cut me with something and im paranoid enough to think he was trying to give me hiv or something and now im worried up to the point were i considerd death. Its been 2 wks and i felt no symptoms execpt this. Idk if its diarreah but i had some chili then "went" once in the morning then at 3. I normally dont have problems with chili so now im scared...
i heard there is this doctor in Yemen (a country) who have a cure for HIV and i heard lota stories about him and people went to him and went out negative.
@AIDSvideos I watched a video that CNN and CBS posted on youtube dating about three days ago, saying that a group of scientist have formulated a vaccine that treats Hiv and Aids, you should go check it out if you can find it.
@gasflame62: You could be referring to a couple of things here. (1) A partially effective experimental vaccine was developed that reduced the risk of contracting HIV by (IIRC) 31%. Not good enough for clinical use, but this is the first vaccine that's shown effectiveness even that high. (2) A set of highly effective antibodies against HIV were recently identified; they could be a basis for creating a new vaccine. There's no vaccine available yet but research continues.
@bottomsupx: We have not yet found a cure for any virus the body doesn't eliminate from the body on its own, so don't hold your breath, but don't give up hope either.
You bastards that are getting on here and saying stuff like "It IS a death sentence, meds just delay the inevitable" or stupid crap like that aren't helping anything at all. While it is a bad thing to have happen, there are advancements being made towards something that can stop this disease in its tracks. What folks who have this need are words of hope and encouragement, NOT words of defeat.
My brother Tomas is positive and bipolar. His life has been ruined and he is so isolated. Sometimes he wishes he were dead. His social security is so low that he lives in poverty and is heavily in debt. I wish I could help him but it seems he has given up on life. He is so lonely because no one wants to be with him. I hope that we pray for him to be healthy and have hope again.
thank God for this video, for so long people said if you have hiv your as good as dead. I know people that have been hiv+ for more than 25 years and they are still here thanks to the new "cocktails med's" thank you againg for this video post. and my God bless all that is going threw testing its so hard but it will get better
help me please i don,t know if i have it i am very very very scared i pray ever day.please i am begging u... i am crying because i don,t know because i had it with out the condom be for...
@msporterrose dont panic, it' not a death sentence she just said it, just wait til the result, cause u panicking like that make ppl like me with hiv feel worst, so just get tested and after that feel as u may want
hi um well my name is antonio and i had unprotected sex. Well i had sex with this girl who i herd she was infected, so im kind of scared. This was two days ago so my question is......WHEN CAN I GET TESTED??? please i need ur help thanx and i really appreciate it
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Go to the doctor, get tested now, and follow their instructions for follow-up testing. Watch our vid "The Top Ten Questions About HIV Tests." Go to the aidsvideos d o t o r g web site and click the link "Risk" at the bottom right hand of the page.
i want my girlfiend to get tested for hiv but she doesnt giv in coz she says she has got her ovary removed some time back from accident, so its impossibe for her to get hiv..is this true ?
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Having one or both ovaries removed does NOT make a woman immune to HIV. Your girlfriend should be tested and you should assume she's HIV+ until you have proof otherwise. (And remember it can take up to 6 months for a person infected with HIV to show an HIV+ result on tests.) If you choose to be sexually active use condoms correctly every time for every act.
wow, this is a heavy topic... but non the less... HIV it's not a death sentence... or we can say that having to work its a death sentence or crossing the street? U dont know how u will die... no one knows.
Becky, I wrote you earlier and it depends where you fall in society if HIV is a death sentence! Number one, When the economy failed we lost a 4 hour person and I am HIV and my stress was double fold so I drank more on top of taking Atripla, have had pancreatitis, now may have gall bladder disease and liver disease! Greed is a big part of this disease as well as bigotry!
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. It is not guaranteed. There are very few guarantees in life. Rigorous adherence by the patient (taking every single dose as prescribed on schedule) is crucial to prevent HIV from developing resistance to the ARVs. With perfect adherence, good nutrition, adequate sleep, and following your doctor's instructions, you can keep HIV under control a very long time--possibly your whole life.
It is not healthy to consider HIV a death sentence. The current drug regimens are very good at controlling the virus, and AIDs research is leading to better treatments as we speak.
Though I am not a doctor I think it irresponsible to suggest that taking ARVs will prevent the onset of clinical AIDs. It will delay it--that is almost certain--but, from my understanding, won't prevent it from ever happening.
Additionally the ARVs themselves are serious drugs and can kill you. So PREVENT HIV infec
HIV means death. It is just a question of time, but over short or long time, finally it will lead to aids. There's no chance against it. It is a death sentence.
This is Eric; It's not strictly speaking true to say that HIV is *guaranteed* to lead to clinical AIDS. A small percentage of people (long-term non-progressors) have natural resistance to HIV due to their genetic makeup and have been seen to go 20 years or more HIV+ without progressing to AIDS. It's true that untreated HIV usually progresses to AIDS. But if you follow your doctor's instructions, you may be able to prevent that as well by keeping your CD4 count high. So death is not guaranteed!
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. It's true that there's no cure for HIV. The same is true for heart disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, etc., all of which can also be fatal. But that doesn't mean that any of these conditions are a "death sentence." If an HIV+ follows their doctor's instructions and takes care of their health, they may be able to live a normal quality and quantity of life until they die of other natural causes.
HIV-1/2 jumped to humans from the related SIV in chimpanzees/sooty mangabeys. [Reeves JD, Doms RW. "Human immunodeficiency virus type 2." J Gen Virol. 2002 Jun;83(Pt 6):1253-65.] From chimps, this occurred around 1931.
so, let me ask a kind of stupid question.... freddie mercury died of aids, but they say he contracted aids itself, not hiv....can you contract aids straight, or would you have to contract hiv first?
HIV is the cause of AIDS. Anyone who has AIDS is by definition HIV+ (being HIV+ is one of the requirements for getting a diagnosis of AIDS; the other is having a CD4 count below 200 or an opportunistic infection). Whoever told you that Freddie Mercury contracted "AIDS itself" without contracting HIV was confused.
in my opinion:u contract hiv first, and can progress to aids(like she says) at different speeds. Freddie's took hold fast. only around half the people who have HIV get aids, probably coz they take their medications on time and take care of themselves.
about two years ago I felt like I was exposed to hiv I had a rash on my chust and flue like symptoms and I have been testing for two years every 3 moths should I keep testing or am i ok?
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Tell your doctor your personal history and get individual advice from them for you. See our video "The Top Ten Questions About HIV Tests." If a person tests HIV- 6 months after their last possible exposure to HIV, they are generally considered to be definitely HIV-.
last week i knew i was positive...it was like a cold water thru my head...like a bomb...i cried and cried for days...still do...im trying to get some support from people who can give me advices...next week im going to do new tests to see the level of the virus...its been a nightmare to me...sorry, just needed to talk to someone... :(
Hang in there! You're doing the right thing. Just follow your doctor's instructions faithfully and to the letter and you have a decent shot at having a normal quality and quantity of life. We're all rooting for a good outcome for you!!! Stay in touch, Eric
hi! i really want to know sumthin. my frnd's 18yrs old. and his doc said tht he cant become a dad cuz of too much sex with unknown partners, after a week the doc said tht my frnd has aids. i dont know wht kind. he went to UK for an operation. but the docs said tht there was still sum virus left in his blood tht they cudnt remove completely! & they said tht he has only 2yrs of time to live! plz tell me? isnt there any cure? i need to know, i dont wanna lose him! help
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Watch our video "A Brief Introduction to HIV/AIDS" for the basics about HIV/AIDS. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus.
My brother is HIV positive. He was worried and depressed about it. Since he started with propper medication his health has improved considerably. Thanks Dr. Becky Kuhn, your posting has been veru informative and reasuring! Thanks!
With proper medical care, a person with end-stage AIDS need not experience severe agony and pain. Medication can be used as needed (as prescribed by a doctor) to control pain caused by the symptoms of AIDS.
HIV, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes all *can* kill you. That doesn't guarantee that they will. If an HIV+ person follows their doctor's instructions, takes any prescribed medications as directed, and takes care of their general nutrition, health, and sleep, they may be able to live a normal quality & quantity of life and die of natural causes.
if i get tested positive i dont care what videos are saying i will kill myself your still going to die from HIV and i wouldnt be able to live with it knowing i have it
Rather than killing yourself if you test HIV+, how about you (1) discuss your concerns with your doctor, (2) follow their instructions, (3) get counseling from a licensed mental health provider to help you deal with the understandable stress of an HIV+ diagnosis, and (4) see how things go for a while, and talk with trusted friends and family, before you make any drastic and irreversible decisions? Just take life one day at a time.
I LOVE THIS VIDEO. I am HIV positive and just recently talked my wife into going to get tested. She was too scared to do so until she watched this video.
Well, we ALL eventually lose our lives. The only questions are when, of what cause, and how we live our lives in the meantime. The point is that people who are HIV+ shouldn't assume that they're guaranteed to die of HIV. They should follow their doctor's instructions and take care of their health. They have the opportunity to live much longer if they do than if they lose hope, give up, and don't try.
TXS VERY MUCH when you get diagnosed HIV+ you will try to know what now?! am i going to die? is there any way out? after a short depression i am gaining self confidence and i will do my best to live longer.
they can live long health lifes blablabla. LONG how long is it? i want time pls if it's possible and when is the pain going to start i got hiv 1 month ago
wilyoustay 1 month ago
@wilyoustay: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. It's impossible for even a doctor to make specific predictions for individual people; doctors can only speak in terms of averages. I don't recall exact numbers, but I recall a study showing that in the U.S., with modern ARV treatment, the projected lifespan for HIV+ people was beginning to approach that of HIV- people. Follow your doctor's instructions. If they prescribe ARVs, take every dose on schedule. Take care of your general health. Good luck!
AIDSvideos 1 month ago
Why does it take so long to start on HIV meds? I was diagnosed w/AIDS after being admitted to the hospital. I had no idea what was going on, only that I could barely breath, stayed 6 days (doctors wanted me to stay longer), in 6 days I lost about 20 lbs. I'm seeing an infectious diease doctor who wants me in the Gilead Quad pill clinical trial. My concern, left the hospital October 24, 2011, but I'm still not taking meds. CD-4 count of 60, viral load of 127,000. scared!
TheATLSurvivor 1 month ago in playlist HIV/AIDS
@TheATLSurvivor: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Speaking as a layperson: (1) IIRC in the U.S. any HIV+ person with a CD-4 count less than 550 (or certainly 350) should be immediately put on ARVs. (2) Is the issue that you have no health insurance, are relying on the Ryan White Care Act to obtain health care, and are stuck on a waiting list? Due to lack of funding, people sometimes have to wait on a list in their state before obtaining care under Ryan White. Talk to your doctor. Good luck!
AIDSvideos 1 month ago
@AIDSvideos: If you are HIV+, have a CD-4 count of 60, and your doctor isn't prescribing ARVs, get a second opinion from another doctor. Presumably one or the other will prescribe ARVs. At that point, you need to find a way to obtain them. If you have health insurance, great. Otherwise, Ryan White Care Act. Also note that pharmaceutical companies will sometimes reduce or waive charges for medication for people who can't afford the medication they need.
AIDSvideos 1 month ago
Prevention is the key. I have a website dedicated to education and prevention of this disease.
peerpressurefacts 4 months ago
Hi Can you help please. If a 80 year old man get HIV positive can this have implications with kids and family contracting the virus. Also will his age be a factor as
well. It has been a shock to my wife family
cormacgj 4 months ago
@cormacgj: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Watch our video "HIV in the Household." An 80 year old man, like anyone else, might transmit HIV to sexual partners or needle sharing partners, but living in the same household shouldn't put the others in the household at any risk of HIV. (He should not share shaving razors with anyone else--but you wouldn't want to do that anyway for other reasons.)
AIDSvideos 4 months ago
Thank you for the reassurance. I found out that I was HIV positive after being diagnosed with full blown AIDS. I have since recovered and am on medication (AARV's). What I want to know is the average lifespan for an individual on meds.
1977wBen 6 months ago
Bless your heart
NickJayKay 6 months ago
God bless you for taking the time to help people and reassure them. What you said makes sense and I hope to god there is a cure soon. Everybody makes mistakes, but I don't think good people deserve to die for them. You are a good doctor and a smart lady. Take care
lilmurphy01 7 months ago
It's career enfing tho. I have to get tested for wrestling and i'm scared...
QJSparks 9 months ago
we know just about all there is to know about aids.
and we acquired this information actually very rapidly, since we first heard of its early form, in the 1970s.
so if you dont want people to kill themselves, then how about a cure ?
if you know how HIV works, and what it does, and what it is and what the symptoms are, and its life cycle, and the cause for HIV,
you can cure it.
so what about cure huh ?
I'll tell you why, because the CEO wants money.
not that I have HIV
EvansGuy81186 9 months ago
@EvansGuy81186: Unfortunately, it's not that simple. We don't know "everything there is to know about" HIV. Even if we did, we do not currently have the technology to automatically create a safe, effective vaccine if we know "enough" or "everything" about a virus. Vaccine development is hard. It's harder still with a virus like HIV that mutates rapidly. We have no vaccine available for most viruses. Those with vaccines are the rare exceptions.
AIDSvideos 9 months ago
@AIDSvideos do you think it is possible to develop and test a special kind of a really heavy duty, 2 or 3 thousand milligram regiment of an antibiotic that kills retroviruses, or viruses at all ?
just curious if you think such a drug has 1 % chance at a crack at having a war with hiv ?
EvansGuy81186 9 months ago
@EvansGuy81186: Antibiotics have no effect on viruses such as HIV. There are antiviral medications that interfere with viruses in various ways, and antiretrovirals that interfere with retroviruses such as HIV, but they aren't silver bullets. They interfere with, but do not eliminate, viruses and retroviruses, respectively. I'm a layperson and in no position to estimate percentage chances of what might be possible someday.
AIDSvideos 9 months ago
@AIDSvideos use the currently existing haart program, to stop its replication, and try that new drug I mentioned ?
what would its chances be of that combonation working ?
EvansGuy81186 9 months ago
@AIDSvideos I also played with the idea of an anti-hiv system, using the hiv virus itself, kind of like what they do to make anti venom.
i was wondering if you can cure a virus, using the virus ?
EvansGuy81186 9 months ago
@AIDSvideos I have a question, are you the doctor in this video ?
EvansGuy81186 9 months ago
@EvansGuy81186: No. Read the profile for the AIDSvideos YouTube account.
AIDSvideos 9 months ago
@AIDSvideos ok
EvansGuy81186 9 months ago
@AIDSvideos heres another question I have....
I know that wasps do not lose their stingers after stinging someone, unlike bees.
and ofcourse misquitoes can bite multiple victims, etc.
so I was wondering, if the HIV virus can be spread to person from person, via wasps, and miquitoes.
I know thats a dumb question LOL
but i was wondering if thats one of the possible transmissions of HIV, regardless of how unlikely it is.
EvansGuy25 9 months ago
@EvansGuy25: Insect bites are not believed to be a means of transmission of HIV.
AIDSvideos 9 months ago
@AIDSvideos and what about HIV/AIDS denialism ?
obviously we can't become a police state, and go door to door...lol
but do you think that we should find, arrest and convict people who use websites to make comments against the existance of this disease, and arrest people who use the media to publish aids denialism ?
aids denialism is the largest non-scientific, social reason for the spread of this disease, and other diseases of the same origin as hiv.
EvansGuy81186 9 months ago
@EvansGuy81186: Should we arrest people for saying things that are false? Of course not. In the United States, speech is protected by the First Amendment, which includes the right to say things that are factually incorrect. (There are rare exceptions like shouting "fire" in a crowded theater or threatening the life of the President for example, but those are the exceptions. As a rule, freedom of speech is protected.)
AIDSvideos 9 months ago
@AIDSvideos ok, do you think that school teachers should be allowed to teach falsehoods to vulnerable kids, like they do in north korea ?
EvansGuy25 9 months ago
@EvansGuy25: I note that EvansGuy25 has closed his YouTube account. Not surprising. He appears to be a troll. I bend over backwards giving people & questions the benefit of the doubt on this channel, and I don't say this very often, but whoever you are, please stop wasting my time with questions like "do you think that school teachers should be allowed to teach falsehoods to vulnerable kids, like they do in north korea?" You appear to be someone who just wants to burn my time.
AIDSvideos 9 months ago
@YoSoySanto89 no to the public at least.
youngin985 10 months ago
i am living with Aids and it has been 12 yrs since i was diagnosed, i was born with it and did not find out till almost my 15th birthday, i have a little boy who is negitive and a husband who is positive also, I know how hard it can be for someone to find out they are positive, i almost took my own life when i was only 15, i am so glad i did not!! thank you so much for this great information!
rp2korrin 1 year ago
Uh yes HIV is a death sentence because eventually you will get aids and die
joshmyra19 1 year ago
@joshmyra19: Not true. If an HIV+ person follows their doctor's instructions (including taking ARVs on schedule if prescribed) and takes care of their general health (sleep, nutrition, exercise, etc.) and has a bit of luck, they can sometimes live a natural lifespan without progressing to clinical AIDS. Watch our video "The Top Ten Myths About HIV/AIDS" for more. Also, remember that anyone (HIV+ or otherwise) can die of other causes (e.g. car crash)before a progressive disease kills them.
AIDSvideos 11 months ago
@AIDSvideos
Thanks very much for listening
megatajikistan2 1 year ago
Please, please call this video 'Being HIV positive is not a death sentence'. I was convinced I had HIV a few weeks ago and it was by far the hardest time of my life. There is no way I would have had the courage to click on this video with its current title
megatajikistan2 1 year ago
@megatajikistan2: Good suggestion! I made the change on the YouTube video title. I can't change the title within the video itself (YouTube doesn't let you edit/swap videos once they're uploaded), but this will reassure people who are afraid to make the first click.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
@YoSoySanto89: This is Eric. I'm not a doctor or scientist, so what I think counts for little. But since you asked: (1) We have created vaccines for many viruses. HIV is a hard one to create a vaccine for, but we'll keep trying and maybe one day we'll succeed. (2) Humans have never created a cure for any virus the body can't eliminate itself. But we've seen more progress on genetics and immunology in the last 10 years than in all human history beforehand. Perhaps we'll come up with a cure.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
@AIDSvideos But doesn't the virus mutate every 10 years or so? So if that is the case, what would your plan be to cure a constantly mutating virus?
foof811 11 months ago
@foof811: I'm not a doctor or scientist so unfortunately I have no plan to cure any virus. ;-( However, all viruses are subject to mutation. HIV mutates faster than many (continuously, even in a patient's body, not just every 10 years), which is one reason it's hard to create a vaccine for. It might be possible to create a vaccine that targets a portion of the virus's structure that changes slowly or not at all. Or we may develop a new approach at some point.
AIDSvideos 11 months ago
i'm never having sex again....ever
thelaughingman79 1 year ago
I really do not understand why there is no medicine... WHY????
csume1 1 year ago
@csume1: There *is* medicine for treating HIV/AIDS. It's called antiretroviral medications. They block HIV from replicating in the body and therefore help to prevent the progression of the disease. However there is no cure. Why? Simple. HIV is a virus. Humans have never developed a CURE for *any* virus that the body doesn't eliminate on its own. It may take a long time for the technology necessary for curing *any* virus (HIV or otherwise) is developed, if ever.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
can you get HIV by Masturbating?
GDelva2003 1 year ago 2
@GDelva2003: No. Go to AIDSvideos site and click "FAQ" and "Myths" to learn more.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
@AIDSvideos Can you get HIV by inserting your finger in a vagina?
megamunchit2008 1 year ago
@megamunchit2008: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor, and I'm not in the business of telling people over the Internet that they are GUARANTEED not to contract HIV if they do a certain thing. Generally speaking, intact skin is considered a barrier to HIV transmission, so if your skin is intact (no cuts, sores, etc.), touching a partner's genitals should not create a risk of HIV transmission. Call CDC National Prevention Information Network HIV hotline for info.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
@AIDSvideos Hi Eric, today I went to my local clinic and got a urine test. Apparently, the doctor said if I should have anything, it would be either gonorrhea or chlamydia, but he also told me I should not be worried and to come in the next day to do another urine exam. My question is, do you trust doctors? Are doctors always right?
megamunchit2008 1 year ago
@megamunchit2008: Doctors are human. Humans err. Even if doctors were perfect, the tests and medications they use are usually imperfect. But the bottom line is that following the instructions of a doctor generally leaves you better off than not following the instructions.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
@AIDSvideos Thanks Eric, I appreciate your response.
megamunchit2008 1 year ago
@GDelva2003 not if you're by yourself.
dgjiephfurreighR 1 year ago
so helpfulll...
latoya6196 1 year ago
i am waiting for my hiv test result, and it feels torture becouse i know my sexual behaviour are, if i turn out to be positive, what are the chance i survive?? bcoz im living in indonesia, is there free medication available, i'm not rich so i don't think i can afford antiretroviral medication, can anyone help me with this question...thx u......
jengkollovers 1 year ago
What does it mean when you get a positive result on Eliza but a negative on Western Blot?
GSpeedEmotion 1 year ago
@GSpeedEmotion: This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Getting a positive on ELISA but a negative on Western Blot *could* mean that the ELISA was a false positive. Getting a positive on ELISA but an "indeterminate" on Western Blot may mean that the person is "in transition" and will get a positive on a later Western Blot. Anyone who has any doubts about their own HIV status should make an appointment with a doctor and ask them and follow their instructions.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
@GSpeedEmotion: Also, watch our video "The Top Ten Questions about HIV Tests" for more information about HIV test results and their meaning.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
will they ever find a cure?
cheatingwanker 1 year ago
@cheatingwanker i hope so, and as fast as possible too
jengkollovers 1 year ago
thank you for this video.
Atitoinnyc 1 year ago
Uh hi, I did have safe sex a week ago but I did it with a prostitute. this is gonna sound like a dumb question but while I was doing it, I got so into it and I ended up pissing on myself while doing it. Is the pee powerful enough to break a condom open? please answer my question, I know this sounds stupid but Im scared!
daredevil335619 1 year ago
@daredevil335619 fisrt of all I'm not a doctor but a chemst anyway the dumbest question ever i that you never aks. and as for yours, pure urine is not likely to disolve latex, whatever, urine can contain come chemicals that could dissolve latex, like traces of alcohol, drugs or other, however even with this it is not to probableif the condom was new. But get out of doubts, go toa hospital to get a test. all the best
Chondromycescruenta 1 year ago
@daredevil335619 hey man, you're not alone, me too are afraid of getting infected, 2 years ago i had a threesome with this couple, her husband invite me, so dumbly i do it, while we had sex i used condom, but sadly when i used my finger in his wive V, it has blood in it, that's make me vulnerable of infected with hiv, i am waiting for my test result, and believe me man, im scared for the result... :(
jengkollovers 1 year ago
Just practice safe sex, but then again, there is still like that 0.3 chance u still might get it. So the bottom line is, don't have sex, just masturbate....here is my 2 cent of thought for all u.
renopk 1 year ago
Please help, im really scared bc someone cut me with something and im paranoid enough to think he was trying to give me hiv or something and now im worried up to the point were i considerd death. Its been 2 wks and i felt no symptoms execpt this. Idk if its diarreah but i had some chili then "went" once in the morning then at 3. I normally dont have problems with chili so now im scared...
jeremyvill 1 year ago
i heard there is this doctor in Yemen (a country) who have a cure for HIV and i heard lota stories about him and people went to him and went out negative.
smartzazi 1 year ago
@smartzazi: Many people claim to have cures of HIV/AIDS but no cure has ever been scientifically or medically documented to be real.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
@AIDSvideos I watched a video that CNN and CBS posted on youtube dating about three days ago, saying that a group of scientist have formulated a vaccine that treats Hiv and Aids, you should go check it out if you can find it.
gasflame62 1 year ago
@gasflame62: You could be referring to a couple of things here. (1) A partially effective experimental vaccine was developed that reduced the risk of contracting HIV by (IIRC) 31%. Not good enough for clinical use, but this is the first vaccine that's shown effectiveness even that high. (2) A set of highly effective antibodies against HIV were recently identified; they could be a basis for creating a new vaccine. There's no vaccine available yet but research continues.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
when will they find a cure for it ?
bottomsupx 1 year ago
@bottomsupx: We have not yet found a cure for any virus the body doesn't eliminate from the body on its own, so don't hold your breath, but don't give up hope either.
AIDSvideos 1 year ago
oh goody, instead of killing myself I can live a long life of sickness, suffering, and social out casting!
ajaxswim 1 year ago
You bastards that are getting on here and saying stuff like "It IS a death sentence, meds just delay the inevitable" or stupid crap like that aren't helping anything at all. While it is a bad thing to have happen, there are advancements being made towards something that can stop this disease in its tracks. What folks who have this need are words of hope and encouragement, NOT words of defeat.
jkellybrew 1 year ago
My brother Tomas is positive and bipolar. His life has been ruined and he is so isolated. Sometimes he wishes he were dead. His social security is so low that he lives in poverty and is heavily in debt. I wish I could help him but it seems he has given up on life. He is so lonely because no one wants to be with him. I hope that we pray for him to be healthy and have hope again.
javier2215042 1 year ago
thank God for this video, for so long people said if you have hiv your as good as dead. I know people that have been hiv+ for more than 25 years and they are still here thanks to the new "cocktails med's" thank you againg for this video post. and my God bless all that is going threw testing its so hard but it will get better
ohsobobo 1 year ago
help me please i don,t know if i have it i am very very very scared i pray ever day.please i am begging u... i am crying because i don,t know because i had it with out the condom be for...
msporterrose 2 years ago
@msporterrose dont panic, it' not a death sentence she just said it, just wait til the result, cause u panicking like that make ppl like me with hiv feel worst, so just get tested and after that feel as u may want
marcosauckland 1 year ago
hi um well my name is antonio and i had unprotected sex. Well i had sex with this girl who i herd she was infected, so im kind of scared. This was two days ago so my question is......WHEN CAN I GET TESTED??? please i need ur help thanx and i really appreciate it
jasantony 2 years ago
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Go to the doctor, get tested now, and follow their instructions for follow-up testing. Watch our vid "The Top Ten Questions About HIV Tests." Go to the aidsvideos d o t o r g web site and click the link "Risk" at the bottom right hand of the page.
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
@jasantony Hey, i jus tread your comment. How did the test go?
brucinda01 1 year ago
i want my girlfiend to get tested for hiv but she doesnt giv in coz she says she has got her ovary removed some time back from accident, so its impossibe for her to get hiv..is this true ?
urgentontube 2 years ago
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Having one or both ovaries removed does NOT make a woman immune to HIV. Your girlfriend should be tested and you should assume she's HIV+ until you have proof otherwise. (And remember it can take up to 6 months for a person infected with HIV to show an HIV+ result on tests.) If you choose to be sexually active use condoms correctly every time for every act.
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
wow, this is a heavy topic... but non the less... HIV it's not a death sentence... or we can say that having to work its a death sentence or crossing the street? U dont know how u will die... no one knows.
CircusGuy09 2 years ago
The poor gays and minorities need help and not you republican snobs who sent troops to their death in Iraq! I am dying right now!
padude64 2 years ago
Becky, I wrote you earlier and it depends where you fall in society if HIV is a death sentence! Number one, When the economy failed we lost a 4 hour person and I am HIV and my stress was double fold so I drank more on top of taking Atripla, have had pancreatitis, now may have gall bladder disease and liver disease! Greed is a big part of this disease as well as bigotry!
padude64 2 years ago
So if you're positive, and take ARV's, is it guaranteed that you won't develop AIDS?
flyguy380 2 years ago
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. It is not guaranteed. There are very few guarantees in life. Rigorous adherence by the patient (taking every single dose as prescribed on schedule) is crucial to prevent HIV from developing resistance to the ARVs. With perfect adherence, good nutrition, adequate sleep, and following your doctor's instructions, you can keep HIV under control a very long time--possibly your whole life.
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
It is not healthy to consider HIV a death sentence. The current drug regimens are very good at controlling the virus, and AIDs research is leading to better treatments as we speak.
Though I am not a doctor I think it irresponsible to suggest that taking ARVs will prevent the onset of clinical AIDs. It will delay it--that is almost certain--but, from my understanding, won't prevent it from ever happening.
Additionally the ARVs themselves are serious drugs and can kill you. So PREVENT HIV infec
Revolutionarythought 2 years ago
No. Again, I'm not a doctor, but ARVs can keep HIV controlled for a very long time. They cannot guarantee that you will never develop AIDs.
Revolutionarythought 2 years ago
HIV means death. It is just a question of time, but over short or long time, finally it will lead to aids. There's no chance against it. It is a death sentence.
knufflpuffl 2 years ago
This is Eric; It's not strictly speaking true to say that HIV is *guaranteed* to lead to clinical AIDS. A small percentage of people (long-term non-progressors) have natural resistance to HIV due to their genetic makeup and have been seen to go 20 years or more HIV+ without progressing to AIDS. It's true that untreated HIV usually progresses to AIDS. But if you follow your doctor's instructions, you may be able to prevent that as well by keeping your CD4 count high. So death is not guaranteed!
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
HIV is a death sentence. There is no cure for it.
Berlitz777 2 years ago
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. It's true that there's no cure for HIV. The same is true for heart disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, etc., all of which can also be fatal. But that doesn't mean that any of these conditions are a "death sentence." If an HIV+ follows their doctor's instructions and takes care of their health, they may be able to live a normal quality and quantity of life until they die of other natural causes.
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
This is wonderful. This video saves lives
markismark07 2 years ago
so, what were the origins of the hiv virus/ aids? does anyone know for sure?
burwoodwestfield 2 years ago
HIV-1/2 jumped to humans from the related SIV in chimpanzees/sooty mangabeys. [Reeves JD, Doms RW. "Human immunodeficiency virus type 2." J Gen Virol. 2002 Jun;83(Pt 6):1253-65.] From chimps, this occurred around 1931.
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
what is SIV? Sabotaging Immunodeficiency Virus?
AndyMcArren1356 2 years ago
Simian Immunodeficiency Virus
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
so, let me ask a kind of stupid question.... freddie mercury died of aids, but they say he contracted aids itself, not hiv....can you contract aids straight, or would you have to contract hiv first?
burwoodwestfield 2 years ago
HIV is the cause of AIDS. Anyone who has AIDS is by definition HIV+ (being HIV+ is one of the requirements for getting a diagnosis of AIDS; the other is having a CD4 count below 200 or an opportunistic infection). Whoever told you that Freddie Mercury contracted "AIDS itself" without contracting HIV was confused.
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
in my opinion:u contract hiv first, and can progress to aids(like she says) at different speeds. Freddie's took hold fast. only around half the people who have HIV get aids, probably coz they take their medications on time and take care of themselves.
33melonpaws77 2 years ago
about two years ago I felt like I was exposed to hiv I had a rash on my chust and flue like symptoms and I have been testing for two years every 3 moths should I keep testing or am i ok?
myilma123 2 years ago
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Tell your doctor your personal history and get individual advice from them for you. See our video "The Top Ten Questions About HIV Tests." If a person tests HIV- 6 months after their last possible exposure to HIV, they are generally considered to be definitely HIV-.
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
last week i knew i was positive...it was like a cold water thru my head...like a bomb...i cried and cried for days...still do...im trying to get some support from people who can give me advices...next week im going to do new tests to see the level of the virus...its been a nightmare to me...sorry, just needed to talk to someone... :(
hard90 2 years ago
Hang in there! You're doing the right thing. Just follow your doctor's instructions faithfully and to the letter and you have a decent shot at having a normal quality and quantity of life. We're all rooting for a good outcome for you!!! Stay in touch, Eric
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
Thanks Eric for your support...
hard90 2 years ago
You're extremely brave! Just hang in there, and live life as best you can! I wish you the best of luck my friend!
Lots and lots of love!
Claude
freshmintburst 2 years ago
thanks Claude for your words...
hard90 2 years ago
hay I don't know who you are but I just want to tell you I support you and I hope and pary that you will be strong.
myilma123 2 years ago
yes, u never know, one of theses days there will be a cure. i hope they make a cure soon. Hang in there!
eggdeath1 2 years ago
how often does early symptoms of HIV occur?
arnoldgd84 3 years ago
See our video "Did I Just Contract HIV? Symptoms of Primary HIV Infection" for details.
AIDSvideos 2 years ago
hi! i really want to know sumthin. my frnd's 18yrs old. and his doc said tht he cant become a dad cuz of too much sex with unknown partners, after a week the doc said tht my frnd has aids. i dont know wht kind. he went to UK for an operation. but the docs said tht there was still sum virus left in his blood tht they cudnt remove completely! & they said tht he has only 2yrs of time to live! plz tell me? isnt there any cure? i need to know, i dont wanna lose him! help
devilishangel0 3 years ago
There is no cure for HIV. Just medicine to extend their life..
Varda87 2 years ago
question what is HIV what happens when u get HIV
nigelinoooo 3 years ago
This is Eric; I'm not a doctor. Watch our video "A Brief Introduction to HIV/AIDS" for the basics about HIV/AIDS. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus.
AIDSvideos 3 years ago
My brother is HIV positive. He was worried and depressed about it. Since he started with propper medication his health has improved considerably. Thanks Dr. Becky Kuhn, your posting has been veru informative and reasuring! Thanks!
sacopenapa 3 years ago
i love this dr. beck kuhn ... you can really feel her compassion and intelligence in her videos. she should have a tv show
Taan123 3 years ago 4
@Taan123 Get real she's like the Grim Reaper.
toeblarone 1 year ago
but what would a person do at the last stages of aids, when they are dying in severe agony and pain, would a gun solve the problem quick
fuckserbrussians1 3 years ago
With proper medical care, a person with end-stage AIDS need not experience severe agony and pain. Medication can be used as needed (as prescribed by a doctor) to control pain caused by the symptoms of AIDS.
AIDSvideos 3 years ago
and hiv infact is a death sentance as it still kills you so i belive its a death sentance
DannyDee08 3 years ago
HIV, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes all *can* kill you. That doesn't guarantee that they will. If an HIV+ person follows their doctor's instructions, takes any prescribed medications as directed, and takes care of their general nutrition, health, and sleep, they may be able to live a normal quality & quantity of life and die of natural causes.
AIDSvideos 3 years ago
if i get tested positive i dont care what videos are saying i will kill myself your still going to die from HIV and i wouldnt be able to live with it knowing i have it
DannyDee08 3 years ago
Rather than killing yourself if you test HIV+, how about you (1) discuss your concerns with your doctor, (2) follow their instructions, (3) get counseling from a licensed mental health provider to help you deal with the understandable stress of an HIV+ diagnosis, and (4) see how things go for a while, and talk with trusted friends and family, before you make any drastic and irreversible decisions? Just take life one day at a time.
AIDSvideos 3 years ago
I LOVE THIS VIDEO. I am HIV positive and just recently talked my wife into going to get tested. She was too scared to do so until she watched this video.
Thank you Doctor
brandon3678 3 years ago
sounds so caring but im afraid u will eventually lose ur life
fuckserbrussians1 3 years ago
Well, we ALL eventually lose our lives. The only questions are when, of what cause, and how we live our lives in the meantime. The point is that people who are HIV+ shouldn't assume that they're guaranteed to die of HIV. They should follow their doctor's instructions and take care of their health. They have the opportunity to live much longer if they do than if they lose hope, give up, and don't try.
AIDSvideos 3 years ago
TXS VERY MUCH when you get diagnosed HIV+ you will try to know what now?! am i going to die? is there any way out? after a short depression i am gaining self confidence and i will do my best to live longer.
TXS DOCTOR VERY MUCH
combinedkn 3 years ago
Great! Keep it up, and thanks for the kind words!!!
AIDSvideos 3 years ago
I find this doctor really wunderfull thank you much for your effort i am also specilaist in hiv/Aids.
nassim22 3 years ago 8