Life expectancy if I get pozzed at 23?

[wood]

I make more than 40 k and Truvada costs me nothing.

I should have worded that better, I was referring to the federal assistance programs (ryan white programs) for HIV treatment. Not PrEP cost. Federal assistance for HIV drugs starts to taper off after 40k.

[mike_thieriot]

I don't understand your attitude to be honest, you came on to a forum and asked for opinions in relation to your query, yet when you get such expressed you take on a dismissive attitude to opinions expressed. I understand they might not be what you want to hear, but members done their best to lay down practical responses to your question. If you already have the answers in your head, and you already know what you want why do you bother using the forum for questions, use google and pick the answer you like. It is not fair to dismiss opinions of other members here, who in my opinion do their best to guide people in the right direction.

I didn't ask about any of the things he pointed out. I didn't appreciate being treated like an idiot child who didn't know what he was getting into. Please point to where I asked for any of that info.

[wood]

I didn't ask about any of the things he pointed out. I didn't appreciate being treated like an idiot child who didn't know what he was getting into. Please point to where I asked for any of that info.

I hate to break this to you, but I am being nicer than almost anyone else in the general population about this. The vast majority of people will think you are an idiot by saying things like "I have already made up my mind to be pozzed" I never called you an idiot, I explained all my statements, and simply urged you to think long and hard before you make a lifelong decision. I dont know how to be more politically correct about it. Again this is a DISCUSSION BOARD, there will be differing opinions.

[Walkerth139]

The fact is that no one knows what your life expectancy is, everyone is different, they react to the meds differently and their are different strains. You say that you would be ok if you live to be 40 or 50. I'm 53 and if I die today, I'm not ok with that, I have more that I want to do. So let's say you get it and are dead in 2 years. That ok with you. The fact is this is a brotherhood of guys that are making the best of a bad situation. Those who are undetectable are glad and hope they live a long time. I hope they do too.

[pnpcowpoke]

The fact is that no one knows what your life expectancy is, everyone is different, they react to the meds differently and their are different strains. You say that you would be ok if you live to be 40 or 50. I'm 53 and if I die today, I'm not ok with that, I have more that I want to do. So let's say you get it and are dead in 2 years. That ok with you. The fact is this is a brotherhood of guys that are making the best of a bad situation. Those who are undetectable are glad and hope they live a long time. I hope they do too.

Well said.

[mike_thieriot]

The fact is that no one knows what your life expectancy is, everyone is different, they react to the meds differently and their are different strains. You say that you would be ok if you live to be 40 or 50. I'm 53 and if I die today, I'm not ok with that, I have more that I want to do. So let's say you get it and are dead in 2 years. That ok with you. The fact is this is a brotherhood of guys that are making the best of a bad situation. Those who are undetectable are glad and hope they live a long time. I hope they do too.

Yes, I understand that every case is different. That's why we look at statistics and weigh the odds.

[bearbandit]

Yes, I understand that every case is different. That's why we look at statistics and weigh the odds.

Which is why we've given you more anecdotal (ie true life) evidence than you would find anywhere else as well as statistical evidence. This isn't a scientific board: you had a motivation for coming here rather than looking up purely informational boards. I think you're looking for emotional validation for your decision, which I, personally, am not going to give you as in my opinion you're not yet capable of understanding the ramifications and consequences of your decision. I tried to give you a few but obviously I was pissing into the wind.

There are who knows how many guys on this site with an awful lot of experience, and yes, I've asked for advice here myself, which has been given generously and received gratefully. You've been given advice generously, but as to the gratitude from you, all I see is a determination to receive approval for a decision you've already made. Just promise me that you won't turn into one of those chasers who plagues HIV support boards saying "I was so stupid" - Yes, I do a lot of work on support boards too...

[mike_thieriot]

Which is why we've given you more anecdotal (ie true life) evidence than you would find anywhere else as well as statistical evidence. This isn't a scientific board: you had a motivation for coming here rather than looking up purely informational boards. I think you're looking for emotional validation for your decision, which I, personally, am not going to give you as in my opinion you're not yet capable of understanding the ramifications and consequences of your decision. I tried to give you a few but obviously I was pissing into the wind.

There are who knows how many guys on this site with an awful lot of experience, and yes, I've asked for advice here myself, which has been given generously and received gratefully. You've been given advice generously, but as to the gratitude from you, all I see is a determination to receive approval for a decision you've already made. Just promise me that you won't turn into one of those chasers who plagues HIV support boards saying "I was so stupid" - Yes, I do a lot of work on support boards too...

I asked for advice on a specific question and was linked to an article which gave the statistics and answers I was looking for. I am very appreciative of that. As far as I'm concerned the exchange should have ended there. I am aware of the risks. I had already read through all of the relevant threads on this site and elsewhere. However, after I received the answers I was looking for, people started wading into the discussion and trying to interpret my motives to fit a particular narrative they have of my beliefs and actions, and then proceeded to "graciously" offer me advice in a condescending way, assuming they know what is best for me, regardless of their intent. I apologize, but I do not feel the need to receive such advice graciously.

[bearbandit]

I wish I had known as much as you obviously do when I was your age. At least I know I had more manners.

[flumphernutter]

Great thread, even if it has gotten off topic. Most people don't appreciate unsolicited advice (or hear the advice they do ask for, unless its the opinion they already have...), but experience offered by HIV veterans really should be considered, whether it's sought out or not. Things really do get more complicated with HIV. That being said, I can't throw a rock lately without hitting a guy that's decided to embrace the virus instead of fucking in fear. It may not make much sense to those who've been ravaged by the disease and opportunistic infections, or to those who've watched friends waste away and die, but these scenarios aren't nearly as common as they were a few decades ago. I doubt many of today's poz seekers really experienced the epidemic in the 80s and 90s; I don't think they have that frame of reference. Their HIV is less visceral, easily managed by the latest medications (when they decide to go on them…), and harder to get with all these undetectable fuckers running around. Basically, HIV culture is changing, just like the virus itself mutates. I just hope every man seeking HIV infection considers the advice he's offered, plays the tape forward, and plans ahead before he commits himself to taking the load that may change his life.

[Guest JizzDumpWI]

bearbandit, all 23 year old people know everything, and believe those older know very little. So they will commonly take umbrage when older guys share experience that hints that a 23 year old is not the most brilliant and aware human on the planet. Those of us older understand the value of the shared wisdom of others - and appreciate being challenged before we make irreversible choices.

The OP needs to this on his own. One day the OP may be in your position bearbandit; just one of those life situations that is... The two of us have seen it before and will again. When he experiences that he will finally understand why he received the responses that were shared in this thread... Oh wait, yeah, the rest of us participating in this thread are too ignorant to have a voice here...

Frankly given the evolution of this thread I wonder the point of asking a question easily answered by the knower of all things - google. I suspect the OP is wanting more, else he would have disengaged from this thread once he got the answer he claims to have been seeking - and to which he stated he received. Then too, I am older and thus all my brain cells have died...

[mike_thieriot]

I asked my question here because I trusted this community to point me in the right direction to find the answer to my question.

And yes, bearbandit, I do have manners. However, I also have the capacity to decide when being polite is warranted.

So basically this thread has devolved into a circlejerk of bashing younger members of the community, because having been on this Earth for a few more years automatically makes you an expert in everything under the sun, even if 90% of that time was spent mindlessly fastening rivets on an assembly line. And of course, this thread wouldn't be complete without questioning my motives for asking what was, to me, a pretty straightforward question, and insinuating ulterior motives that better align with your pre-established narrative of my desires and thought processes, so that you can pat yourselves on the back for being so much older and wiser than me.

So, yeah, I'm going to take one piece of advice from this thread, and disengage from it. Have a nice day, and God help the next poor soul that comes here looking for respect and advice.

[bearbandit]

Flumphernutter and Jizz, I agree with you both. I have no problem with people chasing, I just want to be sure that they know all the facts, some of which are pretty unpleasant. If a guy wants HIV that's his choice, but I think he needs to know the possibilities. I was 23 when I got pozzed: at 57 I have a whole raft of complications from it. Including ED which if I'd had it when I was 23 would have kept me away from the whole thing. I can understand the idea of leaving the fear behind - in my own way I was chasing in the early eighties, except by then it was too late: I'd already got it. The one thing my mother said that I ever agreed with was "outside of war we've never seen so many young men die".

I wish I still knew half the things I knew for sure at 23 ;-) Personally I'm just glad that I had at least a framework of manners in me by that age, even if I knew fuck all!

[Guest JizzDumpWI]

you notice that OP inadvertently proved my premise. 23 is too young to understand, and interprets it as a bash against youth rather than understanding that the reason we say what we do is that we were at his point once, and now see our own folly. Nothing wrong with him, it is just the way it was for many of us. And when we expose that, just like we did, he gets his undies in a twist. sigh...

[Smudger]

This is quite possibly the most frank and honest thread I've read on this site about becoming poz. I have a gained a lot of respect for many of the posters in this thread for their words of wisdom, regardless of the advice being welcomed or otherwise by the OP. Bearbandit especially, who has suffered at the hands of this disease and it's many experimental treatments, has volunteered his insight and experience for our consideration and does not deserve to be dismissed with a "Who asked you anyway" attitude. It is my belief that the OP has read a few things on the internet which have given him the idea that HIV is no longer a killer and that current treatments effectively neutralise the virus. This unfortunately is not universal. The treatments do not work for everyone. There are also side effects to consider, as Bearbandit has mentioned.

There is a lot of glamorisation on here about becoming HIV+ and/or passing it on, although this usually comes with the disclaimer of being 'fantasy' or 'fiction'. Regrettably, I believe there is more truth than fiction to a lot of the stories on here, which is a little worrying but I certainly don't want to become poz. At the end of the day, your question about life expectancy is irrelevant if you are left with no quality of life due to the complications that may arise from this disease.