Meds or NO Meds

[Guest GoneFishing]

On 6/30/2011 at 6:58 PM, Ingulphus said:

Started Atripla three months after testing positive (my doctor had started seeing a significant rise in leukemia-related conditions in poz guys who were otherwise stable), and I've been lucky in that I've had no bad effects whatsoever, aside from the vivid, Technicolor Cecil B. DeMille dreams if I took it at night (and now I take it in the morning). My husband had severe heartburn and diarrhea from Reyataz, but when he switched to Atripla, all went away.

A trip la ! Was the worst 

pitched the bottles and went cold turkey 

 

[doitraw]

8 hours ago, descartes70817 said:

I just reached the same conclusion myself and stopped taking meds completely just recently. If life on meds sucked so bad that I felt better when I had AIDS related pneumonia what the fuck is the point of meds? The only point I can see is to make sure you live just long enough to die flat broke.

You're completely underestimating what being undetectable means to many people. It makes it way easier to have a "normal" sex life and get a mate who's not into the bugchasing lifestyle (large majority of gay and bi men). 

[Guest hodannyboi]

Lots of stupid in this thread.  Needs more asshole to balance it out.  Don't take it personally guys...

Today's meds have virtually no side effects.  Most guys claiming they do are headcases, or just fucking babies.  If you think it's the meds, it's probably not the meds.  It's you.

Not taking meds is almost certainly a really fucking stupid decision.  There is a verrrrry small chance you're a long term non progressor and maybe don't need them.  About the same odds of winning a car in your lifetime.  There is a much bigger chance that you're not, and that you're just an idiot, and that not taking the meds will wreck havoc on your immune system, causing irreversible damage that not even going on the meds later will erase.  About the same odds of not winning a car in your lifetime.

"But! But!..." others will say, followed by a bunch of stupid shit that I am happy to ignore because it is stupid and shit.  You should do the same.

Again nothing personal.  Just putting out that perspective as cold and clear as possible, as stigma clouds our minds and makes us susceptible to false and dumb ideas.

Take your fucking meds, stupid!  ?

[Pigforpoz]

NO MEDS for me when I become POZ!!!

[Poz-Mcr]

On 6/30/2011 at 9:38 PM, muscmtl said:

Stopped the meds for 2 months once. I finally got my body back, so fuckin amazing feeling. Then got scared and went back on. So, hearing about your stories makes me rethink...

Think I'm in a similar situation, though in terms of getting scared and starting the meds again it's more because I don't want the confrontation with my consultant when my test results eventually change from being UD to being detectable. 

For the past couple of years, I've taken med breaks of a couple of months in between appointments, then started the meds again about a month before my next appointment. So far, each time I've subsequently tested my v/l is still UD.  Currently been off meds for about two months, with the next appointment due in July.

I suspect I may be a slow progressor as I first started meds (by choice rather than necessity) about three years after being infected, but even then my v/l count had only just hit 6000. Perhaps that may be one explanation for my apparent ease in returning back to UD at each test.

I think if I was to have my time again, although it would be against current medical advice and guidance (which I would always recommend anyone to follow) I would have chosen to wait to start the meds only when absolutely necessary. But, as the saying goes, each to their own.

 

[Guest Porthos]

1 hour ago, Poz-Mcr said:

Think I'm in a similar situation, though in terms of getting scared and starting the meds again it's more because I don't want the confrontation with my consultant when my test results eventually change from being UD to being detectable. 

For the past couple of years, I've taken med breaks of a couple of months in between appointments, then started the meds again about a month before my next appointment. So far, each time I've subsequently tested my v/l is still UD.  Currently been off meds for about two months, with the next appointment due in July.

I suspect I may be a slow progressor as I first started meds (by choice rather than necessity) about three years after being infected, but even then my v/l count had only just hit 6000. Perhaps that may be one explanation for my apparent ease in returning back to UD at each test.

I think if I was to have my time again, although it would be against current medical advice and guidance (which I would always recommend anyone to follow) I would have chosen to wait to start the meds only when absolutely necessary. But, as the saying goes, each to their own.

 

Just curious on why you take a med break? Do you feel different during those breaks? Have you been on different meds. Was always scared of taking a break due to possible resistance issues or getting sick

[Guest]

I guess I can chime in here. When I found out I was POZ, my VL was 187,000 & my CD4 was 125. (AIDS). My doc put me on Atripla and in 90 days my VL dropped to 72 & my CD4 came up to 225. That was in 2011. Still on it. No adverse side effects. Doc wants to change me to Odosofy next visit. Basically an upgrade to Atripla. Meds DO work, I think I'm proof of that.

[Guest GoneFishing]

5 hours ago, skylon said:

Just curious on why you take a med break? Do you feel different during those breaks? Have you been on different meds. Was always scared of taking a break due to possible resistance issues or getting sick

Just get an average baseline of your labs so you know how much to half ass your meds.  Game of chicken if you will 

[Toxload]

That sounds hot,and at the same time your creating a new med resistant strain. Welcome to the poz party! 

[bbjockload]

13 hours ago, hodannyboi said:

Lots of stupid in this thread.  Needs more asshole to balance it out.  Don't take it personally guys...

Today's meds have virtually no side effects.  Most guys claiming they do are headcases, or just fucking babies.  If you think it's the meds, it's probably not the meds.  It's you.

Not taking meds is almost certainly a really fucking stupid decision.  There is a verrrrry small chance you're a long term non progressor and maybe don't need them.  About the same odds of winning a car in your lifetime.  There is a much bigger chance that you're not, and that you're just an idiot, and that not taking the meds will wreck havoc on your immune system, causing irreversible damage that not even going on the meds later will erase.  About the same odds of not winning a car in your lifetime.

"But! But!..." others will say, followed by a bunch of stupid shit that I am happy to ignore because it is stupid and shit.  You should do the same.

Again nothing personal.  Just putting out that perspective as cold and clear as possible, as stigma clouds our minds and makes us susceptible to false and dumb ideas.

Take your fucking meds, stupid!  ?

Exactly.    

[lovetobefucked]

On 4/13/2019 at 3:13 AM, hodannyboi said:

Lots of stupid in this thread.  Needs more asshole to balance it out.  Don't take it personally guys...

Today's meds have virtually no side effects.  Most guys claiming they do are headcases, or just fucking babies.  If you think it's the meds, it's probably not the meds.  It's you.

Not taking meds is almost certainly a really fucking stupid decision.  There is a verrrrry small chance you're a long term non progressor and maybe don't need them.  About the same odds of winning a car in your lifetime.  There is a much bigger chance that you're not, and that you're just an idiot, and that not taking the meds will wreck havoc on your immune system, causing irreversible damage that not even going on the meds later will erase.  About the same odds of not winning a car in your lifetime.

"But! But!..." others will say, followed by a bunch of stupid shit that I am happy to ignore because it is stupid and shit.  You should do the same.

Again nothing personal.  Just putting out that perspective as cold and clear as possible, as stigma clouds our minds and makes us susceptible to false and dumb ideas.

Take your fucking meds, stupid!  ?

EVERY one of the drugs out there have multiple side effects or potential side effects.  Its obvious you have no experience with any of the meds or of modern pharmaceutical meds in general or else you have your head stuck in the sand.  And for you to say that it's all in anyone's head simply points to that fact.

Edited April 20, 2019 by lovetobefucked

[Guest GoneFishing]

☣️  Just do it !

[Guest Baremeat]

On 4/28/2011 at 8:55 PM, dickluva said:

I am not at all impressed that taking meds extends life or makes poz people healthier. I threw my meds away in Sept 2007, after 5 years of taking them. I feel better, my weight stabilized, the neuropathy went away, & my digestion improved so I can eat anything I want. The Doc, who I had seen as a patient for 18 years & considered a dear friend, always told me those were hiv related, but they turned out to be Rx related. My friends who have died were on meds. You can message me private for more info.

love it

[Pozlover1]

I knew one guy back in 2002 that refused to take the meds. He died. 

[BBFloridaguy]

This is always a hot debated topic between those that take meds and those that don't. Its up to each of us to make that decision on our own. I am Poz and not on meds and that is my decision as others who are poz and take meds decided for themselves. No judgments either way. I stand by my decision to stay off meds for me and everyone else can decide as they want. We fuck bare back and all take the risks and pleasures of it either way.