Prolog

Dear Reader,

First of all i would like to thank you very much for taking the time and read my blog. 

My name is McGlap (Yes, it's nickname) and i am HIV positive.

I have decided to write about my HIV as I feel this will help me to deal with the condition during the transition that I am about to experience.

Please do not worry as nothing bad is happening to me. In fact its the opposite, even if to me it doesn’t seem that’s the case right now.

I have reached the stage when my body is starting to struggle to keep the virus under control. My blood tests over pas few months became weaker and weaker. During my last visit at the clinic my doctor has recommended to start the treatment...He said: "it is the right time"
My current results: VLD count is 7000 and CD4 count is 352 , 17% (blood test from 15/02/2011

As from today (Tue 15th March) evening  at 10 pm GMT i am starting my first HIV treatment. The treatment will consist of 2 tablets: Kivexa (Epizcom) and Sustiva, that i will be taking once a day. Both of these tablets are so called antiretrovirals and will reduce the amount of the virus in my blood (and keep it low) as well as increase the count of CD4 blood cells (responsible for keeping the immune system healthy). Yes, there are some side effects that will occur (some of them more severe than others and i really don’t know yet which will affect me), however overall my health will improve, my immune system become stronger.

I haven’t done much research to be perfectly honest about the treatment available nowadays. I think it was kind of self defense mechanism  - i don’t need to know as it is not applicable to me.... Yes, i know it wasn’t really the case, however it helped me to stay positive all those years. 

Despite all the good things about the medication, I am still trying to get my head around it. It feels like i have reached the next stage of the illness. Looking at the statistics 80% of people must start the treatment within 1 year of the infection, 9% within 2-3 years, 5% within 5 years, 3% within 7 years only 2% within 10 years and only 1% managed to stay off the meds for longer than 10 years....so, as you can see i have had a good run as i believe I’m in the last 1%....

Over next few weeks, months...years perhaps i will be trying to feed this blog with my observation, thoughts and experiences in connection to HIV....

I guess there will be some dark moods entries, some sad, however also some funny and happy ones...

Wish me luck.... in about 3 hours new chapter of my life will begin....