My Continued Journey – Living With HIV

September 14, 2015

So Friday, September 11^th I went to see my Primary Care Physician. I went in for a three month follow up visit to see what all is going on with my health. I received some not so good news this time. I actually found out that I have several skin cancers growing on my face. She is sending me to a dermatologist to find out what kind and to get rid of it. She also thinks I have the beginning stages of Congestive Heart Failure. I see my Heart Specialist in October so we will find out for sure what is going on there. We also discussed the fact that I have gained 50lbs since this same time last year. We did figure out that this is about the same time I was switched to the Triumeq, which I was taken off of after only being on it for 4 months because I gain over 30lbs those 4 months and that was the only medication change that had been made. Unfortunately the new combo of Truvada and Tivcay have not been that successful at helping to stop the weight gain because I have packed on another 20lbs. on top of the extra weight, my legs and feet are swelling from not being able to sleep in my bed, I get very little sleep because of the insomnia that I cannot get rid of even with medication, the migraine headaches are starting to come back even on medication for them,  my CD4 count has dropped by almost 800 and I am now detectable again, after being undetectable for 5 years. My CD4 counts are still over 2000, which are great, but we need to find out what is happening to cause such a dramatic drop in only 3 months.

I will be talking with my HIV Specialist about yet ANOTHER medication change. I guess I should have just stayed on the Atripla, even though I hated the side effects. At least when I was on Atripla I was losing weight and could actually have a bowel movement without struggling. Needless to say this has not been a good year so far. I have had a kidney stone blasted; now I have to have cancer removed from my face, and I keep packing on the pounds. I have not slept in my bed in over a month, because I cannot breathe when I lay flat. My partner of 19 years is getting a little lonely in the bed by himself I imagine. We do not talk about it much because he knows I cannot breathe laying flat right now. I know I miss my comfortable bed. 

 LIFE with HIV is NO CAKE WALK!!! It has taken every ounce of faith to keep me from falling into a great depression.

I will write more after my visit with my HIV Specialist on Tuesday.

Be well my friends and be blessed.

David Moorman