Doing fine

Byjonathan

I know, I know… it’s been more than two months since I’ve blogged, but that doesn’t mean something’s wrong. Oh, there was that nasty summer head cold a couple of weeks ago, but otherwise I’m doing fine.

I’m not ready yet to publicize what I’m doing medically, or what the results are. I’m trying to not let this become just a numbers game, but I will report now that I’m not experiencing any horrid adverse effects and there are no red flags on any of my labs, such as liver, kidney or heart problems. I’m doing some creative things, in an attempt to minimize toxicity from the drugs I started taking May 23.

I’ll get back here soon enough to share more, and there are some things I really want to get off of my chest, but there’s no need to be hasty. For now there are other projects that need my attention.

Thanks for the inquiries. It’s nice to have been missed.

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  • 97

    97. That’s my latest CD4+ count, less than half the count from six weeks ago.

    That’s it. I have tried as many alternative treatments as I can think of to reverse the decline. I will be starting my third round of pharmaceutical ARVs as soon as I can get a prescription and fill it.

    This decision has been a long time coming, and in hindsight, I probably should have restarted a few months ago. There’s nothing magical about 97, or being below 100, but it’s as good a breaking point as any. I’ve long argued that there are two things to keep in mind about CD4 counts: one is the long-term trend; the other is single- or low double-digit counts.

  • Reduce AIDS drug toxicity and side effects

    I embarked on my third course of ARVs since 1998. For ten of the sixteen years I have been HIV-positive, I was able to manage well enough without ARVs and I continue to believe there is no reason for otherwise healthy HIV-positive—let alone negative—gay men to take these drugs. To those who want to wave a recent study about the benefits of early intervention in my face, I would ask them why they put so much faith in a science that has utterly failed us to date.

  • The truth about Truvada: PrEP won’t stop AIDS

    I’m willing to grant that gay men are entitled to use PrEP… provided they have access to all the information they need to make an informed decision. Informed consent has been a hallmark of the HIV and AIDS research and prevention efforts for three decades, and that shouldn’t be waived for the campaign favoring PrEP.

    Gay men deserve to know that all the claims for Truvada reducing the risk of acquiring HIV-positivity  are based on trials—funded by Gilead—that emphasized the importance of using condoms…

  • Confessions of a heretic AIDS dissident

    You might not know it from reading the comments left here on my blog, but there are more than a few AIDS dissidents who really don’t like how I think or what I write about.

    There’s a whole thread on a very popular Facebook page called “Rethinking AIDS”, discussing my open letter to Dora. Last I looked, that thread had nearly 100 comments, and very few of those comments were about Dora, Ruggiero or the defense of academic freedom.

    No, the gist of the thread was whether or not I am in “the AIDS Zone.” It seems that because I did not use “air quotes” around the term “HIV disease”, I’m not really an AIDS dissident. Others took issue with my post for daring to publish that some AIDS Rethinkers hold a very narrow view about “HIV” and “AIDS”, while others of us are merely “questioning” the whole affair. None of them chose to comment directly to me here.

    Some of the most visible and vocal Rethinkers seem intent on imposing their own “beliefs” (another loaded term that deserves quotes) on the entire movement. There has long been a tendency to try to impose a sort of litmus test to determine whether or not one is a true “AIDS dissident”.

    Since I first met the AIDS dissident community via the AIDS Myth Exposed forums—since renamed Questioning AIDS—several years ago, I’ve become aware of several of the various factions, distinctive personalities and divisions within that broad group. Now I’m finding it ironic just how guilty some of these people are at their own version of “bone-pointing”.

3 Comments

  1. I would be curious to see some updated clinical markers Jonathan. I would not typically ask such a direct question about an individuals very private medical information, but after looking around your blog here, it seems that you are quite open about such matters.

    Also, (and If I missed this on one of your prior posts please forgive me) what is your current treatment regimen and how are you doing with side effects? It seems some people take to HAART almost effortlessly while others struggle initially.

    Reply

    1. I am waiting for my latest lab results and will update the charts I publish on “attachments” page of my blog soon, hopefully next week.

      I am not yet ready to publicize the treatment regimen I am doing, for a number of reasons. Some of it is controversial, if not risky, and I’d prefer not to have to deal with any blowback from others until I’ve had some time to assimilate the results myself.

      Your question is fair and reasonable, as I’ve made a commitment to be public about what I am doing, as well as the consequences of those choices. I am, however, exercising some restraint about the timing for a few months for personal reasons that will be made clear later this year. Please be patient with me.

      Reply

      1. Perfectly understandable, though no explanation is really necessary since I realize this is a private issue. It is mere curiosity on my part since I came across your blog.

        I can share with you a bit of experience from my own life, if that helps at all. I have been on Atripla since March of last year. Like many other people, I did not even realize I was HIV pos until I got sick with a number of infections and crippling fatigue that required me to be hospitalized.

        I normally take mine fairly close to bed time so I can sleep through some of the potential side effects. At first, I was really groggy in the mornings, and my nights were filled with some extremely bizarre and vivid dreams. This slowly subsided over the course of several weeks, and now I do not have much of anything in the way of side effects.

        I started to feel better after my first week or so, and after 2 weeks I was almost back to my old self again as far as energy with my infections subsiding substantially. My ID Doc was on me like hawk at first, but we have since scaled back to every 6 months since my VL is now undetectable and my CD4 count has bounced back.

        I really hope you get better sir, and I am sure you will in time. By the way, I think you are a wonderful writer. Many published magazines I read do not have anywhere near the command of the English language that you do. I am envious.

        Reply

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