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LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS
 How Can HIVers Take Better Care of Our Guts?
I've not had a normal gut since taking a combo of Crixivan (indinavir), Epivir (lamivudine, 3TC) and Zerit (stavudine, d4T) years ago. Even though I'm on much more tolerable HIV meds now, my gut has never been the same. If I don't take Metamucil faithfully every night, I won't have a bowel movement. Coffee helps, as do occasional probiotic supplements. Even my HIV doctor doesn't seem to clue in on the relationship between gut effects and HIV meds, so I really appreciated your recent article on TheBodyPRO.com about new research on gut health and HIV. What do you recommend in terms of supplements and other actions to improve gut health?
Nelson Vergel responds in the "Nutrition and Exercise" forum
What's the Latest on HIV-Positive Mothers Breastfeeding Their Babies?
What does the World Health Organization say about breastfeeding for HIV-positive moms? What steps would they have to take to keep the process safe for the baby?
Robert J. Frascino, M.D., responds in the "Fatigue and Anemia" forum
Opinion: Compared to the Deaths I've Seen, HIV Meds Are a Piece of Cake
In 1982 I became an end-stage caregiver when HIV was still called the HTLV-3 virus. Since the beginning of the pandemic, I've held eight men at the moment of their death and helped many more before the end of life. Before the cocktails, the demise we had to look forward to was horrendous. Since the cocktails, death is now a long way after being diagnosed. I've been on the cocktail for well over 12 years and I just turned 76 years old. I'll probably die of old age, and not from HIV. Compared to dying of AIDS complications, I would take the meds any day.
Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D., responds in the "Choosing Your Meds" forum
MIXED-STATUS COUPLES
What Do You Think About Open Relationships?
I am HIV positive and seeing someone HIV negative, and it's going well. We have a great connection and I think we will be able to form a loving relationship. He keeps telling me he wants it to be open, that he needs to be non-exclusive. I understand his feelings. There were many times in monogamous partnerships when I resented feeling bound to one person. The problem I'm having is that the thought of him finding people to do things that he won't do with me is sometimes painful. I can't figure out if my anxiety is based in healthy reality or just plain jealousy. Do you have any thoughts or resources on open relationships?
David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., responds in the "Mental Health and HIV" forum
 
Starting HIV meds -- or thinking about taking this step? We reached out to a group of those most in the know about the intricacies of starting treatment -- HIV-positive people who've made the decision to start themselves -- and asked:
If you could go back in time to the moment before you started HIV treatment, what advice would you give yourself?
BODY SHAPE CHANGES & HIV/AIDS
Starting Meds: Should I Worry About Lipodystrophy?
I'm about to start HIV meds. I'm resistant to certain types, so I've been prescribed Epivir (lamivudine, 3TC), Norvir (ritonavir), Prezista (darunavir) and Viramune (nevirapine). My biggest fear is lipodystrophy; this fear has actually stopped me from starting meds until now. Should I expect to see this condition once I start taking this combination of meds?
Keith Henry, M.D., responds in the "Managing Side Effects of HIV Treatment" forum
HIV/AIDS TREATMENT
Which HIV Meds Are Due to Be Available in Generic Formulations in the U.S.?
I recently read that several major drugs are potentially going to be available in more affordable, equally safe generic form in the U.S. in the next several years. Which HIV meds are among the ones whose patents will soon expire? How does this process work?
Joseph P. McGowan, M.D., F.A.C.P., responds in the "Choosing Your Meds" forum
Unexpected 4-Week Break From Regimen: Will This Lead to Resistance?
I started taking Atripla (efavirenz/tenofovir/FTC) about two years ago. After a year of never missing a dose, I went four weeks without meds because of insurance issues and a change in docs. I've since started taking my meds again. I haven't had any new lab tests done yet, but I feel fine. I have not seen my new doctor yet. Do you think a four-week break could cause drug resistance or other damage?
Benjamin Young, M.D., Ph.D., responds in the "Choosing Your Meds" forum
 How Do I Find Meaningful Activities to Do -- Just for Myself?
(A recent post from the "Living With HIV" board)
I'm constantly doing things for everyone but myself, and I'm beginning to realize I need to find something for me to do. It used to be going out and hanging around at the bars with my friends, but that's old hat. Pool and darts are an easy way to get caught up in the drinking scene again. A person can only go out to eat so many times. Reading is OK but not fulfilling to my mind. And I don't know where to begin with starting a blog. … I do like coming to these bulletin boards and helping people out where I can, but even that sometimes isn't enough.
I feel like I'm not going anywhere in my life, and I'm at a dead end. I know there's more in the world for me, I just have to seek it out.
Is anybody out there engaged in some fulfilling activity? If so, what is it you do; and how did you find that activity? -- alive2
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OTHER HEALTH ISSUES & HIV/AIDS
How Can I Help Myself Get and Keep an Erection?
l'm a 60-year-old HIV-positive gay man with an undetectable viral load for a few years and a T-cell count over 600. l can't seem to get an erection when l have sexual relations. Is there anything besides medication that l can do to resolve this situation?
David Fawcett, Ph.D., L.C.S.W., responds in the "Mental Health and HIV" forum
What's the Proper Treatment Regimen for Syphilis?
I contracted syphilis last May, which I originally mistook for a regular throat infection. I have gotten a load of conflicting information about the course of treatment. Now, because of all the shuffling around and miscommunication between members of my health care team, I might be facing treatment failure and could well have put my new boyfriend at risk for syphilis. What do you know about the course of treatment for syphilis? Should I be worried for my boyfriend?
Robert J. Frascino, M.D., responds in the "Fatigue and Anemia" forum
More Questions About Other Health Issues & HIV/AIDS:
HIV TRANSMISSION & TESTING
Could an HIV Nonprogressor Be Reinfected With a Virus That Progresses?
If a person who was part of the tiny percentage of HIV-positive people whose bodies control the virus in various ways without the aid of meds (called nonprogressors) was reinfected with a different strain of HIV years after their initial infection, could they still have genetic viability against the new infection? Would the protective effect depend on viral strain, mutation, etc.?
Mark Holodniy, M.D., F.A.C.P., C.I.C., responds in the "Understanding Your Labs" forum
Tested Positive During Pregnancy: How Can I Be Sure It's a False Positive?
I am nearing the end of my pregnancy and have had two positive ELISA tests and two indeterminate Western blots. I was sent to an infectious disease specialist who told me he believed it was a false positive because there is no virus showing on the tests. Why does my obstetrical nurse still believe I should have a C-section? How can I prove once and for all, to myself and everyone else involved, that my tests were false positives?
Robert J. Frascino, M.D., responds in the "Safe Sex and HIV Prevention" forum
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Keeping up with HIV meds often means having to weave daily doses into a busy life. How do other HIVers do it? In each episode of this video series, we'll take a peek into the day-to-day routine of a person who's living with HIV, taking HIV meds, and dealing with situations that get in the way of adherence. 
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