# Anyone else HIV +?



## Xuxa

Hi ladies, 
I was wondering if there is anyone in this forum that has either been diagnosed while pregnant or before being pregnant.
I know there must be someone else out there...if there is and you don't want to post here, please PM me.

:flower:


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## natasja32

Hey lovely....My sister is HIV + and she has a little boy who is now 5. She is pregnant tho and got it after having her son.:hugs:


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## Xuxa

does dhe come on this forum? My daughter is 3 and i also got it after havign her. I know this baby is fine and will be perfectly healthy, just wanted to figure out if i could find someone else in the same situation.. Thank you so much for replying!!


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## helloeveryone

hi soory don't know anyone with hiv + just wanted to say glad your new baby doesn't have it..Take care xx


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## JaydensMommy1

Are you on meds? I'm not HIV+ but I know the meds are great


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## Xuxa

yes, i am. I started meds a few days ago. and yes, the medication you canget nowadays is pretty amazing!

If i respond nicely to the medication i'll be able to give birth naturally and i could even breastfeed if i chose too.


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## JaydensMommy1

That's awesome! I'm a nurse and about 95% of the time the meds work great. Can I ask when you were diagnosed?


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## MustBeMummy

Ive have been trying to find some one with hiv. My husband has it and we are hoping to have a baby. Only just starting the process, so all very new.


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## JaydensMommy1

^ have you talked to a specialist?


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## Xuxa

i was diagnosed on thursday. so all very new to me too... but i am being followed by a top specialist.

Mustbemummy - My partner is hiv - and we did speak to the doctor about future pregnancies. So i have a lot of info on it if you would like me to share it with you. Is it ok if a pm you?


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## JaydensMommy1

They tested you late? Your 20 wks right? Are you just on arvs?


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## Xuxa

yes they did test me late...and i'm not on just normal ARV's I qualified for Haart, so i'm taking Atripla.
My CD4 were pretty high,and my viral load quite low. So my viral load should be undetectable in the next 8 or 12 weeks. So it will all be fine in time for delivery :)


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## JaydensMommy1

That's wonderful news hun! Sorry im asking so many questions I just know what it's like at my office in Cali- so far from you. How are the meds treating you hun? Hows OH?


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## Xuxa

no problems, i'm happy to answer questions :) Meds are fine, no side effects. so far, so good!
OH is being amazing!!!!can't even put in words...he is so supportive and loving, don't know how i would be able to deal with this without him! He tested negative, but is going to be tested again in 3 months. hope it comes back negative still.

do you work with a lot of people who are positive?


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## JaydensMommy1

You have a wonderful OH Hun that's so awesome. It's necessary to surround yourself with positive attitudes. It seems like you too have such a good attitude and that is great to see. And it's good your taking care of yourself and family too. Did you have any HIV symptoms?


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## Xuxa

Nothing!!!caught me completely by surprise... I don't even get sick. But i'm happy that i caught it in time.


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## MustBeMummy

yeah that would be great! thanks very much


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## Xuxa

MustBeMummy said:


> yeah that would be great! thanks very much

i have already :flower:


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## JaydensMommy1

Yes Hun that's great you caught it early. I am happy you are so positive too. You sound like a great mom and OH! How are you coping?


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## Xuxa

Most days are good, some can get me down... Not angry at anyone or anything in particular, just hope life can carry on pretty much as normal. My OH has def helped realize that nothing has changed!
I take one pill a day, how m any people around the world do it for all sorts of other reasons. I just have to make sure i can stay on onlly one pill a day (i'm not very good at swallowing pills...lol)

i hope i get my vl undetectable so i can give birth naturally as i think that if that option is taken away from me i'll find it a lot harder. But anything for the baby's safety...

Hey, and fingers crossed...one of these days we'll wake up and a cure will be available.and then the nightmare won't seem so bad ;)

Thank you for taking an interest.It also helps a lot!!xxx


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## JaydensMommy1

I see a lot of HIV+ women and not one of them has got the same wonderful attitude as you, but everyone takes it on differently. I'm glad you care first for Baby as I know too that the baby's health is important. 
Everyday medicine comes closer and closer to a cure and it's surprising how a few people who remained very physically happy and very healthy came to find out their HIV had gone. A man most recently, I believe in Germany, just had this happen. Wonderful news being that he has agreed to further testing to help understand how it happened. Baby steps, but one day there will be a cure. With modern day medicine HIV and aids is no longer considered a fatal disease- it is now in here is the US called a chronic condition for how long people live with it and how well they are doing. 
I hope you can deliver naturally too.. It seems well so far. You're only in one pill a day due to pregnancy, right?


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## Septie

Your positive attitude is amazing! It must have come as a shock, but this pregnancy/baby may well have avoided you years of lack of knowledge and provided you early treatment:thumbup: Your baby is your own little angel:cloud9:.
Oh - and even if a section were necessary - I had one for my own medical reasons, and it was fab - no bonding issues, super quick recovery, and immediate and successful breastfeeding. So don't even worry about that.


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## Xuxa

No, ATripla is only one pill a day. Apparently not everyone qualifies for it though...depends on your health. I had no health issues so there wasn;t even a question on which meds i would be taking. I'm very happy with it.So far, so good. :) 
Yes, the Berlin patient...they know how he got cured and even though it was possible is not viable to do that to everyone as they destroyed his immune system completely to give a new one. But, they now know what to try change in everyone else so we could all be cured... it will happen!

And yes, this baby is my little angel. If it wasn't for her i wouldn't know, i would probably end up getting sick before finding out and could've infected my OH. So, I'm so glad i know now.

Here it is also considered a chronic disease. People with undetectable viral loads are treated as negative and luckily we don't have financial problems so I'm one of the lucky ones that will always have the best doctors and medication. Besides, i have a beatufiul daughter, another on the way, i am so so so loved by my OH, he is the best. I have no reasons to give up on life now. I will show other people that it's ok, being positive doesn't change who i am. And if no else can see that, then they are not worth being in my life :)

You girls are great!!!xxx


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## natasja32

Hey lovely...I ment to say my sister is HIV + and has a four year old son,but she isnt pregnant at the moment so she doesnt use the forum. She is in better health than me.:haha: She only found out that she had it last year,caught it from her husband who knowingly gave to her. She also has a very positive outlook on life. At first she wouldnt cuddle our little Eli when he was born,not sure if she was afraid of passing it to him or wether it was because she wasnt sure what we would think. It doesnt make the slightest difference to me. I dont treat her any different as in fact she isnt.:flower:


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## swanxxsong

I just wanted to say that I admire your positive attitude - you are amazing! :hugs: I wish you all the best through your pregnancy. :)


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## MustBeMummy

My Hubby is on atripla. We have been married 2 months and we hope to fins out about having a baby soon. I have had a test in the last few months and im hiv- so if we wanted a baby we would have to have his sperm washed and have iui. I am ovulating as ive had a blood test to confirm this. It will be strange having a baby this way as id love to have it a normal way. Most babied are conceived out of love and making love but ours will be made in a different way. Seems a bit more clinical and not as intimate...
Stay strong. When my hubby was first diagnosed it was a really big thing to get over at first but with strength and love we r still together and still in love and want to have our happily ever after.


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## Xuxa

yes, you've told me this before. :) i think you are also a very special person for staying with him. 
Your baby will still come from love!!!next year we will be trying for baby no.3 and hopefully will try the natural route. He is not scared of being infected and with proper help it's very achievable in our case.

I really wish you the best of luck going from here onwards...if you are ovulating now, you probably missed the oportunity this month already, but fingers crossed you'll get it soon!:) xxx


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## JaydensMommy1

Seems like you've already done your research. :) can I ask where you live?


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## MustBeMummy

JaydensMommy1 said:


> Seems like you've already done your research. :) can I ask where you live?

me?


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## YoungMummy08

i am not HIV+ and do not know much about it, but my aunt was HIV+ when pregnant with my cousin and took meds im not sure which ones. but my cousin is not HIV+ and is 21 years of age. my aunt is still very well and has had a full healthy life. prob not alot of help but your post touched me in a special place x


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## Xuxa

:) I live in Swaziland at the moment. But i'm originally from Europe. Have been living in Africa for 8 years. Thank you for your posts. I love reading positive things...keeps me going!!


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## Xuxa

JaydensMommy1 said:


> Seems like you've already done your research. :) can I ask where you live?

it's not just my research... :p i really have an AMAZING doctor and OH. :happydance:

I'm just sure that out there is someone else in my situation and i wanted to give them a bit of positive energy and thoughts...


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## JaydensMommy1

Awesome:) your a lucky girl, OH sounds amazing. Hows Africa? Is that where OH is from? Or why did you move there? I complain in hot in California with 100 degree weather. Is it hotter there??


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## Xuxa

Had to come and share this... Today, i went for my check up with the HIV dr.
She never asked me to do any tests on my viral load or CD4 counts since i've been on the meds fro only 3 weeks. Well, i couldn't not do it, so went ahead and asked for them to check my viral load while doing my other blood tests.
In just 3 weeks my Viral Load went from over 37,000 to just........468!!!!she couldn't believe it and neither could we!!she expects my viral load to be undetectable, under 40 in the next couple of weeks and has given me the go ahead for natural birth.
Also said that risk of transmission to the baby and OH is now pretty much 0!I'm so so so happy specially since i have had no side effects and can now have natural birth like i planned.
I feel so blessed!xxx


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## JaydensMommy1

Oh Hun that is fabulous news!!! Huge congratulations- those #s are amazing!!

:D


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## MustBeMummy

Very pleased for yo. Great to hear


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## CatherineK

Great news!!


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## danimarie

thats great news xx really happy for you xx


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## aaaaa

Just read this thread. So, so happy for you! What a strong, remarkable woman you are, and so glad you got such wonderful news :flower:


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## Xuxa

Thank you ladies!i feel so blessed :)


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## tina_h75

I am not hiv+ and have never known anyone who is but I saw this thread and am so glad I looked at it. I must admit that I am quite ignorant to how its treated and transmitted but the little pieces of information I have just read is amazing. I had no idea how advanced medicine had become. I wish you all the success in the future, you really are quite inspiring with your positive thinking. :hugs:


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## nickyXjayno

I too was quite ignorant on HIV and it's treatments, I had no idea it was even remotely cureable and assumed it always turned to aids and could not stop infection to other people unless condoms were used.
Thankyou for posting this as there is so much stigma surrounding this virus and hopefully will give other girls the confidence to speak up and be open about it.
Am so glad that you can do the things with your baby that you want, give birth and breastfeed :) :hugs: xx.


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## Xuxa

Origanilly i posted this to try find someone else in my position, but i'm glad that at least (and most importantly actually) i could help some of you learn a little bit about it. I was also ignorant to a lot of these facts until i was diagnosed.
Just to clarify, without a condom there is always a chance of transmission. but when the viral load is so low and undetectable the risk of trasmission is very much close to zero, add the fact that transmission from female to male is a lot more difficult and my OH should be ok. He is also going to be circumcised as that reduces the risk of transmission by about 60%, so i guess we'll be pretty safe!
This is how so many serodiscordant couples conceive naturally. :) if i think about it, we were together for over two years, no condoms and my viral load was not undetectable and he never got it...so our chances are pretty good!
If you want to know anything else or ask questions feel free to. :flower:


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## Xuxa

Also, there are a few things to take into consideration when a HIV+ mother decides to BF (which i am not). A HIV+ mother can never BF and FF at the same time. The baby has to be exclusively BF if she wants to keep her baby -. As soon as she decides to stop BF, it has to be cold turkey...straight to Formula and no mixing. There are still risks of transmission, that's why where possible, drs recommend formula feeding from the start, no need to risk it.


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## nickyXjayno

How come they can't be FF and BF at the same time?


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## syntaxerror

Oh! Pick me! Because compounds in the formula can somehow weaken parts of the digestive system, allowing the virus in the breast milk to infect baby. But if the mother is exclusively breastfeeding, that transmission risk is reduced?


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## ttc1sttime

If you still have the information I would love to have it. did you do an iui and then contract it?


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## Taylah

I too am in awe of how great your attitude is, well done you are amazing ! Can I be nosy & ask do you k ow how you contracted HIV in the first place ? ( no need to answer if you don't want to ) just curious because you oh is negative, & I know there are many ways to contract HIV but we mostly hear of sex & needle sharing & I don't think that's the case with you, by the way so happy for you that your health is going so great !


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## RKW

Really inspirational post xuxa, I learnt a lot an broadened my mind by reading it. Thank you so much for sharing and all the very best for the future xxx


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## MumyJosh

Hello ladies, just saw this site now, this post is a bit long, but am in same situation her, was diagnosed when I was 5 months pregnant, never fell sick, so it hit me so hard, as my hubby is negative, it was not easy at first, I live in UK, I started med immediately, am 8months plus now, and have been undetectable from onset am on trimeq now, very good med, have had no side effect since. 
My oh hv been very carrying and supportive, I feel lucky to hv him. Would want advice on what to expect as you ladies are experienced mothers, this is my first baby. I am giving birth naturally as am undetectable, but in UK HIV+ mum are not to breast feed. .
Thanks to you all xxx


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## Sara kocar

Xuxa said:


> Hi ladies,
> I was wondering if there is anyone in this forum that has either been diagnosed while pregnant or before being pregnant.
> I know there must be someone else out there...if there is and you don't want to post here, please PM me.
> 
> :flower:

Hi I was diagnosed with hiv in 2014 we got pregnant this year I lost the baby at 19 weeks. Just had a recent scan done and it shows a might be pregnant again but not sure as it's very small. Will upload pics so I can get comments as to what people think as it's my first time not quite sure what I'm looking at. Xx


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