Warning Signs

Dear Doctor Dear
By Doctor Dear (Obviously)

I’ve had on-off flu for three weeks now, and I’m worried I may be sicker than I think I am.  I mean, for all I know, I could have HIV already.  Am I right, or am I over-reacting?

GARY G.
Malate, City of Manila

I was told that when one has HIV and/or AIDS, the first signs of having it are flu-like symptoms.  Is this true?  But whether true or not, what are the signs that I should be paying attention to (within my body) before I should consider having myself checked for HIV and/or AIDS?

STEVE E.
Muntinlupa City

My friend knows so much about HIV and/or AIDS.  Why so, I do not know.  I can only surmise he is positive – and that’s even though he keeps on denying that he is whenever I ask him.  Just so I can tell for sure he isn’t lying to me, what signs should I look to see if he’s positive?

R.E. EBUEN
Quezon City

There are NO REAL symptoms to speak of.

That ought to be established first.

The ONLY way to make sure you have, or do not have HIV and/or AIDS is through a test.  You may be infected, and yet have no symptoms; and you may not have HIV and/or AIDS, yet have the typical flu-like symptoms associated with HIV and/or AIDS.

Having established that, let’s go to details.

According to hivsymptomsonline.com, “becoming infected with HIV and becoming sick from AIDS are two different events. For most people, it takes many years from the time someone is infected with HIV to the time that they develop symptoms of AIDS. Some people get sick sooner and others stay well longer, especially with treatment. However, there is almost always a significant period of time after infection when an HIV-positive individual will have no symptoms at all – often 10 years or more.  Keeping in mind the two separate events (becoming HIV-infected versus actually developing AIDS) can help you to remember that there are also two separate time periods when someone may show symptoms related to HIV-infection.”

For hivsymptomsonline.com, the “symptoms” of HIV and/or AIDS are:

1. Rapid weight loss;
2. Dry cough;
3. Recurring fever or profuse night sweats;
4. Profound and unexplained fatigue;
5. Swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck;
6. Diarrhoea that lasts for more than a week;
7. White spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat;
8. Pneumonia;
9. Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids;
10. Memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders.

“The progression of HIV positive persons into the AIDS stage is highly individual. Some people can reach the AIDS stage in about five years, while some remain disease free for more than a decade. Measurement of the viral load and the CD4 count helps a doctor in assessing an infected person's health condition,” states hivsymptomsonline.com.
The later symptoms are:

1. Lack of energy;
2. Weight loss;
3. Frequent fevers and sweats;
4. A thick, whitish coating of the tongue or mouth (thrush) that is caused by a yeast infection and sometimes accompanied by a sore throat;
5. Severe or recurring vaginal yeast infections;
6. Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease or severe and frequent infections like herpes zoster;
7. Periods of extreme and unexplained fatigue that may be combined with headaches, lightheadedness, and/or dizziness;
8. Rapid loss of more than 10 pounds of weight that is not due to increased physical exercise or dieting;
9. Bruising more easily than normal;
10. Long-lasting bouts of diarrhoea;
11. Swelling or hardening of glands located in the throat, armpit, or groin;
12. Periods of continued, deep, dry coughing;
13. Increasing shortness of breath;
14. The appearance of discoloured or purplish growths on the skin or inside the mouth;
15. Unexplained bleeding from growths on the skin, from mucous membranes, or from any opening in the body;
16. Recurring or unusual skin rashes;
17. Severe numbness or pain in the hands or feet, the loss of muscle control and reflex, paralysis or loss of muscular strength;
18. An altered state of consciousness, personality change, or mental deterioration;
19. Children may grow slowly or fall sick frequently. HIV positive persons are also found to be more vulnerable to some cancers.

Again, it can’t be stressed enough that ONLY TESTING will ascertain without a doubt the HIV status of a person, so have yourself tested, especially if involved in unsafe sexual activities (e.g. multiple partners for vaginal or anal intercourse without a condom, manual-anal intercourse or fisting, unprotected oral-anal contact or anilingus/rimming, unprotected manual-vaginal contact, fellatio totalis, oral-semen contact, swallowing menstrual blood, swallowing vaginal fluids, blood contact, and sharing of sex toys).

N.B.
Knowing about HIV and/or AIDS doesn’t mean your friend is positive.  It just means he/she’s not stupid.  The more we know about this, the best for everyone.  So learn.  Get tested.  And learn even more from that experience.