Growing in class Blog #4

I think that this class is one of the best things that has happened to me! I think that as everyday passes by there is so much information that continues to intrigue me and help me understand this class. I will definitely recommend this class to many people!
Well, I have already posted about getting tested for HIV. Well, I got tested for the third time! Yes, it may sound crazy. But I became obsessed with HIV. Last year, I thought I had HIV. As soon as my brother was diagnosed with HIV, I thought OMgosh I could have it too. Who knows right? I started getting sick. Yes, I had every symptom you search online for. I took a test this past February and my doctor thought I was stressed and being a hypochondriac. Well, test came back negative. But I still was a bit doubtful. I took another test for this class at the Health Department. It too came back negative. I also took a home HIV test. Yes, I am a bit on the crazy side. Well that came back negative too. So, I can proudly say I am HIV Negative! Let me tell you the things that went through my mind would turn anyone crazy. I think that sometimes the internet can be our worst enemies. So my advice for everyone is to stay positive until you need to face the worst.

Did you know?

This week I decided to research an organization that helps people who are HIV + in the state of New York. Apparently there are a lot of HIV cases in New York, so I thought what better state to research on? Ok...
I researched information on the HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in the year of 2007. This is the latest update they have.

Cases of people living with HIV (not AIDS)in NY

"There about 46,040 people in New York State as of 2007"(New York Health Department, 2007).

"There are about 73,889 people in the state of New York living with AIDS.
"These numbers include both male and female" (New York Health Department, 2007).

Like many health departments New York offers free HIV testing and counseling. This is great! But even though the test are offered free a lot of people still DO NOT get tested! I can't believed that something as important as this virus is still not taken seriously. It's time for a wake up call.
This weeks QOTW was about whether or not a persons health care provider should tell the infected persons partner about them having HIV. Well, I found a great resources its a booklet online that guides a person with HIV to tell their partner. Click (hopefully it works)http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/aids/docs/9488eng.pdf
The state of NY offers many services just like Florida. There is free testing, free condoms, free information for anyone who would like to be educated.
I also found a great resource on a non-profit organization that helps Gay men. It is called GMHC: Gay Men's Health Crisis. A great tab that gives information on program and services:http://www.gmhc.org/programs.html.
Its really great to see organizations look out for Gay men and get them the help they need. This a great organizations. They give free meals, testing, free holiday meals and great serivices. Check it out!

This week I also wanted to focus on HIV in Gay men.
HIV does not just infect gay men! It targets everyone. Its up to you to make sure it doesn't affect you.
Okay... I did research and found information on advert.

"In the USA, it is estimated that nearly 220,000 men who have sex with men were living with HIV/AIDS in 2006, and nearly 5,000 had died. Around 48% of men diagnosed with HIV or AIDS in America in 2006 were probably exposed to the virus through male-to-male sexual contact" (CDC, 2006). Wow, this is extremely surprising.

What can be done to prevent this? AWARENESS! This is the most important part of preventing HIV in everyone. I was reading on advert about men having sex with men and not using condoms. This is still risky even though both men might have HIV, because they can be exposed to new strains of HIV. They might even pass other infections and it makes them much more susceptible in getting any infections due to their immune system being so weak.
I hope you all enjoyed my blog!
http://www.avert.org/young-gay-men.htm
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2006, (Vol. 18).
http://www.health.state.ny.us/diseases/aids/

HIV and Women

I would like to start this week with the Did You Know portion of my blog.
I blogged last week about the possiblity of HIV+ women having children. I found an excellent organization in the state of Illinois that helps expecting mothers through their process. There is even a hotline that provides emotional support for women.
Illinois Perinatal HIV Hotline 1-800-439-4079

One of the most amazing things about this hotline is that it is available 24/7 and it also serves women out of the state as well. This hotline feels that HIV+ women should have support 24/7 no matter what the circumstances. This hotline offers many services that seem to be of extreme importance for any women.
Hotline services include:

•Real-time medical consultation about the most up-to-date treatments for HIV-positive mothers and their babies.
•Linkage of HIV-positive women and their infants to an ongoing network of specialty care during and after pregnancy.
•Social service consultation and access to enhanced perinatal HIV case managers for the highest risk women.
•Post-test counseling and support for mothers and babies with positive rapid HIV tests.
•The reporting mechanism for preliminary positive rapid HIV tests as mandated by the Illinois Perinatal HIV Prevention Act

There are many interesting tabs on the website that answer about everything a person would want to know about being pregnant and positive.

I have really started to develop a passion for women and HIV. I think it is extremely of the essence for awareness to get out.
I previously blogged about HIV+ women being able to carry a healthy baby full-term. There are many drugs that benefit the women and unborn child.
There are many questions that will come into mind for a women that has just discovered she is pregnant, while being HIV+.
Some of the questions are:

Should I start treatment? What is the best treatment for me? What treatment will I need for delievery?

Searching the internet for answers I found many interesting insights on HIV treatment. It is important for a women to start HIV treatment for her health and for her babies as well. There are anti-HIV medicine that will prevent the baby from having HIV. This medicine will also ensure that the mother is healthy.In order to find the best treatment,it all depends on when the diagnoses was. "Women who are in the first trimester
of pregnancy and who do not have symptoms of HIV
disease may consider delaying treatment until after 10 to
12 weeks into their pregnancies" (HIV and Pregnancy,2009). After the first trimester,"pregnant women with HIV should receive at least AZT
(Retrovir or zidovudine); your doctor may recommend
additional medications depending on your CD4 count, viral
load, and drug resistance testing" (HIV and Pregnancy, 2009).
So, a very important question is "What treatment will I need for delievery?
"Most mother-to-child transmission of HIV occurs around
the time of labor and delivery" (HIV and Pregnancy, 2009). This makes it very important for the women and baby to receive the correct treatment!
There are several methods of treatment that will ensure that baby is HIV free. A mother is provided with:

1. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART),which is
recommended even for HIV-infected pregnant women
who do not need treatment for their own health. If
possible, HAART should include AZT (Retrovir or
zidovudine).
2. During labor and delivery, you should receive
intravenous (IV) AZT.
3. Your baby should take AZT (in liquid form) every 6
hours for 6 weeks after birth.

I think it is amazing that women have a choice! I read a book once that said, "I will live my life and not let HIV live it for me" Awesome!
http://www.hivpregnancyhotline.org/
http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/contentfiles/DrugRegimensPregnantWomen_FS_en.pdf

Did you know???

There are many organizations through out the world that help HIV positive people. I grew up in the state of Michigan, so I decided to look into an organizations in Detroit that help people that have HIV/AIDS. There is an organization that is called:
"AIDS Walk Michigan:One Step Toward a Solution"
What is AIDS Walk Michigan?
This organization started through a committe called, "Michigan Women and AIDS Committe".They started in 1990 a walk that helped raise awareness and raise money for women and HIV. Since 1990, this walk as become an annual walk for HIV.
Where does the money raise go?
The money raise helps the City of Detroit provide education, prevention and services to the community.
The most amazing thing I discovered was that
the money raised by AIDS Walk Michigan serves about 60% of the total 16,200 Michigan residents living with HIV/AIDS. Who knew that walking would make a difference!
I am sure like me you would like to know how you can help. If you do not live in Michigan, there is always money that you can donate to sponsor a walker or just simply mail the money in!

AIDS Walk Michigan - City of Detroit: 313-446-9818 or AIDS Walk Michigan's Toll Free Line: 888-791-WALK (9255)

http://www.aidswalkmichigan.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=309798

HIV & Pregnancy

I start this week by wondering about a big concern for women who are HIV positive. Many people think that as soon as a women has HIV they aren't able to bring life into this world. In 2009, HIV positive women have an option! They can start living their lives instead of having HIV live theirs. I searched the internet for many important facts on this topic and let me tell you I was able to find lots. Along with imformation on how to avoid passing HIV to the baby, I stumbled onto many interesting facts I would like to share.

According to the March of Dimes, there are an estimated

120,000 to 160,000 women

in the United States who have been infected with

HIV.

About 6,000 to 7,000 of women infected with HIV give birth annually.

Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, approximately 15,000 children in the United States have been infected with HIV and 3,000 children have died. About 90 percent of those were infected with the virus during pregnancy or birth.

How is HIV transmitted to the baby?

The most common way of transmission is called "perinatal transmission". The Child can contract HIV from the mother during pregancy, delivery and breastfeeding. This of course makes it very risky for mother who is HIV positive.

Factors which increase the risk of transmission include:  

• 
  
  Smoking
• 
  
  Substance abuse
• 
  
  Vitamin A deficiency
• 
  
  Malnutrition
• 
  
  Infections such as STD’s
• 
  
  Clinical stage of HIV, including viral load (quantity of HIV virus in the blood)

 With treatment less than 2 percent of babies born to HIV positive mothers will contract HIV, according to the March of Dimes.

Of course, treatment will be different. How so?

  A women that is HIV positive will receive both medical attention from a OB/GYN as well as from an HIV specialist. The doctors will also help her emotionally and mentally.

 Zidovudine (also known as ZDV, AZT and Retrovir) was the first drug licensed to treat HIV. Now it is used in combination with other anti-HIV drugs and is often used to prevent perinatal transmission of HIV. ZDV should be given to HIV-infected women beginning in the second trimester and continuing throughout pregnancy, labor and delivery. Side effects include nausea, vomiting and low red or white blood cell counts.

THIS IS AMAZING!!!

March of Dimes, http://www.marchofdimes.com/

Maternal & Neonatal Health, Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV/AIDS: Reducing the Risks.

My Journey in HIV class....

Hi.. My name is Sarai Nieves. I am a junior at UCF. I plan to obtain my bachelors degree and pursue dental school. I am also a mother of a very hyper and loving three year old.

While reading my blog, I hope that everyone understands a little more about me and about HIV. There are many exciting things that I will post along with articles that I have recently read. I hope it will open your heart to embrace HIV not only has a disease, but to view the faces that suffer from HIV.

I found a great game I will post the link to the website. The website has many great facts check it out! http://www.avert.org