HIV and AIDS

[Bangkok Layover]

Hi everybody,

Although it is difficult and painful to admit,I must say I feel I have been exposed to the virus.

could some of you give me an idea of the exact symptoms of HIV and AIDS, and info on "home test kit", where to buy them from ,how much it costs and its reliability?

Thank you.

[Flyin'Dutch']

I dont know what the arrangements are in Qatar, but would suspect that in most cases the best thing to do is to go and speak to your local healthcare professional and seek their guidance and advice.

They will counsel you on the implications of the test, when to do it etc.

FD

[gayflyboy]

It can take up to 6 months for HIV antibodies to show up in a blood test, thus rushing off to your local medical professional, or to the local store to buy a home test kit, will not give you any useful information - unless you have exposed yourslef previously and have lareday sero-converted.

Assuming you travel often, I would suggest that when you are in the UK, US, or some other European country, you make a visit to one of the local STD Clinics for a test. These clinics are often found at hospitals.

You can usually take these tests anonymously, if only by dint of giving a false name, but you should also find some source of councelling to deal with the possibility of a positive result.

Aviation medical bodies have a varying views on pilots who are HIV positive, and so do many countries - many of whom will deny entry to those known to be HIV+. This included the US until recently, although I believe that this may have changed now.

I wish you the best of luck in the process.

[Northern Chique]

I know in Aus, HIV / AIDs is a notifiable disease, but will take as GFB says takes 6 months of testing to confirm its absence or presence in a persons system after exposure.

As part of my work, we are exposed to the virus on a regular basis, and the contraction rate is surprisingly low despite the number of needle stick injuries and the like.

The best needle stick is the last of the six month series that comes back negative!

The disease management much better than it was a few years ago and medical personnel usually issuing medicals on health status, not viral status. We have a few people in the job who wear the medic alert type bracelet with their positive status and blood type on it as a measure, and double glove when treating patients.

As has been said before, go to a clinic, get the blood tests done and either settle your mind or if the worst case senario happens, you need to start managing the disease early. "Safe Sex" and proper wound care preventitive measures should be taken until the final series of blood tests are back. After then it may be a lifetime of protective measures.

Appropriate personnel are usually available through the testing clinics also and its worth a chat as the next six months are going to be full of doubts, frustrations and worries.

There are lots of good sites around on the topic, and if nothing else worth a look for interests sake.

[Bangkok Layover]

Thank you all for valueble information.

Ever since I got to know about the risk I may have been exposed to, needless to say, its been terrible.

Hoping for the best,I will build strenth to face a test out side where I live, And I shall let all of you know what the outcome is.

A big "THANK YOU" once again for taking time to reply my request.

[Hawk]

Thanks to all our medical professionals, mods and ppruners for your clinical knowledge and wisdom here. Keep checking in Bangkok..let us know how it's going. We thinking of you.
Hawk :ok:

[MAYDAYMAYDAY]

There are HIV tests available now that provide more immediate results. Rather than testing for HIV antibodies, they test for the viral process itself. There have been some reports of false positive results however it may be an option to consider asking your doctor about.

Good luck and remember that there is still a very good chance you were not exposed to the virus.

[WrongWayCorrigan]

You said you were going to let us know. What's the news?

[Little One]

Wrong Way I believe your post is very insensitive. The outcome has nothing to do with you as far as I am concerned and if BK layover wants to keep the outcome to themselves they should be allowed to.

I ask you to consider removing your post from the forum.

To BK i believe you have no obligation to reply and think that the mods might consider removing these(incl mine) entries.

[AMiller]

I wonder what he gets up to on his stopovers? Are we really surprised??

Discuss

[girtbar]

A Miller what the utter **** is your problem!!?? This person may have been infected with a virus that will be hard enough to deal with, without your sneering comments. Wether it was sexually transmitted or not or picked up on a nightstop does that mean they deserve it? Are you in a good enough possition to be passing judgement like this is a TV show and not an actual person with emotion, feeling and sensitivity?

Oh god this person has layovers must be a bad person, now lets all entertain ourselves with their downfall.

Why not discuss your major malfunction?

[YYZ]

AMiller

Has your alleged military background made you forget how to consider other peoples feelings, I was under the impression that the 1940's type attitude has now been replaced by a more sensitive & compassionate approach?

Jet Blast is the Forum for such posts!

[Farrell]

AMiller - you T@SSER!

Get back under your rock you insensitive ******!

[Jerricho]

Don't send him to Jet Blast.

We don't want hosers like that :rolleyes:

[Hawk]

No thanks to those later posters who dropped this thread into a series of personal attacks and abuse. Thread locked.

Bangkok Layover, I'm sure many would like to know how you are managing. Please feel free to start another thread if you wish.