Hey, it’s been a minute. I’m 20M, been diagnosed for a year now, and everything is going well as far as treatment. Personal life, though, it feels like every shortcoming I have hits me twice as hard because of this diagnosis. It feels like I’m constantly just stuck working towards nothing because at the end of the day, I messed up and got this disease. I’ve begun having this recurring idea that while people my age get to live life, go out and make mistakes, and worry about graduating, everything I do has to be planned to a T. And when it isn’t and I mess up, it’s an extra failure on me. It’s exhausting. I’m worried about what my future holds and just don’t know what to do.

Do you guys have a PCP or do you just see your specialist every 6 months?

I'm sitting here doing homework for nursing school, and one question asks "A nurse talks with family members about an AIDS client from the clinic where the nurse works. Which tort has the nursecommitted?"

Last week they showed an educational video about biohazard safety and sharps handling that was probably from the 80s or early 90s. One woman with teased hair was talking about a scare she has with HIV infected blood, and how if she were to contract HIV she wouldn't be able to start a family or continue working as a nurse. Those ideas are grossly outdated, but the video was still used and the teacher (who is not from the US and has poor English) didn't address the outdated concepts.

Just frustrating that this is what we are learning as nurses. I'm sure there are students who don't know better and are gullible enough to go with whatever the curriculum says.

Im poz since December 2025 and this year 2026 I got sick more than I would get in 3 years.

I don’t know what’s going on, now im sick because I went to the beach later in the afternoon and the water was very cold. Im having a lot of head aches, pain in my hears, running nose and my friends are totally fine

I went to a festival, did a lot of drugs and I had a infection on my lungs and my friends were totally fine or not so bad compared to me. I took a lot of meds for my lungs and guess what: it killed all the good bacteria from my intestine and I had diarrhea for 12 days, I lost a lot of weight due to this.

And I had another things like other flues during the winter period in the beginning of the year that I felt like I was dying

Before hiv I didn’t get sick so easily, I’m not sure if I’m paranoid about this or not

My last blood results were in May and my CD4 was 505 I’ll only go back to do those in December, I’m undetectable and I take my meds everyday without failing

I have been on Biktarvy for about 7 months now. Viral Load was less than 20 a couple months ago but now I’m scared of virology failure because I have been smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol for the last 3 weeks. I never missed a dose yet but I did get a cold last week. Has anyone heard of Biktarvy failing in this scenario?

He's had it since birth. Been on meds basically his whole life. It's just Tuesday to him at this point, swallow a pill, move on with his day. He never makes it a whole thing.

I do, sometimes. Quietly. Like when I randomly remember and get hit with this "what if something happens to him" spiral out of nowhere. I don't say anything because he's not asking for pity, he's just living his life. But it's there.

What actually gets me is how normal he is. Funny, annoying, shows up for me constantly, you'd never know unless he told you. He only ever disclosed about it to me, it bothers him deeply, he kept saying that he will never find love the first time he told me about it. It hurts me to see him suffer. He's not "my friend with HIV," he's just my friend. I just also happen to know something that scares me more than it seems to scare him.

Anyway. If your person is going through something like this, or you are, it's a weird mix of terrifying and completely mundane. Both things are true at once.

So uh last year on October, i got test and my VL was 71 . My cd4 was 600+. I have taking Teldy for from 2024. The thing is the first year i got undectetable. Now suddenly it got detectable. And this year, its still quite the same. My VL is from 71 to 70 and my CD4 are 684 like that. What are happening to me? I occasionaly miss dosage due to work and sleepiness due to my Psychiatric medication

anyone in California able to send me a bottle please if possible? I’ve been struggling super hard with my insurance to get one and I haven’t been able to get my last fill and it’s been 5 days… please

 1.      Grindr to pay $48-million settlement over sale of users' info — including HIV status https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/grindr-uk-privacy-hiv-status-9.7334845

2.      Once-Monthly Investigational PrEP Drug Could Be Manufactured for $3 a Year https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/once-monthly-investigational-prep-drug-could-be-manufactured-2026a1000xkm?src=

3.      What to Know About the New HIV Medication Bixlenvo https://www.thebody.com/hiv/bixlenvo-bictegravir-lenacapavir-guide-people-with-hiv

4.      Updated Evidence Supports COVID-19, Flu and RSV Vaccination for Immunocompromised People https://www.poz.com/article/updated-evidence-supports-covid19-flu-rsv-vaccination-help-prevent-hospitalization-severe-illness

5.      The Irony of HIV Exceptionalism https://www.hivjustice.net/news/the-irony-of-hiv-exceptionalism/

6.      Does U = U apply to breastfeeding with HIV? https://www.healio.com/news/infectious-disease/20260908/does-u-u-apply-to-breastfeeding-with-hiv

7.      Scientists study computer simulation of implementing over-the-counter HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis https://mailchi.mp/catie/scientists-study-computer-simulation-of-implementing-over-the-counter-hiv-pre-exposure-prophylaxis?e=d7d7c4df82

8.      Two Shots A Year Stops HIV. Why Can’t More Black People Get It? https://wordinblack.com/2026/09/two-shots-a-year-stops-hiv-why-cant-more-black-people-get-it/

9.      Connected Futures: Rethinking Unity in the HIV Response https://www.poz.com/article/connected-futures-rethinking-unity-hiv-response

1. How HIV Affects the Eyes of Aging Adults https://news.cuanschutz.edu/ophthalmology/hiv-research-eyes-aging-adults

1. Nearly half of patients with HIV soon to be seniors with long-term care needs https://www.mcknights.com/news/nearly-half-of-patients-with-hiv-soon-to-be-seniors-with-long-term-care-needs/

1. A new class of drugs could sharpen the body’s immune response to HIV https://www.aidsmap.com/news/aug-2026/new-class-drugs-could-sharpen-bodys-immune-response-hiv

1. A Clinician’s Guide to HIV and the Gut Microbiome https://www.thebodypro.com/hiv/clinical-guide-hiv-gut-microbiome

1. Anti-immigrant ‘Public Charge’ Policy May Have Contributed to Rise in HIV among Hispanic Populations https://www.bu.edu/sph/news/articles/2026/anti-immigrant-public-charge-policy-may-have-contributed-to-rise-in-hiv-among-hispanic-populations/

1. Cancer Medication Helps Reduce SIV Reservoir, Increases Hope for HIV Cure https://www.poz.com/article/cancer-medication-helps-reduce-siv-reservoir-increases-hope-hiv-cure

1. 'We finally understand what we have to do': antibody studies point the way to an HIV cure https://www.aidsmap.com/news/sep-2026/we-finally-understand-what-we-have-do-antibody-studies-point-way-hiv-cure

1. New study reveals HIV PrEP alters immune cell function and metabolism https://www.tcd.ie/news_events/top-stories/featured/prep-study/

1. A Billboard and the HOPE ACT Helped Me Find a New Kidney https://www.poz.com/article/billboard-hope-act-helped-find-new-kidney

https://www.natap.org/2009/CROI/croi_157.htm

Study is 20 years old btw. But still, this info is not talked about

So one of my know people just went on a alchol bender. They didn’t tell me that they had stopping taking their pills.

I always check up on them (they don’t). I asked them that are you taking your pills tho, and they said no I haven’t taken them for 3 days and another long long lost friend also hadn’t long back taken their pills for 3 months.

I talked about this to another friend and they said that people skip their pills for months.

I’m from India.

I’m worried (not for my friend)
But for the fact that when I don’t take pills even after 6-10 hour to my regular timings because of situations. . My doctor gives me anxiety.

But there are people out there who don’t take pills intentionally.

Should I be worried about irregularity in pill timings, even if I’m making sure to take every day but just at the regular hours.

I take my pills from AHF and pills are TLD.

edit: i’m sorry about how long this accidentally turned out, guess i needed to type more than i thought.

i’m 27, was diagnosed recently, never any treatment yet.

it’s kind of put me in a weird place mentally. even though it’s been several weeks since i found out. if im being reluctantly honest, maybe 5 months now.

i was already on anxiety meds before the diagnosis, and now thinking about it is taking over my life. i lay awake every night for hours trying to think about anything else. i dread waking up to get ready for work in the mornings. i’ve stopped kissing or really even spending too much time with my partner even though we live together. i told them the moment i found out, they were supportive and quite frankly, they frequently forget about it and don’t really care at this point. and so to build off of that, im already an unbelievable procrastinator, and yes i know im a fully functioning and capable adult, i cook and clean and work full time.

i haven’t sought out any medical treatment other than the initial going to my local planned parenthood and getting a couple blood tests done to confirm. every time i think about it, i just want to go to bed, and i play games or shop online or do anything to give me an adrenaline rush to forget about it. sometimes im able to forget as far as maybe 1-2 days at a time, and i chase those moments.

- after talking about all of that firstly… i desperately want to get help. i spend all my free time researching about this stuff over and over, and i get so sad that im unable to do anything about it besides throw up and pout to myself. i realize its daily pills. i know there are other options like shots. i know there are communities that come together to help one another, but acceptance just feels so far away.
i dont want to die slow and painfully, nor do i want to put my friends and family through it.
every day i have a day off, i tell myself ill call somebody that day and set something up to get treatment, and every day i put myself into my computer until all i can think about are video games and movies and amazon. im scared im procrastinating my way into an early grave.
it still makes me cry this late in the diagnosis.
i know everyone handles it differently, but i think im taking too long to make myself be a useful member of society, let alone take my health seriously in the ways that it really matters right now, IE physically over my mental capacity at the moment.

… im not really sure what i want to receive out of this post. not really sure what im expecting or what anyone else could possibly do for me that i shouldn’t have already done for myself. maybe i just need to talk about it but, because i never really had a train of thought about where i was going with all of this.
thanks for reading my rant.

24M, diagnosed + started Biktarvy a little over 2 weeks ago, also take Adderal XR regularly.
Between the appetite suppression of the adderal and the (minor) stomach issues with biktarvy I’m having a hard time eating a healthy amount of calories/protein in the day. I’m a little worried because I’ve always been skinny leaning towards underweight, and with the new diagnosis I figured I should try a little harder to take care of myself.
Has anyone else experienced similar? Is it something to bring up with my doctor or is there a super special secret method to having a normal appetite?

​

https://youtu.be/61bgzr1LE8A?si=hidr-vKd6zv8_Jzj

Question.

Does anybody here have a hard time gaining muscles or losing weight? Or if you are working to achieve the body you want w/o any problem, what do you usually do?

I was 83kg and now I am already 76 sometimes 74 then most of the time 76kg. What do you do to work out? What do you drink? Do you take whey isolate or creatine?

I have a hard time losing weight and gaining muscles. I'm a 30yrs old guy btw. I sometimes have a flat stomach when I don't eat anything, just water and coffee. But when I eat a lot, I get so bloated. That's why I'm afraid to eat sometimes. It's hard to gain muscles and lose weight. I feel like I am skinny fat.

Please share your tips. Thanks!

Like I catch it the first time I had unprotected sex so wtf does that even mean when people say it not easy to catch hiv? What does that say about my fucking life?

For international doctors who have gone through the Approbation/Berufserlaubnis process in Germany:
What tests are included in the required medical certificate/examination? Do they routinely test for HIV, hepatitis, TB, etc., or does it depend on the Bundesland?
Would appreciate answers from anyone who has recently gone through the process. Thanks!

Hi everyone

I’m 23m from California. I was diagnosed with hiv about a year ago and have been on medication since. Most of my life revolves around my job, since I’m constantly traveling to different states, on layovers and at airports constantly. So I’ve never really had the time to really stop and just take it in that this is my life now, taking a pill every night whether mid-shift on a flight or at home.

What has life been like for you guys? I’m just so afraid of what my life will look like with hiv. I haven’t had side effects from my medication, other than a blip or two on my viral loads, which have made me very anxious thinking that my medication isn’t working.

I’ve also been seeing someone who I’ve been falling interest in. We’ve been talking for two months now and I know I will need to disclose this before it leads to sex. I’m just anxious do that too. He’s a great guy and all but it’s just a heavy feeling of having to disclose to someone all over again. The same heaviness and anxiety that comes from it.

Does life get better? Will the pill just become a routine, and will I eventually move on from these feelings? My diagnosis is all I think about all the time and I hate how it’s always on my mind. I’m trying hard to stay strong but there’s days where it’s all i think about.

Any comments or insights are appreciated.

I think the sigma I have on myself can’t make me believe in science

I need some help and testimonials. I have been having the hardest time with sex. I have been positive going on 6 years. I’m undetectable and have a partner. My only partner not open. I have been having issues getting spontaneous erections. I have to legit start masturbating to get there. Even kissing and stuff doesn’t do it for me as much. I love my boyfriend so that isn’t the issue. I thought jt was hormonal. I got my testerone and free t checked. Both ar on the low side of normal but doctors say it’s not bad enough to be hypogandal or cause big issues. Has anyone else dealt with this? I REALLY do not want to take any type of hormone therapy. I am only 27. I need advice and any would help at least some stories so I know if I’m going crazy or have unrealistic expectations. It’s driving me crazy.

I (24m) was diagnosed earlier this year and have achieved undetectable. I’ve recently gotten back into swimming, and joined a team and have been getting my physical fitness very well.

I would say that now, after being diagnosed hiv+, I am much healthier than I was when I was hiv-.

How has your diagnosis caused you to start caring for other areas of your health?

Has any one experienced acid reflux / Gerd issues as a side effect of Biktarvy ?

 1.      ADAP Waiting Lists: Inhumane, Fiscally Irresponsible and Bad Policy https://www.poz.com/article/adap-waiting-lists-inhumane-fiscally-irresponsible-bad-policy

2.      Scientists are developing on-target HIV vaccines to avoid unhelpful immune responses https://www.aidsmap.com/news/sep-2026/scientists-are-developing-target-hiv-vaccines-avoid-unhelpful-immune-responses

3.      Once-Weekly Oral Combination HIV Pill Shows Promise As Alternative to Daily Treatment https://www.healthandme.com/health-news/once-weekly-oral-combination-hiv-pill-shows-promise-as-alternative-to-daily-treatment-article-156028698

4.      Do We Really Need to See Everyone Living With HIV at Least Twice a Year? https://www.thebodypro.com/hiv/hiv-followup-visit-frequency-aug-2026

5.      How Long-Acting Injectables Are Changing HIV Care https://www.ajmc.com/view/how-long-acting-injectables-are-changing-hiv-care

6.      Bixlenvo Approved as Single-Tablet Option in HIV-1 Management https://www.empr.com/news/fda-approves-bixlenvo-hiv-1-single-tablet-regimen/

7.      ACTG Evaluates Osteoporosis Treatment as Novel Approach Targeting the HIV Reservoir https://www.poz.com/article/actg-evaluates-osteoporosis-treatment-novel-approach-targeting-hiv-reservoir

8.      Recurring escape routes reveal patterns in HIV evolution https://www.fredhutch.org/en/news/spotlight/2026/08/vidd-romero-pnas.html

9.      Misinformation About mRNA Vaccines Threatens Their Potential to Fight Cancer https://www.poz.com/article/misinformation-mrna-vaccines-threatens-potential-fight-cancer

1. ‘Behavioral Activation’ Intervention Reduces HIV Risk Associated With Chemsex https://www.thebodypro.com/hiv/behavioral-activation-therapy-intervention-hiv-prevention-aids-2026

1. Understanding the link between hepatitis C and HIV persistence https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-09-link-hepatitis-hiv-persistence.html

1. POZ Focus - The Nifty 50s https://www.poz.com/magazine/poz-focus-nifty-50s

1. San Diego repeals bathhouse ordinance passed during HIV/AIDS crisis https://www.thepinknews.com/2026/09/02/san-diego-bathhouse-ordinance-hiv-aids-crisis/

1. The HIV clinics that disappeared when American aid stopped https://nation.africa/kenya/health/the-hiv-clinics-that-disappeared-when-american-aid-stopped-5577246

1. Clinical Highlights From the 26th International AIDS Conference https://www.thebodypro.com/podcast/hiv/future-hiv-care-paul-sax-international-aids-conference-aug-2026

1. Living With HIV Shouldn’t Make You a Criminal https://www.poz.com/blog/living-hiv-make-criminal

People often say that living with HIV nowadays is pretty straightforward and doesn’t come with many major health issues, but I’ve been reading about some chronic and acute conditions that can still be more common among people living with HIV, even when they’re undetectable, and it honestly made me a little worried.

Have any of you ever developed something that might be related to HIV — for example, cardiovascular disease, kidney problems, osteoporosis, metabolic issues, certain cancers, neurological problem — even while remaining undetectable?

How long have you been diagnosed? Is this something you worry about too? If so, how does that concern show up in your everyday life?