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Contact
Info:
6399 Wilshire Blvd.
Suite 205
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 651-9888
(323) 651-5988 Fax |
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email: pepla90@aol.com |
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Here
are some frequently asked questions (FAQs):
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1.
What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? |
Quite
simply, HIV is the virus (Human Immune-deficiency
Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immune-Deficiency Syndrome)
is the disease. Now, some more details: the virus
is a ‘human’ virus – it does not
survive in animals or mosquitoes. It is very fragile
outside of the human body and dies with contact
to air. HIV attacks the body’s defense system
(the Immune System) and makes it difficult for the
body to fight off infections and other diseases.
Because the immune system is damaged, some infections
take this "opportunity" to spread and grow dangerously.
These infections are called "opportunistic
infections".
When they get really big and life-threatening, they
are called opportunistic diseases. The most common
and deadly are: PCP (a kind of pneumonia), KS (a
cancer), and TB (tuberculosis). One definition of
AIDS can be classified as a person who has two
(2) or more of the 28 opportunistic diseases.
Now, back to the immune system: when HIV attacks
the immune system, it kills specific cells called
T-cells. These cells alert the immune system that
there is an ‘enemy’ invading and the
T-cells send out antibodies. Normally the antibodies
can wipe out the ‘enemy’ but because
HIV reproduces so quickly inside of the T-cells,
the antibodies are not effective. The T-cells die.
To see how damaged the immune system is, doctors
count the number of these T-cells/teeny drop of
blood. If a person has a good immune system, the
doctors count 800-1,200 T-cells/sample of blood.
Another definition of AIDS is classified a person
who has a damaged immune system because
of HIV and the their T-cell count drops below 200.
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2.
What is ‘the test’? |
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‘The
test’ is a test for the ANTIBODIES
to HIV;
it is NOT a test for HIV and
it is NOT a test for AIDS. If a person tests ‘HIV-positive’
it means that there are antibodies present in the
blood sample and the person is infected with HIV.
OK, it gets tricky now: it can take between 2.5
weeks and 6 months for a person to show antibodies
to HIV. Yet, HIV can still be in the blood and can
be transmitted to another person! We are all different and we all have different
immune systems. This period of time for antibody
development is called the “Window period”.
Important:
If
one has had unprotected sex or a blood-to-blood
contact with someone with HIV within 6 months, s/he
needs to take a second test because of the window
period.
Here’s
a situation: “My
boyfriend had unprotected sex with someone 2 months
ago but today he tested HIV-negative. Is it safe
to have unprotected sex with him?”
Answer:
It
is NEVER safe to have unprotected sex with anyone!
He could still be in the window period (not showing
antibodies but still has HIV). He needs to get tested
6 months from that last risky behavior.
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3.
Is oral sex risky? |
Yes!
Oral sex can be very risky because there can be
microscopic cuts in the mouth, on the penis and
in the vagina. We know that HIV is in high concentrations
in semen, pre cum and in vaginal fluids. Any time
there is an opening for any of these fluids, there
is a risk of HIV transmission. Better to keep any
of these fluids out of your mouth. Better yet, get
to know the previous sexual history of your partner.
Oral sex is pretty intimate stuff and you need to
make sure you really want to get that personal
with your partner. |
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4.
If I get infected, why can’t I just take those ‘AIDS
drugs’? |
Don’t
even think about it! These drugs are not the
solution for everyone– prevention is!!! The specific
statistics: 1) 30% of all people who take the
‘HIV/AIDS drugs’ have to stop because
of the terrible side effects (horrible diarrhea,
immobilizing fatigue, constant vomiting, dementia,
just to mention a few) and 30%-50% have a strain
of HIV that builds up a tolerance and resistance
to the drugs (the virus mutates or changes)
and then the drugs are no longer effective.
That means only ~20% are doing OK. 2) One in
every seven of the people living with HIV have
a resistance to at least one of the 15 drugs
available. In other words, they do not work
for a lot of people, yet fortunately they are
effective for some of our friends with
HIV/AIDS. |
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Other
thoughts: |
1.
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They
are prohibitively expensive ($2,000/2
week drug supply).
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2.
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They
have to be taken on a strict
regimen:
1 pill/2 hrs, 2 pills/4 hrs, 1 pill
with food, 1 pill on empty stomach,
1 pill with high fat, etc. Who can take
pills when there is violent vomiting?
And one often takes 40 pills/day!
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3.
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If
one misses even one dose, the virus
becomes resistant and even
stronger causing the medication to
become ineffective in combating the
virus.
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4. |
If
one decides to start the HIV/AIDS
medicines, it will be on your medical
records which can cause future
problems with medical insurance, school/college
acceptance, getting a job, keeping an
apartment, telling your family…..there
is still a terrible and needless discrimination
for people living with HIV/AIDS. |
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5.
“If I get infected, I’m going to be REALLY
mad
at my partner!” |
Hey!
Not so fast with the accusations! Why didn’t
you say “NO”? Why didn’t you use
a condom??? The only person you can blame is YOURSELF.
Where was your feeling of self-worth? You have a choice
– please make the correct and safe choice. |
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HIV
is preventable! Don’t
get infected in the first place! Either be abstinent (truly
the best decision) or if already sexually active, you have
to use a latex condom properly and every time you have sex.
Hey!!! Not everyone is having sex – why are you? |
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6.
Why should I get involved with PEP/LA? |
We
have known about the dangers of HIV/AIDS for more
than 20 years. We know that an HIV infection is
associated with three (3) specific activities
(unprotected sex, blood-to-blood contact, infected
mother to child). We know the behaviors to avoid and
we know how to prevent HIV/AIDS (abstinence,
condoms, sterile needles). But
why are people still getting infected with HIV???
In the world more than 16,000 people get HIV/day;
2000 of these are babies. Even in the USA, one
person is infected every 15 minutes. WHY?
There is a feeling of denial ("It won't happen
to me!"); peer pressure and the use of alcohol
and drugs contribute to risky behaviors. "I
know my partner", "I trust my
partner..." hah! can you really trust
that partner? hey, if you can't talk about sex
(protection, previous partners) then perhaps you're
not ready to have sex. We have to promote dialogue
and communication about sexuality. Poverty is
directly associated with high numbers of people with
HIV/AIDS. Many mothers have sex to feed their hungry
babies; there are students who have sex for school
fees. You
can make a difference! Talk to your
friends and family about how to prevent HIV/AIDS.
Talk to your peers about the importance of stopping
discrimination of people with HIV/AIDS. Remember:
"AIDS is a disease, not a disgrace"
and "AIDS is a medical concern not
social stigma. |
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More
questions that PEP/LA will answer in detail: 1.
“If one condom is good, are two condoms even better?”
(No!!)
2. “If both people in a couple have HIV, do they still
have to use condoms?”(Yes!!)
3. “What is the difference between the “incubation
period” and the “window period”?”
("Incubation": time between infection and signs
and symptoms (hours, years, decades). "Window":
time it takes for HIV antibodies to develop after infection
(2.5 weeks to 6 months))
4. “Can a person get infected with HIV by getting a
tattoo?” (Yes!!) |
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