My name is Bradley and I am originally from London but now live in Manchester. I was diagnosed as HIV positive in early 2005 after a particularly unsafe sexual experience.
I managed to deal with my diagnosis by taking comfort from the many professionals who reassured me that it would be many years before I would have to worry about taking tablets or worry about symptoms. I was told to get on with my life and that is what I did. However, looking back now I was foolish because I didn't deal properly with the issues that I had. I chose not to confront it, in the hope that in five to seven years time I might be better prepared.
Around three months after my diagnosis and less than 1 year after my estimated seroconversion I noticed a lump on my neck. After lots of different tests and a biopsy I was diagnosed with TB. My CD4 count feel from around 396 at diagnosis to 55 in just nine months. My viral load increased from around 100,000 on diagnosis to two million in the same time period as well as losing four stone in weight.
The last six months have not been the best. I've been in and out of hospital after having several drug reactions and I now have very painful peripheral neuropathy in both my hands and feet. The doctors can't quite make out whether it is the TB drugs or the HIV causing the problem. My TB drugs have now been extended to one year after several complications.
When I felt I was at my lowest point I used to search the Internet for help with this terrible dual infection... there was nothing. Despite many articles stating how common it was I felt there was no support for people going through it.
I am now well on the way to recovery, but I have another nine months of TB medication to take and I am now taking HIV drugs as well. Things have moved so quickly for me and I'm still coming to terms with things now. Your website is greatly needed and appreciated and I want to share my story to let others know that there is light at the end of the tunnel even when you are at your lowest.
Only four months ago I was crawling around on my hands and knees thinking that I was going to die, and now I'm planning for the future again. I must admit that this experience has left me viewing life in a different way. I wonder if this has had a similar effect on other people that have experienced this?
My advice for anyone going through this is to take lots of rest and don't be too proud to ask for help. This will be a long road that you have to go down, but you will reach home eventually and start living your life again.
