HEAL London

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Re: Introducing new partners to questioning HIV/AIDS

Finding out where they stand first seems like a good first step. Has anyone done it successfully?

Dishonest doctoring

I've had a number of reports of doctors and other medical professionals not behaving ethically all the time when dealing with people diagnosed HIV+. It seems that they so fervently believe people should be taking AIDS drugs that they are willing to lie through their teeth and use deception to get people to take them, presumably on the basis that the end justifies the means.

Have you had any experiences where medical professionals did not behave in an ethical manner with you, leaving aside for a moment the issue of whether they were right about HIV or not?

Discrimination from colleagues

Has anyone been open about having an HIV+ diagnosis at work? And how have you handled it? And, how did people respond?

And what about sharing that your own perspective of the meaning of an HIV+ diagnosis differed somewhat from what most people think? Were you villified?

Breaking in your doctor

It's come to my attention that many people have trouble with their ordinary GP when their GP finds out they've been diagnosed HIV+. I've had one report of a doctor 'freaking out' when his patient told him they'd been diagnosed HIV+ and stopped taking the meds after a short period of time.

Has anyone found an effective way of getting your doctor on side?

Introducing new partners to questioning HIV/AIDS

I've found that when dating new partners, a tricky issue to bring up is when and how to discuss with them what I spend a lot of my time doing - that is, challenging the orthodox perspective on HIV and AIDS.

I've had some very surprising experiences so far: One guy I was chatting with online told me he was diagnosed HIV+, and I said it didn't bother me, and was he aware that...? To my surprise, his next message was full of fury - "Don't challenge MY HIV", and when I replied I found he'd blocked me . Another guy I stupidly discussed this whole issue with on a first date (I genuinely thought he could handle it) decided he wanted no further contact as he thought I must be lying about my own HIV negative status (whatever that means).

Have you found an effective way to introduce it to people?