Man appears free of HIV after stem cell transplant

AOII Angel · #1 02-13-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Like pneumonia which, by itself, is not AIDS? I don't believe a lot of the "facts" that are permitted to be spread by the media. I'm not a scientist, so I don't necessarily understand all the science behind AIDS research, but that's not what I'm talking about anyway.

Pneumonia in and of itself is NOT AIDS defining. Pneumonia with fungal types not seen in immunocompetent patients certainly is AIDS defining if the patient already has HIV status. Without a compromised immune system, every human can fight off these pathogens. I don't understand all these conspiracy theories involving medicine. We really do want people to get better, we really don't just prescribe drugs to get the free pens and we don't make up diseases just to keep pharmaceutical companies in business.

preciousjeni · #2 02-13-2009, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Pneumonia in and of itself is NOT AIDS defining. Pneumonia with fungal types not seen in immunocompetent patients certainly is AIDS defining if the patient already has HIV status. Without a compromised immune system, every human can fight off these pathogens. I don't understand all these conspiracy theories involving medicine. We really do want people to get better, we really don't just prescribe drugs to get the free pens and we don't make up diseases just to keep pharmaceutical companies in business.

Do you happen to know if there's been a study done to test the incidence of fungal pneumonia in non-HIV-positive patients vs. HIV-postitive patients who are not being treated for HIV/AIDS vs. HIV-positive patients who are being treated for HIV/AIDS? I'd be interested in those results.

Anyway, I am VERY skeptical of western medicine though my life has been saved more than once by modern medical advances. I do my best to stay away from doctors and medicine.

AOII Angel · #3 02-13-2009, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by preciousjeni

Do you happen to know if there's been a study done to test the incidence of fungal pneumonia in non-HIV-positive patients vs. HIV-postitive patients who are not being treated for HIV/AIDS vs. HIV-positive patients who are being treated for HIV/AIDS? I'd be interested in those results.

Anyway, I am VERY skeptical of western medicine though my life has been saved more than once by modern medical advances. I do my best to stay away from doctors and medicine.

Yes...they have studied all of this! Deaths from AIDS are actually due to these infections and opportunistic cancers, not due to the virus itself. Treatment for HIV has actually been a huge success. Being diagnosed is no longer a death sentence. Medications are much better and less likely to cause major side effects like pancreatitis. People with HIV now are treated like patients with chronic disease, not patients who are terminal.

As for staying away from doctors and medicine, a dose of preventative medicine goes a long way!

Senusret I · #4 02-13-2009, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Yes...they have studied all of this! Deaths from AIDS are actually due to these infections and opportunistic cancers, not due to the virus itself. Treatment for HIV has actually been a huge success. Being diagnosed is no longer a death sentence. Medications are much better and less likely to cause major side effects like pancreatitis. People with HIV now are treated like patients with chronic disease, not patients who are terminal.

As for staying away from doctors and medicine, a dose of preventative medicine goes a long way!

This is true, yet very unfortunate. I work for a Ryan White CARE Act funded organization and I can say that people ARE still dying of AIDS out here.

AOII Angel · #5 02-13-2009, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Senusret I

This is true, yet very unfortunate. I work for a Ryan White CARE Act funded organization and I can say that people ARE still dying of AIDS out here.

Oh, I'm sure there are a lot of people who are still dying. Not everyone has access to these drugs, not everyone will take the drugs and some people still do have severe side effects that make it impossible to take the drugs. Hopefully, we will be able to make these meds accessible to anyone who needs them.

fantASTic · #6 02-13-2009, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AOII Angel

Oh, I'm sure there are a lot of people who are still dying. Not everyone has access to these drugs, not everyone will take the drugs and some people still do have severe side effects that make it impossible to take the drugs. Hopefully, we will be able to make these meds accessible to anyone who needs them.

It's also worth pointing out that different people react differently to the same drugs. You may respond very well and have no problems from the HIV while on retrovirals, while I could show no improvement.

AOII Angel · #7 02-13-2009, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fantASTic

It's also worth pointing out that different people react differently to the same drugs. You may respond very well and have no problems from the HIV while on retrovirals, while I could show no improvement.

That's very unlikely, however. The vast majority of patients who take these drugs control their HIV viral loads very well.