Interview 12 – HIV

He suffered from severe diarrhoea and peripheral neuropathy while taking an earlier combination of anti-HIV drugs, but he currently takes nelfinavir, 3TC and abacavir with few side effects. He has had to cope with HIV-related illness, depression and mania at various times in his life.

For more clips from this interview click here.

He needed the support of a counsellor after he learned that his health was in serious decline. He…

Age at interview 38

Gender Male

Age at diagnosis 24

I can remember him (the HIV consultant) saying we did another test and we’ve measured your T cell count, your T cell count is 400, that indicates that your immune system is on the brink. Now I clung to the fact that it took ten years forten years for you to progress from initial infection to AIDS and death. But here was I finding my immune system was already half goneand I was like oh my God, I didn’t have a clue what a T cell count was. And then he said you’ll probably have to start AZT immediately and then it was explained you knowthen I was like out of his office and there was obviously the counsellor who was actually completely different you know, he was much more sympathetic and human. He took some time to explain things and make an appointment, a follow-up appointment for me. And you know I mentioned the AZT and he just said don’t worry about that you know

Embed Print Transcript