Some people may experience a flu-like illness within 2-4 weeks after contracting HIV.
Flu-like symptoms can include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Rash
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Swollen lymph nodes
These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. It is important to remember that HIV infection may not show up on an HIV test by this time, but people who have it are still highly infectious and can spread the infection to others. Keep in mind that some people can end up not showing any symptoms for up to 10 years!
After the early stage of HIV infection, the disease moves into a stage called the clinical latency stage (also known as “chronic HIV infection”). People in this stage may still not have any HIV-related symptoms or only slight ones.
For people who aren’t taking medicine to treat HIV, at this point it can last a decade or longer, but some may advance through this phase faster than others. People who are taking medicine to treat HIV and are taking it the right way, can end up being in this stage for many decades because treatment helps keep the virus minimal.
If you have HIV and you are not taking medication, the virus will eventually weaken your body’s immune system and it will advance to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), also known as, the late stage of HIV infection.
Symptoms can include but are not limited to:
- Extreme weight loss
- Recurring fever
- Unexplained tiredness
- Long-term swelling of the lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck
- Pneumonia
- Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids
- Memory loss, and other neurologic disorders.
Remember that these symptoms can also mean that you have contracted a different illness, so do not just assume that you have HIV or AIDS. Get tested if you are worried about it, and if you test positive GET YOUR MEDICATION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. The sooner you start treatment, the better you will feel in the long-run. There is no cure, but it is imperative that you take medication, and take it the correct way if you want the best prognosis possible.
Reference:
Symptoms of HIV. (2015, December 31). Retrieved October 10, 2016, from https://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/signs-and-symptoms/
Hey Claire! I really enjoyed reading your blog because I do not know much information about HIV/AIDS. It was very informative and I learned a lot. Thanks for sharing!!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate this post. We all know that HIV/AIDS is a thing, but the way you explained it provided more clarification for me. It is never too much information to know about HIV/AIDS.
ReplyDeleteCrazy that the timing of medication has that much impact on how long the first stage of HIV lasts! Getting tested and starting treatment early is so important and Im glad that your blog really highlighted that. I like the layout of your blog as well. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI did not that the timing of medication has such a big impact on the first stage of HIV. Getting tested is very important, although you won't know right away, just practicing safe sex and knowing your partner status could go a long way. The lay out of the information you provided flowed very well. Thanks for sharing the information.
ReplyDeleteYour post was very well written and contained a lot of useful information. I think that the topic you chose was smart as well simply because I don't think that there could ever be enough teaching about any kind of STDs. I like how you made sure to include symptoms and you also made sure to state that just because someone may be experiencing these symptoms doesn't mean that they have HIV and that they could have another illness. I also really like how when you started talking about getting tested and medication that you put some of the information in all caps to show importance and to better grab your reader's attention. Awesome post!
ReplyDeleteI like how you made your last post about what the symptoms are and what you should be looking for. My uncle died of HIV/AIDS when I was in high school, so I can really relate to your blog topic. I remember thinking back then that I didn't think that he looked or acted sick in any way, and you stated in your post that sometimes in some patients symptoms don't show up for a very long time, and they can seem relatively healthy. If you are a sexually active person, you should always be screened for any type of STD, especially HIV/AIDS. Great post, and great blog!
ReplyDeleteThis is a very important topic to blog about, especially to your peers. A lot of people do not like going to the doctor because it cost money, and you may find out something about yourself you didn't know. It is vital that we go see our doctors for regular check ups, because we might think of these symptoms as something so small, then turnout to be so big. HIV/AIDS are very dangerous to the human body, and without treatment can spread and get worst. The most dangerous part is, if someone has these symptoms listed in the post and does not go to the doctor, they are at risk at spreading this infection. Great post, very informative.
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