•  HIV TRANSMISSION

Getting Infected With HIV in 2005: How Stupid Should I Feel?
I may have been infected with HIV, but the worst thing for me is not the possibility of having HIV -- it's the guilt and shame I feel for having anal sex without a condom in the year 2005! Until now I thought, how stupid can people be to put themselves at risk for HIV? But now I've done exactly that. What is wrong with me?


Why Do Some People Stay Negative After Repeated HIV Exposures?
When I met my husband three years ago, I was unaware that I was HIV positive. Within a year we discovered my status, but by then we'd had unprotected sex numerous times, even during my period. Yet he's still negative. How can this be true -- and does it mean it's safe for us to try to have a baby?


Can My Boyfriend and I Share HIV Meds?
I have HIV, and my boyfriend is too afraid to get tested. Is it OK for him to just take my HIV medications instead?


Ruling Out HIV Infection in a Newborn Baby
I'm adopting a baby who was born to an HIV-positive mother. The baby tested HIV negative at birth, but how long do we have to test before we're sure the baby is HIV-free?

•  HIV TREATMENT

Herbs vs. HIV Medications: Which Is Better?
I know that herbs can't cure HIV, but can they treat HIV infection just as well as medications can? I once used herbs on a cyst I had and it healed in two weeks. Isn't anything created by God much stronger than anything made by humans?


Grapefruit With Kaletra?
Is it safe to take grapefruit seed extract if I'm taking Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir)?


Uncontrollable Itching and Sleeplessness on Efavirenz + Truvada?
Two weeks ago, I started my first HIV treatment regimen: efavirenz (Sustiva, Stocrin) + Truvada (tenofovir/FTC), which I took once a day at bedtime. After 10 days, I developed a fever of 102 and broke out in a full-body rash that itches intensely. My dermatologist and my HIV doctor both say it doesn't seem to be the kind of rash that's normally associated with efavirenz (one of them thinks it may be a reaction to my herpes medication), but considering I've had trouble sleeping since starting treatment, I'm considering stopping my meds entirely. What do you think?

•  HIV-RELATED HEALTH ISSUES

Hypersensitivity to Cold: An HIV-Related Condition?
I'm a nurse who treats HIV-positive U.S. veterans. Recently, one of my patients came to me about a condition in which, when he's exposed to cold temperatures, he develops hives and the skin all over his body tingles. The same thing happens in his mouth when he drinks cold liquids. Could this be an HIV-related condition?


Whooping Cough Vaccine for HIV-Positive Adults?
I live in an area with a high rate of pertussis (whooping cough). I've recently read that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved two booster shots for whooping cough. Are these vaccines recommended for HIV-positive adults?

Art From HIV-Positive Artists

Postcards From the Edge:
Oct. 17-18, 2005