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• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 56-65 >> Interview 25 >> A simple ceremony helped him to grieve for his partner who had died.

He currently takes didanosine, ritonavir, lamivudine and saquinavir for HIV. He has suffered from non-painful peripheral neuropathy and some lipodystrophy. With treatment, he now looks forward to a long retirement.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 14 >> Was fearful of death when he was first diagnosed with HIV

He believes dealing with multiple difficulties in his life like HIV has made him stronger. He takes Fosamprenavir, Ritonavir, Tenofovir and Emtricitabine (6 tablets once in the evening) with few side effects.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 38 >> It can be hard to maintain friendships when people expect you to die early.

Although he has developed a lot of resistance to anti-HIV drugs, he is currently doing well on T20, TMC114 (as part of a trial), FTC, tenofovir and abacavir, and has an undetectable viral load.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 19 >> In facing death and grief he developed deeper connections with people.

Although medically retired, he is very active and works voluntarily. He is currently on lopinavir, 3TC, abacavir, ddI and tenofovir, with 1700 viral copies. Side-effects have included lipodystrophy.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 28 >> He worries about being dead rather than about dying.

He currently has an undetectable viral load and about 900 CD4 cells. He did not respond well to earlier regimes, but is now doing well on 'salvage therapy,' although his medication has numerous side-effects.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 03 >> Talks about what it is like to get your life back on the new HIV treatments after facing death.

Has slowly built up his strength since his illness, becoming highly expert in HIV. He did extensive self-development work on himself. He has 870 CD4 cells and currently takes nevirapine, abacavir, and lamivudine with minimal side effects.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 38 >> People need to live life in the present, but responsibly.

Although he has developed a lot of resistance to anti-HIV drugs, he is currently doing well on T20, TMC114 (as part of a trial), FTC, tenofovir and abacavir, and has an undetectable viral load.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 56-65 >> Interview 25 >> It helps to talk about HIV, but it can sometimes be difficult to anticipate other people's reactions.

He currently takes didanosine, ritonavir, lamivudine and saquinavir for HIV. He has suffered from non-painful peripheral neuropathy and some lipodystrophy. With treatment, he now looks forward to a long retirement.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 24 >> His belief in God and eternal life means he feels secure in dying.

At one stage, he was very unwell and his CD4 cells were as low as 200. Since drug rehabilitation in the Russian Exodus Christian charity, he has been able to get his life back on track and his CD4 cells are now 900.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 04 >> He found he had the strength to deal with life difficulties like the death of his partner.

He was taking saquinavir, ritonavir, tenofovir, and ddI with few side effects. He was also taking Prozac for depression. He had an undetectable viral load. Counselling has helped him to cope.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 41-45 >> Interview 22 >> She did not fear death, but did not want to leave her children.

Her anti-HIV drugs (Kaletra and Combivir) brought her viral load down to undetectable at the time of interview. She has strong faith that Jesus has healed her in combination with her medical care.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 15 >> Says a fighting spirit to get on with everyday life is a secret of his success. (Read by an actor.)

He is determined not to let HIV rule his life. He takes Sustiva/Combivir with no current side effects. He exercises and is careful about his diet to stay healthy. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 56-65 >> Interview 25 >> Although not religious, he found the ceremony at his partner's funeral an enormous help.

He currently takes didanosine, ritonavir, lamivudine and saquinavir for HIV. He has suffered from non-painful peripheral neuropathy and some lipodystrophy. With treatment, he now looks forward to a long retirement.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 38 >> Not everyone has access to effective medication, and the consequences of not taking medication can be fatal.

Although he has developed a lot of resistance to anti-HIV drugs, he is currently doing well on T20, TMC114 (as part of a trial), FTC, tenofovir and abacavir, and has an undetectable viral load.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 40 >> The advice she received from a lady in a support group in Africa helped her to remain optimistic she would survive.

She kept her HIV status secret for many years as she believed this was necessary for her survival. Currently in the UK, she is on a new anti-viral combination and the virus is now undetectable in her blood.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 46 >> She initially thought being HIV positive meant dying and so felt hopeless. (Read by an actor.)

Although her CD4 count was as low as 40 when she ill, it is now 700 and she feels better than ever. Counselling, support groups and staff at GUM clinics have been the most helpful to her. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 43 >> Was delighted to find that other women with HIV she met in a support group were healthy and not dying. (Read by an actor.)

She has teenage children, and although she found it difficult to tell them about her HIV, they were very supportive. She believes that for women it is vital to seek out others with HIV to share their experiences of HIV. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 38 >> Gives advice on caring for the self and balancing HIV with the rest of your life.

Although he has developed a lot of resistance to anti-HIV drugs, he is currently doing well on T20, TMC114 (as part of a trial), FTC, tenofovir and abacavir, and has an undetectable viral load.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 31 >> Support groups can replace communities for Africans and help people to see a future. (Read by an actor.)

While he did not become very ill with HIV, his GP proposed HIV testing when he had skin rashes in 2000. An early diagnosis meant it was possible for his health to be monitored. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 11 >> Is philosophical about death after surviving with HIV.

He has never needed medication for HIV. Even though he did not think he would live past his 20s, he is now facing middle age.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 03 >> As a self confessed 'control freak', there was something liberating in facing death.

Has slowly built up his strength since his illness, becoming highly expert in HIV. He did extensive self-development work on himself. He has 870 CD4 cells and currently takes nevirapine, abacavir, and lamivudine with minimal side effects.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 38 >> Talks about how people need to live life in the present, but responsibly.

Although he has developed a lot of resistance to anti-HIV drugs, he is currently doing well on T20, TMC114 (as part of a trial), FTC, tenofovir and abacavir, and has an undetectable viral load.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 05 >> Believes there is too much complacency that anti-HIV drugs will always work and death can be avoided. (Read by an actor.)

His current T cells are 600 and he is not on anti-HIV medication. He is happy to be alive now, does voluntary work (non-HIV) and training courses. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 12 >> When facing death he comforted himself that an early death was not unusual in human history.

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.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 20-30 >> Interview 49 >> Facing illness and death helped to motivate him to do what he wanted to do in life.

Clint progressed to Aids defining illnesses relatively quickly. Fortunately, combination therapy had come in by then, and his original combination (Combivir, efavirenz and nelfinavir) is still effective today.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 56-65 >> Interview 34 >> People in his community expected him to die from Aids even though HIV is not discussed. (Read by an actor.)

His wife took the news about his HIV very badly and their relationship broke up. He felt depressed and had suicidal thoughts. The care of HIV clinic staff and support groups were very important to his survival. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 18 >> Knowing people who are dying from HIV has changed her outlook on life. (Read by an actor.)

Her current combination of abacavir, AZT and 3TC has few side-effects. She feels much better having started exercising and improving her diet. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 03 >> Describes how he reacted to - and tried to deal with - the sudden prospect that he might die.

Has slowly built up his strength since his illness, becoming highly expert in HIV. He did extensive self-development work on himself. He has 870 CD4 cells and currently takes nevirapine, abacavir, and lamivudine with minimal side effects.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 16 >> With 8 years of experiences, he talks about how to reduce the impact of health problems.

He was taking a combination of anti-virals (zidovudine, nevirapine and abacavir) with no side effects. He has less energy than he once did, but is not sure if this is due to HIV or getting older.

• Topic
• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Illness and death >> Illness and death

Illness and death