HIV is something that still strikes fear into the hearts of men over 25 years after first being discovered. It’s estimated that over 25 million people have died from the disease since it began to be measured, and that currently 0.6 percent of the world’s population, or 34 million people have some form of it.
Initially, symptoms of HIV in men are hard to diagnose because they mimic those of other less serious illnesses. We will discuss them in detail shortly, and the stages the HIV goes through.
The main thing to note about the disease is that it’s no longer the killer it used to be. Modern drug therapies and treatments mean those with HIV can now lead perfectly normal lives. That is if the disease is identified early enough.
There are many myths about HIV and AIDS, and we hope to address some of them here. This infection is far too serious for ignorance to have any place near it.
What is HIV?
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus is an infection that is passed through bodily fluids such as semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, infected drug needles, and rarely, organ or blood transplants. It used to be primarily associated with homosexual activity, but heterosexual activity has now far surpassed that in transmitting the disease.
The virus can also be passed on through direct contact with infected blood. For example, by using infected needles for injections, piercings or tattoos, or from accidental injury with a needle containing infected blood. It can also be transferred from mother to child if she has HIV during pregnancy.
HIV is different to AIDS. In fact, doctors rarely use the term anymore. It is now referred to as “Late-stage HIV infection.” AIDS occurs when the HIV virus has killed too many T-helper cells in the human immune system to defend it from attack. This allowed normally defensible infections like cold or flu to take hold and break down the immune system before overcoming the body.
It’s difficult to identify if you have the disease as it can be asymptomatic. That means symptoms of HIV in men can be undetectable unless you display certain markers.
Initial Stage of HIV
The primary stage of HIV infection is often called seroconversion in medical circles. Many people develop symptoms, but many do not. Any symptoms of primary stage HIV will occur between two to six weeks after infection.
Symptoms of HIV in men and women include:
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Tiredness or lethargy
- Joint pain
- Muscle pain
- Swollen glands
- Arash
These are not the only symptoms, merely the most common. As you can see, each symptom could be one of many things other than HIV, so can easily be mistaken for something minor. The giveaway is the rash. As a fever or sore throat isn’t usually associated with a rash in cold or flu, it is a sign of possible infection.
HIV
After the initial stage of infection has passed, there will be no more symptoms of HIV in men or women. This can last up to twenty years. This is because the infection has “settled” in with the immune system and sets to work attacking it. The length of time it takes to reach late stage HIV depends on the overall health of the sufferer.
In healthy people, it can take up to those twenty years for the immune system to be broken down enough to allow late stage symptoms in. Even though there are no symptoms, the virus is hard at work attacking the body.
Late-stage HIV
Late-stage HIV, or what was called AIDS, is when the virus has broken down the immune system to such a degree that a minor issue can rapidly become life threatening. While it can take up to twenty years to reach late-stage in healthy people, the average seems to be around ten.
Once the sufferer reaches this point, their health becomes precarious, and great care has to be taken to minimize exposure to almost every type of virus.
Common late-stage symptoms of HIV in men are:
- Persistent tiredness or lethargy
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
- Persistent diarrhea
- Blurred vision
- White spots on the tongue or mouth
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath
- A fever of above 100F that lasts a number of weeks
- Swollen glands that last for more than three months
These are more identifiable, but it’s typically too late for conventional drug therapies. To survive during late-state HIV takes serious hospital treatment. Even then, it’s still possible to survive a number of years at this stage.
Prognosis
There is no cure for HIV. However, advances in drug therapy means there are treatments which can delay the effects of the virus. Modern therapies can reduce the amount of the 
virus in the body and slow down its effects on the immune system.
These drugs can delay or prevent late-stage HIV, and protect against normally harmless viruses wreaking havoc over a broken immune system.When used appropriately and taken properly, anti-HIV medicines can help sufferers stay well and live a full life.
Once the number of CD4 white blood cells has fallen to a suitably low level, or if the sufferer becomes pregnant, a doctor will recommend starting treatment with medicines. They may also start treatment if the sufferer develops a serious infection or a condition linked to advanced HIV.
Treatment
Even though the symptoms of HIV in men are often missed, or misdiagnosed, the earlier the virus is detected the better. There are now a number of drug therapies on the market which are effective in slowing down the advance of HIV, and protect the immune system against attack.
Normally a combination of drugs will be needed to properly treat HIV.These medicines prevent the virus from reproducing in the body, which reduces the amount of it in the blood. HIV gets its strength from numbers, just like any virus. Interrupt that and it weakens enough for the immune system to keep it in check.
Medicines also stop the virus from mutating when it reproduces. This ensures drug therapy remains effective and prevents the virus changing to work around them.
Sufferers will probably take three medicines, which are often combined into one or two pills taken daily. This is known as antiretroviral therapy, combination therapy, or HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy). They have proven themselves to be effective in combating the advance of HIV.
Myths about HIV
You can tell if someone is HIV-positive simply by looking at them. This isn’t true. The vast majority of people with HIV look perfectly normal. It’s only in late-stage HIV that other, more obvious symptoms emerge. Even then they aren’t automatically identified as HIV.
You can’t get HIV from straight sex. This isn’t true either. Heterosexual intercourse is now the most common way of acquiring the virus. It accounts for the vast majority of new cases right across the world.
Only gay men get HIV. See above. Straight sex has been the most common way of catching HIV, since 1999. The majority of people who get HIV now are heterosexual.
HIV can be passed through urine or saliva. Not true. The virus isn’t present in high enough numbers to pose a threat this way.
Touching someone with HIV can pass it on. Again, untrue. HIV cannot be passed on through activities, such as sharing cutlery, sitting on toilet seats or by shaking hands. Neither can it be passed on through a mosquito bite or bites from other animals or insects.
It’s better to know than not know! GET TESTED.
If i have sex with HIV+ lady and then immediately after the act i urinate and wash the penis,will i be infected?
That is soooo risky, I can’t even describe how dangerous that act is. Even with a condom on, sex with a stranger is risky. But without a condom it is just crazy.
YES U CAN BE INFECTED BUT IT DOESNT MEAN THAT YOU ARE,SOME PEOPLE IMMUNE IS STRONGER THAN OTHERS BUT AT THE SAME TIME SEEN THAT U TOOK SUCH A BIG RISK TO HAVE UNPROTECTED SEX WITH SOME 1 HIV+ I WOULD ADVICE U TO GET TESTED
Hello. If a mosquito bit me and I decided to use a type of anti mosquito deodorant which belongs to someone else, there’s a chance I can get infected?
im HIV(+), if i have sex with my partner WITH CONDOM, would that be safe? second is, if i do him a blow (bj) with oral candidiasis, will that infect him as well???
ONCE U HAVE SEX WITH A CONDOM ALWAYS YOUR PARTNER IS SAFE(ONCE YOUR BLOOD OR SPERM DOESNT ENTER ANY SORE OR CUTS ON HIS BODY) 2ndly u can not ass or infect some 1 with HIV by oral sex but saying that make sure that you have no Mouth sore OR THE PERSON DOESNT HAVE ANY MOUTH SORE and avoid cuming in the person;s mouth
i had sex with a person i dont know. i was a little drunk back then and my dick is not fully erected as it bends and it only lasted for about 15 minuites. but after two days i had a fever for 5 days and i started to be sleepy and needed to sleep early.
what are the chances that im infected
Is swelling of legs and stomach a symptom of HIV infection?
i had sex with a girl about 3 weeks ago n now i have a rash on my penis and the upper part of my thigh? could this be a possible HIV infection?
yes, i had it too? but can’t say…….
is lung conjection a symptom of HIV infection
I am loosing weight in my face and upper body my arms
Neck and also my legs , the only place I’m not loosing I my belly
Do I have HIV?
hi , i had sex with a friend we used condom but before he put it in he pass saliva on the tip of condom so i can get wet , then he entered . please help me i am worried has hell. he also sucked my breasts n we kissed alot of times . its now 51 days since it happen n i saw white spots in my throat but it has cleared up now . but i am tired . i took a test today but hv to wait 2 weeks for results please my mind isnt funcitoin right i need help. am 17 .
The white spots might be from mono, good luck!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001617/
Hey there, you are most likely fine. The saliva does not carry HIV
Hello guys, just for information, symptoms is never an indication that you have an HIV infection. The only thing to be sure is through HIV testing. If you already have the virus then at least you know early which can help u live more years. What has been done is irreversible so face it and take the test. and dont forget to PRAY!
hi there,around 20 month ago i had sex with a girl,after i came off we just penerated for few minutes but when i pulled it out half of condom went into her vagina and half was on my pennis,now i get fever.it’s been nealy 20 month during this 20 month i didn’t feel any illness,is this sign of hiv?plz help me everyday i feel now living in hell!
u should go get tested dumbass before its 2 late
I had sex with a girl and I used condom,but I lick her pussy(vagina) before I penetrate,pls am scared because since that time have been experience sore throat and a little scratch on my skin.please I nid an urgent reply,does dis means that am HIV positive.
Hi there , i appreciate the explanation about HIV , AIDS . Frnds its better to have you HIV /RVS test before you sart worried about this Virus . Plz do have a safe sex and dont try strangers !
Be healty by having Safe Sex
People who are infected with HIV, are no longer human. They are like walking zombies, and need to be put out of their misery. Sorry if I don’t sympathize to your pain, but choices we make in life determine the course of our life. For those who enjoyed a 5 to 15 minutes of pleasure, I hope it was all worth it to live out the remaining days feeling helpless, and no one to blame but yourself for being STUPID!!! I know because I am one of the STUPID people walking like zombies in this world. Time for me to infect other people as long as I am living.
I have a family member with Aids in the hospital. Every one is comenting on how her complexion has changed she is llightskinned but now is a dark colour. What causes this?
if you have pain in your arms nd aches in your stomach. nd sometimes in your arms back nd some times tirdness does that mean you have aids
GUYS TO ALL OF U WHO ASK THESE QUESTIONS HIV IS ONLY TRANSFER THROUGH BLOOD AND SPERM,U CAN NOT GET IT FROM KISSES,OR ORAL SEX,U CAN NOT GET IT FROM SWALLOWING CUM,ONCE THERE IS NO BLOOD OR SPERM INVOLVED, AND PEOPLE THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE URSELF FROM ALL THIS WORRING AND SLEEPLESS NITE IS TO GET TESTED,ATLEAST YOU KNOW U STAND A CHANCE LIVING LONGER TAKING THE TREATMENT IF U ARE HIV+
can you catch hiv with open mouth kissing and if you could do there need to be a lot of blood involed
Fours yrs bak i had deep cut on my fingers, after usin unsterilised scissors frm public nail cutters, few months later i started feelin symptoms i had neva felt bfore, like a swollen gland on my neck causin serious headache n pains. three yrs after i felt seriously sick n was diagnosed of typhoid fever which am still treatin for ova a yr.i took courage to go for hiv test twice n was found negative. am still feelin some strange symptoms like muscle pains joint pains n general weakness of body nw am coughin for ova two weeks plse advice me on wat to do.