Old LY Site

By Reiner “Meow” Grospe with Kelvin Vistan We have seen all types of love – that is all types of couples. There are heterosexual couples, LGBTQI+ couples, and there are also serodiscordant couples. Serodiscordant couples are partners in which one is positive of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the other is negative.Our HIV status should not be an issue, and it will not be if people free themselves from the social stigma brought about by misinformation on HIV and AIDS.   But how come the person living with HIV is able to prevent the transmission of the virus to their seronegative partner? Are they not having sex? They are, and thanks to science because, aside from the couple protecting themselves from sexually transmitted infections with correct and consistent condom use , the seronegative partner may also take Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) , which further lessens the chance of being infected. It is also worthy to mention the effectiveness of the Anti-Retroviral Therapy of ...

By Diego Rozul and Jean Natividad In case you missed it, #LoveSquad , LoveYourself’s fast, easy, and totally anonymous HIV screening day event is happening on November 26, Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Victoria Court Malate . Don’t forget to register here: go.loveyourself.ph/lovesquad . And just in case you need a tad more convincing to show up, we’ve asked our dear squads why making HIV testing your #SquadGoals and a regular part of your self-care routine is important. #ChillSquad L to R: Rv Torres, Fifth Pagotan, Kenn Richmond, Apolo Cuenco, Ernest Gatpandan III Have you been putting off that HIV test even if it’s been months since the three-month rule ? Well it’s about time to get rid of those anxieties and finally relax in knowing your status . You’ll certainly find security and assurance with our lovely volunteers assisting you in every step of the way. Getting tested for HIV shouldn’t be such a daunting task, just ask our #ChillSquad! “Guys, let’s make HIV testing FUN! Me an...

By Carlos Diego A. Rozul Everyone has talked about a particular status in his or her life, be it their relationship status, their financial status, and heck people talk about their problems on their Facebook status all the time! But one thing that’s rarely talked about is one’s HIV status. Despite its relevance today it is still greatly stigmatized and has been thought of as taboo by many. This monthly column aims to help facilitate discussion on issues surrounding HIV testing and living with HIV. Blood is the lifeline that flows through the body. It nourishes and transports waste products to appropriate filtering organs. In the past year, there have been reports 1 , 2 of increased donated units that have tested reactive for HIV after screening consistent with the rise of HIV infections in the Philippines. However, there have also been accounts of nonreactive men having sex with men (MSM) who have been deferred from donating blood on the basis of their sexual orientation. Reiner, a r...

By Reiner “Meow” Grospe “Am I going to die soon?” This is one of the first few questions a person newly diagnosed as positive with HIV would usually ask their counselor/healthcare provider. The answer is a resounding “No.” Being diagnosed as HIV positive means a person has the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in their body, and it doesn’t mean the person will immediately die of the virus. How soon a person living with HIV (PLHIV) will die under natural circumstances depends on the line between HIV taking control of their body or them having control of the virus. To better know what healthcare measures PLHIVs should commit themselves to, we must first understand what this virus does to the body. Once infected with the virus, immune system cells called CD4 lymphocytes or T-cells are either directly killed or penetrated and then used by the virus as hosts in which to replicate. Once the penetrated CD4 cells can no longer contain the virus, they explode and result in a higher viral loa...

By Carlos Diego A. Rozul Everyone has talked about a particular status in his or her life, be it their relationship status, their financial status, and heck people talk about their problems on their Facebook status all the time! But one thing that’s rarely talked about is one’s HIV status. Despite its relevance today it is still greatly stigmatized and has been thought of as taboo by many. This monthly column aims to help facilitate discussion on issues surrounding HIV testing and living with HIV. Three months after your last unprotected sexual encounter, you may decide to get tested for HIV as part of your routine. While waiting for the results, you feel anxious and uneasy. When the findings are given, your counselor communicates to you that they come out reactive . While others may feel overwhelmed with emotion, you may feel like time has stopped with a rush of numbness. A lot of questions may rush into your mind, and you may wonder how you would talk to someone about your status. ...