In 1981, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report documenting a
rare lung infection in five gay men. Previously healthy, the men also had other infections, indicating that their immune systems weren’t working properly. A year later, the CDC named the condition Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). At first, researchers believed that AIDS only affected members of the LGBTQIA+ community. However, they later discovered that it could also be transmitted via blood transfusions, contaminated needles and heterosexual intercourse.
Today, contracting HIV is completely preventable. HIV is also non-transmissible from someone who is HIV reactive (positive) to someone who is HIV non-reactive (negative).
HIV Medications
As researchers learned more about AIDS, they determined that it’s caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). When someone is infected with HIV, the virus
breaks down cells in the immune system, making it difficult to fight off infections. When AIDS was first identified, no medications were available to treat it, leading to many deaths in the LGBTQIA+ community. However, due to the development of antiretroviral drugs, people with HIV can now live long, fulfilling lives.
Each type of medication works differently, so not every HIV-reactive person takes the same medications. For example, some drugs
prevent the HIV virus from replicating, while others block HIV from entering specific cells in the immune system. As a result, the right combination of medications can reduce a person’s viral load and prevent HIV from progressing to AIDS.
Previously, HIV treatment consisted of multiple pills per day, but many of today’s HIV treatments require just one pill per day or even a single injection each month.
HIV Testing Options
HIV testing is essential to HIV gay telemedicine, as it serves two purposes. First, people with frequent infections can get tested to determine if their symptoms are caused by HIV. The earlier you’re diagnosed, the earlier you can start antiretroviral therapy, reducing the risk of complications. According to the CDC, early treatment may also reduce the risk of
developing other serious diseases. Second, regular testing can help people without HIV symptoms avoid transmitting the virus to other people.
Healthcare Unity Group (HUG) offers discreet HIV testing in Florida, giving you the information you need to protect yourself and your partners. With just a small blood sample or quick swab of your mouth, we can determine if you have HIV antibodies and need antiretroviral treatment.
In addition, HUG has compassionate health care providers available to counsel you about your options and help you understand your test results, ensuring you have the proper support as you make important decisions about your health.
In the past, people were considered either HIV-positive or HIV-negative. That language has changed to HIV reactive or HIV non-reactive. One reactive test doesn’t mean you have HIV; it just means the test has reacted to something in your blood. It could be a false positive, so health professionals never diagnose HIV based on the results of a single test; you need more than one test to determine if HIV is in your blood.
HIV Testing and Treatment
If you need HIV treatment, you have the choice of coming to HUG in person or using our telemedicine services. Both options give you access to excellent health care, but telemedicine has a few extra benefits. If you make a telemedicine appointment, you can meet with a provider from the comfort of your own home. You don’t have to worry about sharing colds and other illnesses with people in a waiting room; you can even stay in bed or sit on the couch during your appointment.
Telemedicine appointments are also extremely private. So you don’t have to worry about running into someone you know, making this the most discreet form of HIV testing and treatment available. We can even have your medications shipped directly to you, making it more convenient than ever to get HIV treatment.
To make an appointment with a provider who has extensive experience in HIV gay telemedicine,
contact HUGcontact HUG.
Remember, all medical services provided by HUG are free of charge for all patients. 