HIV ad in Globe and Mail

[mugwump]

Originally Posted by 3507321C

In America Blacks and Homosexuals have the highest rate of infection.

Here in Canada it's Eskimos and Hikers.

IBnwogenocide

[fable]

Originally Posted by gusto

i'm going to get tested next week. which brings up another question, can anyone recommend a good doctor in the downtown area?

getting a GP nowadays is akin to pulling teeth (without anastisia!) But i regularely used a free walk in clininc which was in Bentall Tower #5 and as a result of where it is, has a clientele that are "higher up the economic ladder" vs the stereotypical community clinic. Also because of the location, the doctors who do rotations there, are usually from the more advanced offices around the business district, or at the very least, seasoned vets from the crazyness that is St.Pauls.

Theres a vancouver metro lab, right up the street on Howe (off georgia) a few building down on the NW side. (i think the address is 777) So you dont need to walk far at all, after seeing a doc, and getting a form for tests.

[baby-phat]

I'm gonna keep my doctor here even when I move back to Van. He's good, and I am comfortable seeing him so I'm gonna keep it that way. :)

[fable]

Its really hard to find a new quality GP. Im still looking. My old GP is nice, but hes turning senile, and doesnt remember me. The administration has gone to the shits as well, charging me for anything and everything that is deemed an "extra."

With saying this, i understand that all the "new bullshit" going on there may not be directly related to the office itself.

[Ragga_Wh0re]

Originally Posted by diva

is that the best you can do?
pathetic...really.

my gf lisa had a convo about HIV testing w/one of her gay friends.He said that apparently theres politics to it like when you go get tested they ask you a bunch of questions pertaining to high risk activity like unrpotected anal sex and iv drug use,she also says that people that have a lower blood count but have not been involved in high risk activities arent diagnosed with hiv where as opposed to those that have a low blood count and have been involve din high risk activities are diagnosed with hiv.

Is there any creedence to that at all?

[Lil Jenna]

Originally Posted by bananasinpjs

that doesn't sound like being paranoid at all!

it can take up to 6 months for HIV antibodies to show up... so if you're engaging in high-risk activities, even getting tested every 6 months would seem pretty reasonable to me.

I was just about to write that... I thought it was 6months-1 year for it to show up.

Its scarey shit.

[decypher]

Originally Posted by Sidekick

i know this isn't in the downtown area...and maybe it's only for UBC students, but the hospital there i find really good and i like all of the doctor's that i've seen there. i think it's open to everyone, so you might want to go down and make an appointment.

it's nice that it's a full hospital too, because you have to get a form from a doctor before you get an HIV test and once you get the form from the doctor you can just walk down the hallway and give it to the blood people and do it all in the same day and building.

My mom's a nurse there..

[sidekick]

^the doctor i went to at ubc said that it is usually detectable after 3-4 months.

for lil jenna and joanna

[sidekick]

Originally Posted by decypher

My mom's a nurse there..

i like the staff there. tell her she's doing a good job!

[Joanne]

Originally Posted by Lil Jenna

I was just about to write that... I thought it was 6months-1 year for it to show up.

Its scarey shit.

Originally Posted by Sidekick

^the doctor i went to at ubc said that it is usually detectable after 3-4 months.

for lil jenna and joanna

yeah, it usually is... but there are cases where it can take up to 6 months. and Lil Jenna, anything over that would be extremely rare.

and by the way, my name is JoannE, not JoanneA.

--Joanne :P

[deliverance]

Originally Posted by diva

there's also a clinic on davie street that has really good hiv services (ranging from testing to treatment). if you're not a homophobe, i'd suggest checking that one out. not all doctors are comfortable dealing with the subject of hiv, but the ones at that clinic are experts.

thats where I go, they rule! ultra supportive and non judgemental.

cool place indeed. but if you have an issue with gays then probabaly not the place for you.

J

[Kandyapple]

It's good to see that people are taking care of themselves. I've always asked my partners if they have been tested. It's too bad that most of them have said no, and don't seem to think it's a problem. I mean maybe they were carefull. But then I get into asking them questions about how carefull they have been. And you can see the worried look creep across their face. Because in the end they don't know for sure.

I go for a check up every year, and get everything done. Last year though my doctor said it wasn't really necessary for the blood test. But I usualy get them anyway. I go to the drop in on lonsdale, because they have the facility for blood testing there too. My regular family doctor is just a little far away to see all the time. But I should probably keep in touch because it's so hard now to get a regular doctor.

[sidekick]

Originally Posted by bananasinpjs

and by the way, my name is JoannE, not JoanneA.

damn. so close :(