To Take or Not to Take Your Meds

Submitted on May 16, 2011 by MariaHIVMejia

I want to start by saying I am not a doctor or a scientist! I speak from my own experience as many of you know! I have been positive for 20 years, and I decided not to be on medication for the first 10 years and talk about it in my vblog...for ten years I did everything I could to be off meds! Everything holistic you can think of! We have to realize that everyone has their moment when they make the choice to go on meds…Your body will feel it! I wouldn’t dare tell someone to get off medication as some of this movement of dissidents/denialists tell people! Not only do they tell people this ...but especially vulnerable and newly diagnosed...and also to those that are so confused! In all reality, I dont want to judge anyone, but this is a very dangerous situation…people are dying because they are listening to this propaganda that AIDS doesnt exist and that what actually will kill you is your HIV medication! I have been on HIV meds for the last 10 years and I am alive and kicking! I know people, as I said on my video, that took them 10 years (like me) to start! Others, 20 years, like a good friend, Dee..who was trying with all her heart and strength and doing everything to maintain herself off HIV meds..and finally had to start her medication! And some that I personally know that are non progressors ..they have something in their genetic makeup that does not allow HIV to affect their immune system! So you see everyone is different. Please, I tell those that are confused and lost! And hopeless! And very scared! And dont know what to do! Listen to your heart! Do your research. Investigate and pick a doctor that works with you! Someone that is willing to answer your questions...even if it’s hundreds of them! Listen to my video and make your own choices! People are going to try to scare you and tell you that either AIDS doesn’t exist or that the medication will kill you! You know what is ironic? I won’t mention the person’s name because they are very ill as we speak…One of the most famous dissidents that wrote a book about AIDS not existing is taking ARVs (HIV drugs) as we speak! What upsets me is that this is so terrible and dishonest! Because while this person is all over YouTube and the book is out there, people are doing what they are preaching and not taking their meds or leaving them!! And at the same time, this person is ill and taking ARVs…and they are not telling anyone! Just follow your heart, as i say, and you make your choice when is right for you! No one likes medication! Some of them have even called me a pharma troll ..lol or that i am being paid by pharma!..Come on! Some have gone to a point of being so nasty to me that they have said: I need AIDS to feel important. How uncompassionate is that?? I dont need AIDS to feel important! I am important! I pray everyday of my life for a cure! I am tired of having to take meds and to live with this illness since I was so young! If I can save one life! And actually I already started :) . Many dissidents told me after listening to me they are considering going back on meds! We must not sit silent and let things like this happen out of fear! I will always speak and tell the truth! No matter what the consequences are! As always love and light- ~MARIA T MEJIA ~

Comments

3 comments

Submitted by bobe • 13 years ago

i am still confused even getting worse, i was recently diegnosed and i had only done checkup it was at january this year and they checked my cd4 count and said to me i should come again after 6 mnths to get checked again. i still dont know much about the disease and how to handle it. am confused coz what i know is that some1 should get checked regularly, does regularly means after 6 mnths or is because it was my first checkup then others will follow after the one i will be going in 2 weeks to come. i put my trust to the doctors that tell what to do, but to this i dnt trust this 6mnth thing, maybe they just wanted me to get off their sides, who knows. i get headache sometimes and it has be going on for a while now, is that normal to +ve persn?or am getting stressed out abt little issues. what you are saying i heared very clear but what should i do because am still struggling to keepup with my life even with my school work. am at tertiary and everything is so speed and in my life as general everything has changed so fast that i do not know my friends and myself anymore. PLZ HELP COZ AM CONFUSSED!!!

Submitted by MariaHIVMejia • 13 years ago

Oh YES! Jae! they have gone as far as to degrade me, defame my character..etc etc...but I will not go down to that level..I responded to the person who did this a gregory (founder of hiv questions) with class and respect! and you can see the diff between him and I...he even says I am getting paid by pharma! lol..and that maybe I am not even hiv positive! at the same time he writes me..and says I am so brave and that he is just trying to get attention!...so it is what it is! we are both alive and kicking and we know it is because we take our meds :)

Love and Light

Maria T Mejia

Submitted by jae001 • 13 years ago

It makes me mad when people try and tell me the best way to manage my own disease. Like you I have managed my disease for more than 20 years. I am alive and kicking too, thanks to these Meds that are going to kill me. I have been on meds for 11 years. I am thankful every day when I take them. Because that is one more day I get to be here while they are looking for the cure. I am not HIV, it is something I have to manage to live with.
Keep up the good work,
Jae