HIV treatment for Thai friend

[david_je]

She tested positive 3-4 days ago at a hospital in Bangkok but not yet done follow-up tests or consulted a doc about treatment. For Social Security coverage, she would have wait until Dec. 4 for appointment with her assigned doc (and he isn't an infectious disease specialist). But that seems a long time since you're supposed to start meds ASAP. She called the RC Anon Clinic to make appointment with a doc, but they said they only see patients who had their tests done there. Is her best recourse now to see a specialist at a private hospital rather than wait till Dec. 4? And should she go do the CD4 count, viral load, etc., tests at RD clinic before she meets that private hospital doctor, or wait for his advice? And I wonder if she did those tests at RD clinic if they would then send her to one of their docs? Or would a private hospital doc be better in any case?  I'd appreciate hearing from someone with expertise or experience. Thank you.

[Sheryl]

The RC Anonymous clinic doctors are really overstretched and prefer to give their limited time to people without other access to a physician. Mostly people use that clinic as a source of inexpensive meds and tests rather than for physician management, and as she has Soc Security and this is a lifelong condition she really should access care through it. 

 

I assume you meant Jan 4? That is really not too long, while treatment should start as soon as HIV is diagnosed that does not mean instanteously - just that it need not/should not wait until the CD4 count has gone below a certain level or signs of AIDs appear (as used to be done). A 2 week wait is not excessive and I would be concerned about it only if she is showing signs of clinical AIDs.

 

She will need a CD4 done and hopefully they will do  Viral Load, and these take time to get the results so if she wants to expedite matters and doesn't mind paying out of pocket, she could get those 2 tests done at the TRC so that by the time she meets the doctor at her SS hospital she already has those results in hand, this will probably get her on meds as much as a week sooner than would otherwise be the case

 

What hospital is she registered at? I am puzzled by the reference to "assigned doctor" as under Social Security patients are nto assigned a doctor, they can see any doctor at the hospital where they are registered and it would be a rare Bangkok hospital which did nto have an AIDs clinic within it.

 

It i also possible to change hospital registration under SS, though it can ony be done at cretain tiems of the year. Knowing that she has HIV, it might be worth making a change to ensure she gets optimal care.

[nausea]

Go to the Red Cross hospital. 

[Aussieroaming]

My sister-in-law has HIV, more than 10 years now. Lovely lady and full of beans, great energy. Tell your friend to take her meds and keep her chin up. Best thing for her at the moment isn't the doctor (not unimportant though) it's her friends being strong enough to support her. Good luck and tell her she has a great future, just tell her to mange the issue and tell her friends not become chickensh*t about it.