~ Story by Chuck Longacre, RedRock BHS Columnist ~
Have you heard of Syphilis? Some have, lots haven’t. Syphilis is here, and it’s increasing in the LGBT community, particularly among men who have sex with men. Approximately one-half of all new HIV diagnoses in the state of Oklahoma, for the last two years, were co-infected with syphilis. It is estimated that one can acquire HIV up to five-times more easily, when a syphilis sore is present.
Syphilis has been called “the great imitator”, that’s because the symptoms are often mistaken for other conditions. The first symptom of syphilis is a sore that happens at the site of infection, often doesn’t hurt and it goes away without treatment, but you still have syphilis. Lots of people don’t see the sore, because it’s inside the body. In the second stage of the disease, a person may have a rash on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet, rashes on their body, patchy hair loss, and again, all these go away without treatment, but the person still has syphilis. Late stages of syphilis may occur up to 20 years after infection. Untreated syphilis can result in paralysis, gradual blindness, dementia and early death. The good news is syphilis is curable. It is important a person sees a medical practitioner to treat their syphilis because the amount of antibiotic depends on how long a person has had the disease.
Alcohol and drug use puts one at greater risk for getting any STD, as these may lead to riskier sexual behavior. Abstaining from sexual contact is one way to protect you from being exposed to Syphilis. Being in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship is another way to reduce your exposure to any STD. A regular syphilis screening is recommended for anyone who is at risk for acquiring an STD. It is recommended that anyone who is sexually active receive a full STD screening at least once a year. When your doctor requests “blood work” during your regular check-up, he is not testing for any STD, unless you request it. And, if you do not have health insurance, and you feel that you are at risk, you can go to your local county health department to receive proper health care needs.
For more information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, on HIV/AIDS and syphilis within the LGBT community, scan the code shown to the left with your smart phone.
For more local information, or any questions you may have about HIV/AIDS or any other STD, please email chuck@gayly.com.

Upwards of 19% of newly-infected individuals in the United States have a mutated form of HIV. This is due to the fact that the person who infected them had already built up a resistance to certain medications. This occurs when someone does not take their HIV medicines on a regular basis, and as prescribed by their physicians.

Anyone who is ready to start on an HIV drug cocktail should have a resistance test done to determine what medications will or will not work for them. Talk with your physician for professional advice on deciding which type of test would work best for you. There are currently three types of tests that a physician can do that help determine which medications are right for you:  genotypic, phenotypic and virtual phenotypic. Each has its benefits and drawbacks.

GENOTYPIC:
Probably the most common test used because of its effectiveness and at around $350 on average, it is financially less expensive. This test basically takes a small sample of your blood and looks at the exact HIV genes where a mutation occurs, and then compares them to a more generalized list of mutations known to become resistant to a particular HIV medicine. This test works best for people who have not started medications or for those who have taken only a few HIV medicines.

PHENOTYPIC:
This test is completely different and considerably more expensive, costing up to $1,200. A phenotypic test looks at your blood from a different point-of-view. Instead of checking one sample for a mutation, the test requires a larger blood sample, which is then put into multiple test tubes that have varying levels of different medications. These samples are then observed to see which ones respond the fastest when introduced to the medicines.

VIRTUAL PHENOTYPIC:
For all practical purposes, this can be seen as a combination of both the genotypic and phenotypic testing methods. For this test, a physician would do a genotypic test and gather this information to then be entered into a larger database, which contains information from others who have had a genotypic and phenotypic test in the past. If your genotypic information matches a past case history, your information is then matched with the same/similar phenotypic information associated with that case. Finally, this test has a price average closer to the genotypic cost.

As with all cases, the above advice is only that – advice.  Each individual, who is considering taking medications, must get with their individual physician and discuss what test and procedures works best for their situation.  Every human being is unique and different – therefore must be treated on an individual basis.  Visit www.theBody.com for more information on this topic and more.

In 1991, a small group of Oklahomans saw the limitations of state and federal funding for men and women infected by HIV. The discrimination caused by the epidemic in our state was, and still is, astounding. Imagine a time when telling your family that you had tested HIV-positive meant you would be kicked out of the house, left to fight a disease that tears you apart physically and emotionally. There were big gaps in treatment where some people weren’t getting into the right healthcare, based on this stigma.

The grassroots group of these individual Oklahomans came together and formed an organization called the Oklahoma AIDS Care Fund (OACF), which was shocking at the time, because it included the word “AIDS” as part of the title. They knew there were staring stigma right in the face, and yet they kept moving forward.

Many members on the Board of the OACF knew of individuals who had HIV/AIDS. They founded the OACF because of those they had lost or were losing to this epidemic. These charter members were going against the grain here in Oklahoma. These courageous individuals were stepping up to confront a disease that most everyone was afraid of at that time. They were “coming out of the closet” in their own way, by stating they were going to fight this disease; something new was about to happen here in Oklahoma.

Through their continued dedication and perseverance they can now boast a total of over $10 million raised over the course of the past 20 years. Over $650,000 of the funds raised this last year alone were distributed to over 18 agencies and programs all across the state of Oklahoma. These funds provided health­care for those infected, and prevention messages for those who are at higher risk of becoming in­fected, while simultaneously filling in gaps where state and federal fund­ing are limited or restricted due to budget cuts.

We do not always see how the OACF assists those living with HIV/AIDS or at high risk from being infected, because they do not provide services directly to individuals. Instead, the OACF helps by supporting programs and services that are already in existence across the state of Oklahoma. For example, have you ever picked up some condoms at a local club or bar here in Oklahoma City? Those condoms were most likely funded by the OACF, and were distributed by various agencies collaborating together in this outreach program. Have you noticed the bus benches which read “Get tested. Dial 2-1-1”?  These are sponsored by the OACF on behalf of several agencies that provide free HIV testing in the area.

In 2011, the OACF partnered with the Oklahoma State Department of Health and the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health, to open ten new HIV testing sites targeting injection drug users and substance abusing communities throughout the state. Because these sites are unfunded to perform this task, the OACF provides them with free HIV test kits to serve these communities which are at higher risk for infection.

New Year’s Resolutions – Lose 10 pounds by summer, so you can fit into that special bikini you bought last fall. Kiss your partner every night before you go to sleep – never letting any arguments end unresolved. Get tested for HIV, so you will know your status this year. Yes, we all have them, but how much of an impression do they make on us to make us really change in the New Year ahead?

You have spent all of your time over the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays giving to others.  You cooked big meals for family and close friends. You tried to make this the best holiday for your ailing partner or parent, knowing that it may have been the last one you will get to spend with them. You did your very best to buy the children in your world the best Christmas gifts, so as to make this year their happiest one so far. In taking care of them, you’ve forgot about the most important person in your world: YOU.

But when time comes to taking care of ourselves, we sometimes do not pay as close attention to our own health. There are people in our world – partners, parents, children and friends – that would be lost if it weren’t for us being a part of their lives. For this reason, we must take care of ourselves.

Yes, HIV is a major part of our community – we all probably know someone who has either passed away from this virus, or has been recently diagnosed as HIV-positive. It’s important to get tested for HIV more often than most of us do. With an early diagnosis, we’re able to live longer, healthier lives.

Cancer, whether we know it or not, is another part of our lives that we need to start paying more attention to: Testicular, prostate, breast and cervical cancer. Perhaps one of these has touched us very closely in our lives. We need to be proactive and take advantage of any baseline and screening tests to keep ourselves healthy.

Holidays can be depressing for many of us. Maybe this is the first holiday since one of our loved ones has passed away and we miss them. Perhaps, we lost a pet recently and we don’t have that constant companionship we need. Seek out friends who have experienced some of these same feelings and seek advice and comfort from them. Sharing with friends in our lives that know what we are going through can be a very comforting feeling.

If you are feeling lonely, or sad and very alone, help is available by simply dialing “211” from your home or cell phone. HeartLine Oklahoma has a volunteer staff of well-qualified operators who are there to help find answers and resources for all kinds of issues that may come up in our lives.

New Years is a perfect time to take action in our own lives. Get tested to know your HIV-status today. Make sure you check-in with someone and are doing okay emotionally and mentally, as well. Eating healthy, drinking plenty of water and regular exercise, along with seeing a physician on a regular basis can help ensure YOU are taking care of YOU…because YOU are the only YOU some people have.

If you have any questions, please contact me at chuck@gayly.com.

WOW! Wait, is that possible? That sounds like a dream, too good to be true. But is it really?  Where do we begin? President Barack Obama and his administration came up with the following National HIV/AIDS strategy in July of 2010:

[box style="rounded"]“The United States will become a place where HIV infections are rare and when they do occur, every single person, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic circumstances, will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination.” [/box]

While this sounds good for America, Bertrand Audion of the International AIDS Society, told the attendees of the United States Conference on AIDS (USCA) earlier last month that they have had a National Strategy in France for over 25 years.  Why are we here in America so far behind?  How can we now play “catch-up” with the rest of the world?

At this same conference, Dr. Julio Montaner, from British Columbia, spoke about the “HIV Prevention Trial Network study 052” and the exciting scientific data surrounding and implications of treatment as prevention by offering the drug Truvada.  They have already begun offering Truvada to HIV-negative gay and bi-sexual men in Canada.

Truvada is only being used as part of a drug-cocktail for many HIV-positive men in the United States.  It is emerging as a promising drug for a new HIV prevention strategy called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among gay and bi-sexual men.  The United States has not approved Truvada for use as PrEP, at this time; however, there are a growing number of physicians seeking quicker approval from the Federal Drug Administration.

The question remains though – how will we help put an end to new HIV/AIDS infections within the United States?  The grassroots tools consist of condoms and education on a local and individual level. We must practice safer sex at all times, whether we’re HIV-positive or HIV-negative!  Remember Smokey the Bear saying, “Only YOU can Prevent Forest Fires?”  Well, only YOU can can prevent the spread of HIV.  We must educate ourselves to inform the folks we love.

How can we go about doing this? Seek out new opportunities to educate ourselves on HIV/AIDS and other STD’s that are rampant within our community.  Here’s a prime opportunity:  The Expressions Community Center will be having a town hall meeting on Tuesday, January 3rd at 6:00pm.  We will be viewing a movie entitled, “Let’s Talk About Sex: a film by James Houston.”  It takes a good look at sex and America’s youth, as well as around the world.  We will have community leaders serving on a panel-discussion board following the movie.If you have a question to be answered by the panel, please send it via email to chuck.longacre@yahoo.com by Jan 2nd, 2012.  Please come and join us, as we seek out a new start in the New Year: The countdown to the end begins.

To find HIV test locations visit www.hivtest.org.

[box style="rounded"]Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012 – 6pm Expressions Community Center 2245 NW 39th St, OKC Town Hall Meeting & film, “Let’s Talk About Sex”[/box]

Dear Chuck,

Why should I get an STD test?

Thanks,
Terry