tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-336099322011-07-08T00:22:46.736-05:00Follow one man's journey as he serves as a human "guinea pig" for a new-to-the-US HIV therapy, AIM (Advanced Immune Modulator).AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.comBlogger241100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-81766226396932741742008-07-24T16:30:00.002-05:002008-07-24T16:40:41.986-05:00

Seasons have come and gone since I last posted. I am happy to report, though, that six months after starting a more traditional anti-retroviral treatment, I am now "non-detectable." In addition, my CD-4 count has climbed above 350 (and is probably even higher, by now). Just goes to show that, sometimes, you should actually listen to your doctor. Here are a few highlights:After dropping down to

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-87731272474560929702008-01-27T22:57:00.001-06:002008-01-28T00:01:32.911-06:00

I realize it has been quite awhile since I have posted an update. All two of you have probably wondered how the trial is going, whether or not my counts came up (or down, as the case may be), or when I might pronounce that I'm cured. As the case actually is, I decided to end the trial around Christmas time.This past fall, I hit quite a rough patch. Physically and medically speaking, things just

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-7487436793146632392007-11-21T11:27:00.000-06:002007-11-21T11:35:30.066-06:00

I was fortunate to have visited Barcelona, Spain, earlier this month. It was a working trip, and I admit I was overwhelmed at times. However, I soaked in the beauty and culture and also found the people to be warm, open and passionate.Upon my return, my latest labs were waiting. This time, they decided to wait 28 days to pull labs vs. 24 days, but there were some mixed results:Viral Load: 118,130

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-16871008772758343152007-09-26T22:13:00.000-05:002007-11-21T11:27:14.776-06:00

Last time I wrote, I was pretty much an emotional wreck. That much hasn't changed, really. However, my outlook is beginning to improve. After receiving a whopping 30ccs of AIM therapy in late August, I anxiously (if not eagerly) awaited my September lab results. My hope was that my CD-4 count would climb back above 200, but my more realistic expectation was that we'd at least see some sort of

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-64235674039292259092007-08-26T18:52:00.000-05:002007-08-26T22:15:21.333-05:00

This weekend, I received my latest series of AIM injections. My butt is on fire (literally hot to the touch) and I've had flu-like symptoms, as well. I also received my latest labs, this week, which have set of a bit of a firestorm with my primary care and ID doctors. If I was at a decision point, last month, the current situation is really starting to call my bluff.Here are my latest stats:Viral

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-59236480842175863072007-07-17T16:44:00.000-05:002007-07-17T17:05:18.942-05:00

I received my latest lab results, today. Although my last AIM treatment was still composed of the newer, modified AIM formulation, I still had high expectations for continued improvement. Instead, my counts have moved in the wrong direction.VL: 155,000 (up from 96,000)CD-4: 202 (down from 285)At this stage of the protocol, I had fully expected that my viral load would be at or near zero, and my

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-62204054182974622472007-06-30T19:07:00.000-05:002007-06-30T19:22:56.241-05:00

...As my dad would say when we were kids. Yes, it has been two months since my last post, but I keep waiting for some "big" news to deliver. At the moment, things are pretty much the same as they were back in April. After my no-fun prostate infection, it seemed like perma-fatigue really set in, persisting into the present. Paradoxically, I've also been battling insomnia. Lo and behold, that's

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-77410435123780538922007-04-30T22:01:00.000-05:002007-04-30T22:07:49.826-05:00

Got my latest lab results, and we are seeing some progress. Not as dramatic as I was expecting, but progress, nonetheless. My viral load is nearly half what it was in February, but my CD-4 count is nearly the same. Here are the latest results:VL: 96,000CD-4: 285So, still a ways to go. The docs have decided to give me smaller weekly doses for the next few weeks, partly to see if it helps with the

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-2949536866672584132007-03-26T09:11:00.000-05:002007-04-02T22:36:25.036-05:00

Although it's been awhile since my last post, my intent, from this point on, is to use this blog mainly to post updates and milestones. I'll continue to post other content, as the need arises, but now that I'm seven months into this treatment protocol, I think we're all most interested in one thing: the results!My most recent lab results were, unfortunately, screwed up. The nurse at my doctor's

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-14312161208162210642007-01-23T15:22:00.000-06:002007-01-23T15:24:11.157-06:00

I've been taking this supplement for a long time for digestive support. I had previously heard about selenium for HIV patients, but I don't recall having seen a published journal article until now:Selenium Supplements Add Punch to HIV Fight

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-72815239030882261562007-01-22T14:41:00.000-06:002007-01-23T15:27:57.273-06:00

Wow, time flies. I can't believe it's been over a month since my last post. Holidays and such, I reckon. (Or, the more honest answer is that I'm a terrible procrastinator when it comes to blogging.)Alrighty, then. I have received two AIM injections since my last post: One on about Dec 20th, and another last Thursday. In each case, the reactions were initially mild. However, about ten days after

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-68497303514028284202006-12-17T05:58:00.000-06:002006-12-17T06:17:12.553-06:00

Since receiving my last AIM injection, earlier this month, I have really begun to notice an accelerated series of biological and constitutional reactions. First and foremost, my chronic digestive problems have dramatically improved, of late. My very annoying but constant companions, constipation and reflux (diagnosed as IBS, years ago), have suddenly gotten much better. I have become much more

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-19323124496567189722006-12-06T17:16:00.000-06:002006-12-08T07:44:17.802-06:00

As I reported, the other day, I have been having fun with thrush, a yeast infection of the mouth. As a result, I have been eating tons of Stonyfield Farms natural yogurt to help combat the infection, which has helped a bit. Otherwise, I received my latest AIM injection, this past Monday, and all is well. The initial site reaction was very severe, this time. Fortunately, the swelling, heat and

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-52681030352900916782006-11-24T16:48:00.000-06:002006-12-08T07:44:59.323-06:00

Just before the Thanksgiving holiday break, I got a call from my infectious diseases doc. He was calling with my the results of my latest blood work, which was drawn the week before. As my primary care physician and infectious diseases docs are not at all affiliated, the ID doc didn't know about my 150K VL spike, last month. (And no, I didn't offer up that tidbit, either.) When the ID doc called,

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-56711063807022317172006-11-12T23:12:00.001-06:002006-12-08T07:47:15.165-06:00

Got a shot on Friday, and now we're cooking with gas! The least reaction, yet. One poke in the right cheek, and other than a more painful (think bee sting) injection than usual, the after effects were negligible. A little bit of swelling and heat the first night, but as of now, just a little bit of redness. Phew! The doc got it right, again!

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-1161575817189685122006-10-22T22:54:00.000-05:002006-12-08T00:40:47.067-06:00

I came across an interesting forum post, last night. This is neither the treatment I am on, nor is this the doctor with whom I am working, but Dr. Davis' experience underscores the lengths to which big pharma will go in order to keep HIV patients beholden to a lifetime of toxic drug regimens.Supression of AIDS CureBritish Documentary on Dr. Davis

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-1161493655070393672006-10-21T23:42:00.000-05:002006-12-08T00:42:53.896-06:00

This past Thursday and Friday, I received another mini-loading dose of AIM. The formulation of this batch was tuned to my specific variant strain of the HIV virus. Yup, I have the local variety.On Thursday, I received the first half-dose in my right butt cheek. Within a couple of hours, the injection site had swollen to the diameter of a cantaloupe. After awhile, it became uncomfortable to sit,

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-1160107774332981372006-10-05T22:56:00.000-05:002006-12-08T07:46:23.305-06:00

Why on earth am I just now finding out about HIV dementia, otherwise known as "neuroAIDS." For the last two years, or so, I have seen numerous neurological specialists for what I now believe are/were neuroAIDS symptoms. My symptoms include: Memory lapses, slurred speech, "brain farts" -- especially when speaking to others -- along with periods of confusion and disorientation. For the most part, I

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-1160055145197883942006-10-05T08:07:00.000-05:002006-12-08T07:48:05.124-06:00

Yesterday, I received my first follow-up treatment. Again, now that the loading phase is complete, I will now receive a single treatment, each month, through August, 2007.For whatever reason, my butt is on fire after yesterday's treatment! I received a half-dose in each butt cheek, and initially, had very little reaction. However, by the end of the day, the injection sites had become painful, hot

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-1158772710647280582006-09-20T11:42:00.000-05:002006-12-08T07:49:07.365-06:00

The last ten days or so since my last post have been fairly non-eventful. The massive fatigue I felt early on seems to be subsiding, and my energy level is creeping up ever so slightly. I have been noticing some minor improvements in my back pain levels, though not nearly to the degree I experienced right after the loading phase. Interestingly, my cyclical problems with cystic acne on my back

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-1158015125949657732006-09-11T16:48:00.000-05:002006-12-08T07:49:57.582-06:00

I have this endearing (to me, anyway) tendency to do my research after having jumped headlong into something. In this case, I listened to the AIM radio testimonials podcast over the weekend – after getting my three loading doses of AIM. It was then that I learned about some of the initial side-effects of AIM.First, I found out that approximately one week after treatment, the injection site

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-1157603724594454122006-09-06T23:12:00.000-05:002006-11-12T23:06:57.300-06:00

I sort of skipped over Day 2, so today's post will summarize both Days 2 and 3.After I posted my Day 1 message, I took a really really long nap. Wow, did I need it. One of my biggest complaints has been chronic fatique coupled with, paradoxically, chronic insomnia. When I woke up, though, I was chatty Kathy all over again. I couldn't believe how good I felt.On Day 2, I learned how to

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-1157400079473355052006-09-04T14:34:00.000-05:002006-11-12T23:06:57.211-06:00

Today, I received my first of three loading treatments of the AIM therapy. I didn't grow fangs and Mr. Hyde has yet to materialize. :p The first three treatments are administered on successive days, around the same time of day, so I'm sure I'll have much more to report mid-week as compared to today.So far, I've had a very mild reactions to the treatment, none of which I'm sure I can directly

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33609932.post-1157168477530995512006-09-01T22:12:00.000-05:002006-11-12T23:06:57.130-06:00

At the risk of being melodramatic, my life has been a Greek tragedy. Or maybe a comedy. I haven't yet decided which. My life experience has been replete with excruciating tragedies, missed opportunities and major disappointments. I'm not trying to elicit sympathy, here; I'm just stating a relative fact. So, in some strange, dark way, maybe I asked for it. HIV, that is.In fact, sometime in the

AIM Guinea Pighttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12941750219533396248noreply@blogger.com2