HIV and AIDS Forum - consequences of having HIV?

Hi all

I had possible exposer to HIV last august and wasn't worrying about it until lately when I started having groin and joint pain, before that I was having what I believe to be night terrors and night sweats. I've finally come to terms with it and I'm going to get the one hour test this wendsday. What I'm wondering is what the possible consequences of having HIV/AIDs are? Other then the obvious.

I'm graduating from art college this June and I'm wondering how this will affect my getting a job or if it will make my insurance skyrocket? I know those are silly things to worry about but my career is really important to me and I've been sitting in my apartment thinking about how I may have ruined my life for weeks already.

I also wanted to have children at some point and if positive that will obviously be out of the question, I'm wondering how this would affect adoption? I imagine that would also be out of the question and I don't know if I'd even want to adopt knowing that I might be gone in 30 some years.

I've also heard some time-frames before the virus becomes fatal and wondered if these were accurate. I've seen that most sites say that if you go without antiretrovirals you have a time span of 10 to 15 years max if you go with antiretrovirals you have 30 years.

I'm in a numb state of mind right now because as I said I was obsessing about this for weeks. I had a scare like this 3 years ago when I got an STD and was treated for it but then thought I might have HIV, after I tested negative it made a huge difference. I didn't have sex of any kind until last august which was a bad idea seeming I put my trust in the wrong person and now I might pay for it. The thing is that I've had these symptoms (back and joint pain, groin pain, flu like symptoms) for years before I thought I was exposed so it might be due to something else... like the flu... Rolling Eyes

It just seems like I have the worst luck because I've never done any drugs of any kind, never smoked, never had sex willy nilly, I try my best at everything I do. It just doesn't seem fare that after one lapse in judgment it could be all over, but such as life.

Any comments such as "you're crazy, get tested and stop obsessing" are welcome.