Symptoms and Hubs

Funny that I created this blog for my advocacy but I think I missed something... to write about the symptoms and the testing/treatment hubs here in the Philippines. If not for some of my followers messaging me, I wouldnt have an idea to post that, maybe because I focused on writing how a Pozzie (HIV positive) can live a normal life like I do. Yan kasi ang nakatulong sa akin nung newly diagnosed ako. I should have blogged this earlier but here it goes!!!

Details c/o @iamhivpositivem


METRO MANILA

Philippine General Hospital (PGH)
Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila
Dr. Jodor Lim & Ms. Dominga C. Gomez, HACT, SAGIP / PGH
Tel: (+632) 554-8400 local 3238

Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM)
Filinvest Corporate City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Dr. Rossana A. Ditangco, Head, HIV Research Unit
Tel: (+632) 807-2628 or 38 local 801/208

San Lazaro Hospital (SLH)
Quiricada St., Sta. Cruz, Manila
Dr. Rosario Jessica Tactacan-Abrenica, Medical Specialist II /
HACT Leader and Head, HIV/AIDS Pavilion
Tel: (+632) 309-9528 to 29; 740-8301 loc 6000


LUZON

Baguio General Hospital and Medical Center (BGHMC)
Baguio City
Dr. Maria Lorena L. Santos, HACT Leader / Medical Officer II

Bicol Regional Training & Teaching Hospital
Legaspi City, Albay
Dr. Rogelio G. Rivera, Chief of Hospital III
Tel: (+6352) 483-0016 ; 483-0086; 483-0017

Cagayan Valley Medical Center
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan Valley

Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC)
San Fernando, La Union
Dr. Jeisela B. Gaerlan, Medical Specialist II / HACT Leader
Tel: (+6372) 700-3808

Jose B. Lingad Memorial Medical Center
San Fernando, Pampanga

VISAYAS

Corazon Locsin Montelibano Memorial Regional Hospital
Lacson St., Bacolod City, Negros Occidental
Dr. Candido Alam, HACT Leader / Medical Specialist
Tel: (+6334) 435-1591 ; 433-2697

Vicente Sotto, Sr. Memorial Medical Center
B. Rodriguez St., Cebu City 6000
Dr. Maria Consuelo B. Malaga, HACT Leader
Tel: (+6332) 253-7564

Western Visayas Medical Center
Q. Abeto St., Mandurriao, 5000 Iloilo City
Dr. Ray Celis, HACT Leader / Medical Specialist III
Tel: (+6333) 321-2841 to 50

MINDANAO

Davao Medical Center
J.P. Laurel St., Bajada, 8000 Davao City
Dr. Alicia Layug, HACT Leader
Tel: (+6381) 227-2731

Zamboanga City Medical Center
Evangelista St., 7000 Zamboanga City
Dr. Jejunee Rivera, HACT Leader / Medical Officer III
Tel: (+6362) 991-0573

Or visit/inquire at your nearest Social Hygiene Clinics (Special STI Clinics) and City or Municipal Health Offices at the local level. Here are a few in Metro Manila:

Manila Social Hygiene Clinic
2nd Floor, 208 Quiricada Street, Sta. Cruz, Manila
Dr. Diana Mendoza or Malou Tan, RN
Tel: (+632) 711-6942

Caloocan Social Hygiene Clinic
Caloocan Health Department, A. Mabini St., Caloocan
Dr. Zenaida Calupaz
Tel: (+632) 288-8811 local 2281

Makati Social Hygiene Clinic
7th Floor, Makati City Hall, J.P. Rizal St., Makati City
Dr. Calixto Salud or Teresita Pagcaliwagan, RN
Tel: (+632) 870-1615

Mandaluyong Social Hygiene Clinic
Lerma corner Vicencio Sts., Old Zaniga, Mandaluyong
Dr. Yolanda Tuaño
Tel: (+632) 546-7799 ; 211-5336

Pasay Social Hygiene Clinic
Rm. 106, Pasay City Hall, F.B. Harrison St., Pasay City
Dr. Loretta Garcia
Tel: (+632) 551-4180

Pasig Social Hygiene Clinic
5th Floor, Pasig City Hall, Caruncho Ave., Pasig City
Dr. Rocylene Roque or Dennis Espina
Tel: (+632) 640-0111 ; 642-7754; 640-2058

Quezon City Social Hygiene Clinic – Batasan
Batasan Hills, Quezon City
Dr. Dottie Mercado
Tel: (+63) 0905 357-6353

Quezon City Social Hygiene Clinic – P. Bernardo
Cubao, Quezon City
Dr. Suzette Encisa
Tel: (+63) 0916 478-1607

Quezon City Social Hygiene Clinic – Project 7
Project 7, Quezon City
Dr. Monina Santos
Tel: (+63) 0918 618-4133


For the Symptoms:

Many people do not develop symptoms after they first get infected with HIV. Others have a history of a flu-like illness within several days to weeks after exposure to the virus. Early HIV symptoms also include fever, headache, tiredness, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. These symptoms usually disappear on their own within a few weeks. After that, the person feels normal and has no symptoms. This asymptomatic phase often lasts for years.

The progression of disease varies widely among individuals. This state may last from a few months to more than 10 years.

• During this period, the virus continues to multiply actively and infects and kills the cells of the immune system.
• The virus destroys the cells that are the primary infection fighters, a type of white blood cell called CD4 cells.
• Even though the person has no symptoms, he or she is contagious and can pass HIV to others through the routes listed above.

AIDS is the later stage of HIV infection, when the body begins losing its ability to fight infections. Once the CD4 cell count falls low enough, an infected person is said to have AIDS. Sometimes, the diagnosis of AIDS is made because the person has unusual infections or cancers that show how weak the immune system is.

• The infections that happen with AIDS are called opportunistic infections because they take advantage of the opportunity to infect a weakened host. The infections include (but are not limited to)
• pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis, which causes wheezing;
• brain infection with toxoplasmosis which can cause trouble thinking or symptoms that mimic a stroke;
• widespread infection with a bacteria called MAC (mycobacterium avium complex) which can cause fever and weight loss;
• yeast infection of the swallowing tube (esophagus) which causes pain with swallowing;
• widespread diseases with certain fungi like histoplasmosis, which can cause fever, cough, anemia, and other problems.
• A weakened immune system can also lead to other unusual conditions:
• lymphoma in (a form of cancer of the lymphoid tissue) in the brain, which can cause fever and trouble thinking;
• a cancer of the soft tissues called Kaposi's sarcoma, which causes brown, reddish, or purple spots that develop on the skin or in the mouth.

As for me, I did not have any of the symptoms. I actually got curious of my HIV status that is why I had myself tested. I think we can have a rule of thumb here:

If you exposed yourself even once to any rosk that can make you catch this little monsters, you owe yourself a treat... that is... having yourself test.

Yours,

Potchini2