Positive Life NSW

Also known as 'sock and glove', neuropathy is something many HIV+ people live with. While there might not be a cure, Greg Page has some little tricks of his own to help that nagging discomfort magically disappear.

For Peter Schlosser, the creative energy that surfaces through his art is a true life force. When I was three, so I'm told, I would often sit with Lego blocks or paper and pencils at the coffee table, chin in hand, elbow on table, in the classic pose of deep thought. Mum would smile and walk away. Ten minutes later she'd return and I wouldn't have moved.

At age 50, Stephen Berry collapsed with an AIDS-defining brain condition. Now approaching 60, he has recovered enough, against massive odds, to go rafting, scuba-diving and bungy jumping.

A bout of pneumonia led to Wayne Daubney having six joint replacements. Now his friends call him the 'bionic' man! I’m a 51 year old gay man who’s been poz for 27 years. My medical story is a little unusual.

Does anyone really need to be told that it’s healthy to exercise? Probably not. Yet that knowledge often doesn’t translate into actual sweat and pounding hearts. Despite – or perhaps because of – a thriving gym culture, many people still view exercise as yet another onerous duty (“I suppose I should”), rather than something to look forward to and enjoy. Derek Thaczuk gets off the couch and finds out about exercise and HIV.

David looks back on his experience of managing multiple health problems and his recent success with a new healthcare plan that includes omega-3 fish oil.

Naturopath Peter de Ruyter shares his experience of taking time off to heal and explains how finding a purpose helped him to keep striving, despite what was happening in his life.

Adrian always felt he was living a secret double life – juggling a dual diagnosis of HIV and mental illness with a professional career. With treatment and support, he has learned how to take control of both conditions and live a meaningful life.

The holidays are a great time to relax, recharge and catch up with friends and family, but they can also be a period of stress and anxiety. Kevin Pyle speaks to clinical psychologist Valerie Rendle about how to get through the holidays.

Since my last article in the April–May edition, I have been on brain-penetrating antiretroviral medication for close to 12 months now. The change in the clarity of my memory and thinking has been remarkable. But all has not been smooth. David follows up on his article in Talkabout 164 about living with HIV dementia.