Battling Norovirus and Aging With HIV

Here I am on the cusp of celebrating 40 years of being positive. There is nothing like an extra illness over the holidays. Cancel, cancel, reschedule, cancel again... For a couple of nights, I had some nausea right before bed on an empty stomach, which was unusual. I then experienced a bout of heartburn with acid reflux.

Heartburn seems to be a hot topic of discussion and a common frustration among those of us living with HIV. I had some acid reflux years ago and took some Nexium to calm down the symptoms. I had been told that taking Tums too often was not a good mix with my HIV medications. This bout, however, was very sudden and surprising.

So, I chose to avoid Tums this time. I spent time exploring some dietary changes that might reduce the acid buildup. However, the severity of heartburn led me to choose an over-the-counter medication, Omeprazole. It temporarily helped me to manage my heartburn but didn't stop the incoming onslaught.

A rough start to the New Year

The following morning, I awoke with severe stomach cramps, pain, diarrhea, headache, muscle aches, nausea, and a slight fever. Norovirus is rapidly increasing in the Northeast US. I did some research about norovirus and learned about its symptoms and remedies (none) to treat the illness.

The primary recommendations included the usual; drink plenty of fluids and take a pain reliever as needed - I was already taking 1,000mg of acetaminophen 3 times daily. My doctors' offices were closed, so additional recommendations were made to seek out an urgent care center or the emergency room. This was not an emergency, just an annoyance beyond belief.

I have never had such constant cramping pain, just like a gut punch. It didn't go away. I was down for the count: 10, 9, 8... 1! Puke-y New Year! And by this time, I was exhausted. I was fortunate to have plenty of liquids on hand to hydrate often and food to keep me nourished. I tried to avoid contact with anyone during this infectious time, which included 48 hours after symptoms subsided.

Making the best of it

I attended a group of LGBTQIA+ seniors called "Rainbow Trailblazers," where we had planned a holiday party on January 2, just after the new year. It was clear I was in no shape to attend, and I surely did not want to spread this virus to anyone else.

I had agreed to make a crockpot of chili to share and, of course, had bought all the ingredients for the party. I may not have wanted to eat much while so sick, but I went ahead and made the chili so it would not go to waste and I could fill my freezer with future delights.

A deep clean for recovery

Norovirus is supposed to last 3 to 4 days and run its course. I do not find I heal as fast with long-term HIV. However, by this time, I should have been symptom-free. Since norovirus is mainly spread from contaminated surfaces, I thoroughly cleaned and sprayed Lysol to kill any remaining germs in my condominium, which is the only place I have been.

I was beginning to feel as though I was reinfecting myself when the cramping would not stop. My final care was to empty any reusable water bottles and clean them out before refilling them again.

Prioritizing health and prevention while aging with HIV

It's surprising how many surfaces and touch points we have in our environment that we use on a daily basis. Also, it is important to value health, not only HIV but also in a general way that supports our immune system and keeps us healthy daily. We must take care of our total self in all circumstances.

While aging with HIV, I am less tolerant of the illnesses that impact our quality of life. We all know that prevention is key and that is why I choose vaccinations for COVID, pneumonia, flu, RSV... I hate to isolate, so my best advice is to stay healthy and beam bright. We need your light to shine in our world.