A man has written a powerful Facebook post about living with HIV in a bid to tackle the stigma that still surrounds the condition.
Andrew Gamez-Heath, who's happily married to husband Ricardo, a nurse, took a test at the start of their relationship and was shocked to learn he tested postive.
But Andrew, who lives in Lincoln and now campaigns to help people better understand HIV, said his life is no different.
"In fact, I’m happier and healthier than ever," he wrote on Facebook.
"It’s made me grow as a person and I’m able to do a job that changes perceptions. HIV does not define who I am and never will. No more than me having green curtains in my lounge would define me."
Andrew said that if people don't talk about being HIV positive, the facts about the virus won't be apparent – and the stigma will continue.
"I’m happy, healthy, my virus is undetectable and I can’t pass it on," Andrew added. "My life is no different from yours."
Andrew's condition is controlled thanks to daily medication. He has no side effects and the virus count is low.
He's been aware of his situation since 2014, after he visited Dean Street Express clinic in Soho, London.
Andrew continued: "People visit the dentist and I don’t see getting tests for STIs any different to that. I viewed it as the same.
"Not for one minute was I worried about the result. For me, it was just a routine check and I would be in and out in five minutes.’ 60 seconds later, however, the results came back positive.
"The nurse told me, 'Ok, so this test has come back reactive'. She went on to say it meant I was HIV positive."
Andrew confessed that when he first heard the words 'HIV positive', he "crumbled".
"I immediately wanted to know how accurate the est was," said Andrew. "When they said it was more than 99% accurate, I knew I had it."
Andrew doesn't know how he contracted the virus, but does recall being off work with 'flu-like symptoms' in the weeks leading up to his diagnosis.
According to the Terrence Higgins Trust, flu-like illness is called ‘seroconversion’, and can occur up to six weeks after infection.
Simply, it's the body's immune system reacting to the presence of a virus. It's also the point at which humans naturally produce antibodies in a bid to fight HIV – and it's only then HIV will show up in tests.
Andrew explained in his candid post: "At the time I felt awful. I actually went to the GP and was referred for blood tests but they showed nothing, so it was suspected I had a virus. The illness cleared and I got on with things."
He also admitted that in the days immediately after his discovery, he thought he was dying, but his mindset soon changed: "I met a counsellor and they said: 'Do you know anyone with HIV?'.
"I said, 'no' and they said, 'Well, you do now. I was diagnosed 14 years ago'.
"It made me realise that people could survive."
And not just survive, but live a normal life of contentment. Today, thanks to the wonders of modern medication, HIV can be managed. Andrew started his daily tablet he was prescribed.
Despite this, Andrew initially kept his HIV secret from the wider world. He told only his parents and boyfriend Ricardo. But in 2016, he married and took the decision to reveal the news on Facebook, in a public post.
He said: "Through all of this, my boyfriend – now husband – gave me more support than anyone and to this day, I don’t know what I would have done without him.
"But one thing that struck me when I was diagnosed was that I knew nothing about HIV and the stuff I did know was so outdated that it was actually wrong.
"For me, it was so important that I get the correct info out there and try and set the record straight for everyone living with the virus. Andrew works for Positive Health, a sexual health charity in Lincoln which aims to raise awareness of HIV.
"Here I am doing this job and trying to change perceptions and yet I was keeping my own status a secret. So, after three years, I’ve decided to come out of the 'viral closet' and talk openly about my diagnosis."
