Share your story

Women all across the country are affected by HIV/AIDS. Some women are living with HIV while holding down jobs and taking care of families. Other women are caregivers to family members or friends with HIV. Here, you can read some of their stories or share your own.

Share Your Story submissions are currently unavailable. Please check back soon.

Community stories

Please note: Posted stories do not necessarily represent the views of womenshealth.gov. Please view our user submitted content policy.

Page 1 of 12 NEXT

Jess from TX (US)

May 17, 2012 22:40 PM

I first found out my husband was postive when I was 20 weeks pregnant. My heart drop to the floor I was worried about my baby I didn't want her to have it. The thought of my baby being born with HIV was devastating. My husband already knew he had it 2 weeks before I found out, he had told me he was scared to tell me didn't know how to tell me. I had found his medication and wanted to see what they were since I never seen those names before. Sure enough soon as I seen HIV I froze didn't know what to do. I confronted my husband all he could say he was very sorry he didn't know from who he got it. All we knew he was getting sick and losing weight all the signs thought nothing of it. I tested every month of my pregnancy after that I came out negative every time. Once our daughter was born she too was tested and then 2 times after that and negative as well. I love my husband very much i am still with him but there is always that thought what if I get it.

natty (TT)

May 11, 2012 08:49 AM

hi, found out my ex boyfriend had hiv, although we have not been together for the past two years and i tested negative five months ago, i'm still scared. still feel as though i'm experiencing symptoms. they told me i don't have it but i'm scared to get retested. really need some help.

Anonymous

April 30, 2012 08:33 AM

I have just tested positive for HIV some hours ago. My world is crashing down and my future looks blank to me. I feel I deserve it because of my foolishness but I feel the guilt of having infected my fiance will kill me. We were supposed to get married soon. I can't forgive myself for what have done to myself and my loved ones. I'm dying silently. I'm just 23 and carrying this heavy burden. I need help.

frorence from CA (US)

April 27, 2012 18:28 PM

I am 25 years old, and am HIV positive. This makes me crazy and I even tried to kill myself because I don't understand. I had a high fever last August that put me in the hospital, and that’s when I learned I have HIV. I was shocked. My boyfriend and I had gotten HIV tests four years earlier and they were negative. We broke up after that, but we got re-tested and were still HIV negative. I was never with another man. We got married in December 2010. But now I am divorced and HIV positive and my husband is still negative. I have no children and I feel hopeless that I will never get my husband back again. I am really hopeless and feel like this is the end of my life because this is so painful, thanks, please help me!

Reply from womenshealth.gov:

Many women struggle with feelings like you describe. But it’s really important that if you are thinking about hurting or even killing yourself, you must call 911. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or the National Hopeline Network at 800-784-2433 for free at any time to talk to someone.

You can get help from a local AIDS group. A case manager will give you confidential help to find out about and receive HIV/AIDS services.

Go to this list, find the state where you live, and call that number for help: http://hab.hrsa.gov/gethelp/statehotlines.html.

When you are connected to local HIV services, you can learn more about living with HIV/AIDS at http://womenshealth.gov/hiv-aids/living-with-hiv-aids/.

Thanks to treatment, many people with HIV are living long lives. You can also get help by calling CDC-INFO at 800-232-4636.

Please note: This response was posted here because the individual’s email address did not work and we wanted to be sure the individual got this important information. Please do not post questions in this section because we are unable to answer them here.

If you are thinking of hurting yourself, please visit or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 or 911 right away.

Kylee from FL (US)

March 29, 2012 14:28 PM

when i was 14 i went on facebook and i got a message from this boy telling me he thought i was very pretty and we began to talk. i then asked how old he was, he told me he was 18. even though it was stupid of me, i still continued to talk to him but really just as friends. he told me he liked me alot and we started going out. our relationship pretty much started out of nothing. one day he asked if we could hang out and i said that would be fun. when i went to his house we began to watch tv but ended up having sex; he took my virginity. i found out from a friend a few days later that this guy was actually 21. i was beyond embarrased and devastated so i didn't tell her we had sex. i have been having symptoms i find to be unexplainable like dry skin and memory loss. i looked up signs of hiv and i had many of them. i dont know what to do or who to talk to. any advice would really help.

Page 1 of 12 NEXT

Content last updated November 29, 2012.

Return to top