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If you are interested in skincare, beauty and wellness, you might know of influencer Andrew Donaldson-Wheatcroft, who has well over 200,000 followers on his social media accounts. Alongside this content, Andrew is an advocate for people living with HIV. In this blog post, he shares the story of his HIV diagnosis.
Before I was diagnosed with HIV in 2015, like many other people I assumed it was unlikely to happen to me. Now I know, HIV doesn’t discriminate and anyone can catch it. Misconceptions are harmful and allow the virus to spread because it’s damaging to people’s health when they get into the mindset of ‘this doesn’t affect me, why would I test for it?’.
My experience tells me that many people still believe HIV only affects gay men, but for the past 2 years, we’ve seen heterosexual HIV diagnoses overtake those of gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM).
Regular testing is crucial to identify an HIV infection because most people feel fine and don’t have symptoms for some time. Some people might experience a short illness after they contract the virus which can present like the flu, but even then symptoms can vary, and it’s easy to shrug off as ‘just another winter virus’. I didn’t suspect anything; I was just going about my daily life unaware – which is easy to do when you’re not regularly testing.
It was only when I was rushed into hospital after becoming seriously ill with pneumonia and meningitis that I was diagnosed. When I arrived at the hospital, doctors didn’t know what was happening to my body. Even if I had known, I couldn’t have told them because I was so ill I couldn’t even speak. When the test results came back, the doctors discovered that I had HIV, and were then able to piece things together.
The risk of the unknown
Because I wasn’t regularly testing, I didn’t know my status, and this allowed the virus to silently cause damage to my immune system, so I wasn’t able to fight infections. Once the test confirmed my diagnosis, NHS staff were able to provide me with the right treatment and get my health back on track.
HIV medication keeps me healthy, so I can live a normal life. The medication I take has now reduced my viral load to an undetectable level. This means the virus is still there, but it has been reduced to such small amounts in my body that it cannot be passed on, including to my husband. You may have heard of the term ‘Undetectable = Untransmittable’ or ‘U = U’; this means that people living with HIV, and who are ‘undetectable’, have a zero risk of transmitting the virus to their sexual partners.
For me, HIV medication feels like a miraculous thing, but it’s a treatment, not a cure. My road to recovery wasn’t an overnight fix; it was a journey. I continue to take daily medication, and for the past 10 years I’ve had to go to regular appointments to make sure my treatment is working properly, checking that the virus is at low levels, and my immune system is well. Because of the dedication I’ve put into my health, I have been told that I am no longer required to check in with a doctor or have my bloods taken regularly, as I’m the healthiest I have ever been in my HIV journey, which I am over the moon about.
HIV continues to carry a lot of stigma, usually because people lack information about it. Being vocal about my HIV positivity online might come across as easy now, but it took me 5 years to tell people I was HIV positive because of that stigma. It was the most afraid I’ve ever been of anything in my life. Outdated beliefs from the past still linger, but the reality of HIV today is completely different.
Consistently using condoms is really important, but there are now other highly effective tools we can use to reduce the risk of transmission. Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a daily pill that significantly lowers the risk of getting HIV for those at higher risk. Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is an emergency medication that can be taken within 72 hours of potential exposure to prevent the virus from taking hold. By combining these methods with regular testing and condom use, we can work towards stopping new HIV infections.
Normalising the conversation about HIV, and encouraging regular testing helps break down that stigma. We should see sexual health testing as an essential part of self-care, just like eating well, exercising, and looking after our mental health. Knowing your status is about empowerment and taking control. HIV can affect anyone, no matter your gender or sexual orientation. Regular testing leads to earlier diagnosis, allowing people to start effective treatment sooner—protecting their health and preventing transmission.
Protect yourself, educate yourself, and go get tested!
Find your local sexual health clinic.
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