There’s no cure for HIV but it can be managed effectively with medication. That’s why you must stick to the regimen that your doctor establishes for you. However, knowing that something is good for you doesn’t always mean it’s easy to do it. Let’s look at everything you need to know about being treated for HIV.
Once you’ve been diagnosed with HIV, you’ll start what is known as anti-retroviral therapy (ART). The combination of drugs that you’ll need to take can vary. Still, your choices include non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleoside or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), protease inhibitors (PIs), integrase inhibitors, and entry or fusion inhibitors.
Generally, you’ll take pills but shots are available once you’ve satisfied the relevant criteria. These shots are long-acting and must be administered by your doctor monthly.
To qualify for the shots, however, you need to be virally suppressed or have an undetectable viral load for a minimum of three months. You also need a history of taking your medication as prescribed and no allergies to the ingredients in the shot.
As with many medications, HIV treatment can have a few side effects. Some of these are nausea, dizziness, fatigue, vomiting, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, and dry mouth. If you get the shot, you may have some soreness at the injection site.
Certain side effects like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea can be managed with over-the-counter medication but you should talk to your doctor about your options for dealing with the others. Sometimes, the only way forward is to modify your drug combinations so you don’t have as many issues.
Additionally, you should always let your doctor know if your medications are making your day-to-day life difficult.
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Taking your medication consistently is the only way to bring your viral load down and keep it suppressed. This means that you won’t be able to pass the virus on to others and it won’t replicate unchecked in your system to ruin your health.
You’ll also reduce your risk of developing a strain of HIV that’s resistant to your medication. If you’re not sticking to your treatment, it’s easier for the virus to mutate and render your drugs ineffective.
Once you have a drug-resistant form of HIV, it may make your condition more difficult to treat and your risk of transmitting it to others will increase.
When you’re discussing HIV treatment with your doctor, it’s essential that you’re honest about your lifestyle, your health, and your future plans. For example, if you’re interested in having children, your doctor may need to choose certain medications that will reduce the likelihood of passing the virus on to your child.
On the other hand, you should let your doctor know if you take any form of birth control. While birth control shouldn’t affect your treatment, the drugs used to treat HIV can make your birth control less effective.
If you’re on hormone therapy for another condition or as part of gender-affirming care, then HIV drugs shouldn’t interfere with how well they work. However, there’s the possibility that the drugs could make the side effects worse. If this happens, talk to your doctor immediately so they can explore different options for your continued care.
Finally, it’s not uncommon for doctors to modify a medical regimen over time. If you suspect that your treatment isn’t working as well as it should be, you should always tell your doctor.
HIV is a lifelong illness so you need to manage it well. While taking your medication consistently, it’s good to maintain constant communication with your doctor. By doing that, they’ll always be aware of any changes in your health and take immediate action.
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