Advice to Patients Recently Diagnosed With HIV

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Adherence to treatment regimen is key to success
The most important thing you should understand at this point is that you must be ready to commit to HIV treatment exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you start a treatment regimen but do not adhere to your prescribed medication schedule, the virus will have an opportunity to develop resistance to the drugs, and will not be completely suppressed in your body. It is extremely important that you understand this concept. If you do not understand what this means, or feel that you are not ready, you must discuss this with your doctor. You can easily do more harm than good if you do not take the medications as prescribed.

Learn About Side Effects of HIV Drugs

Each drug and each drug class has side effects that may occur shortly after starting the regimen. Many of these short-term side effects diminish within a few days or weeks of starting the regimen. Your doctor can give you important advice on how to manage these side effects. Some drugs have the potential to cause some serious side effects that can be life threatening. It is important that you be aware of the signs and symptoms that you must look for and report immediately to your doctor. These serious side effects are rare, and hopefully fear of them will not prevent you from starting therapy.

We are learning more about the long-term side effects of therapy as well. It is not clear whether some of these effects are due to HIV itself, one or more of the drugs, or a combination of both. Many people worry about these long-term effects. It is important that you discuss this with your doctor also. Clearly, allowing HIV to progress to AIDS is much more serious and life-threatening than any of these other side effects that may occur.

Get Vaccinated for Preventable Infections

Whether you start therapy or determine that it is okay for you to defer therapy, your doctor will recommend a series of vaccinations or immunizations. These are just like the shots you received as a child to prevent you from acquiring measles, mumps, tetanus, or other common viral infections. It is important that you receive these shots, as they help to prevent infections that could later tax your immune system or cause serious and life-threatening illnesses. This series of shots can take up to six months to complete. It is important to keep your appointments to receive these shots on time.

Take Precautions to Prevent Spreading HIV to Others

Once you know you have HIV, you will probably have questions about steps you can take to reduce the risk of spreading the HIV virus to other people. Your family, sexual partners, and roommates may have significant concerns about this also. You and your doctor will review safer sex guidelines. Sex can be difficult to talk about, but it is important that you understand safer sex guidelines, and ask any questions you may have. Sexual activities that result in the exchange of body fluids lead to a higher risk of transmitting HIV. Other sexual activities are less likely to transmit HIV. Your doctor should discuss safer sex practices with you in detail.

In addition to having safer sex, you must not share needles. Although controversial, needle exchange programs have gone a long way to reduce the spread of HIV in people who use IV drugs.

Since HIV is spread very easily through blood and blood products, anyone with HIV infection will not be able to donate blood.

There are many fallacies about how HIV is spread. For example, some people still believe that you can get HIV from someone by eating off of the same plate, using the same glass, or sitting on the same toilet seat. These are not ways that HIV is spread.

Keep Your Immune System Strong

A number of common-sense issues are important. Get plenty of rest, eat a well-balanced diet, and exercise regularly. Avoid excess amounts of alcohol, and if you smoke, you will do yourself a favor by stopping. There are medications that help increase your chances of stopping and "staying stopped." Ask your doctor if those medications are appropriate for you. Avoid the use of recreational drugs.

Take an Active Role in Treating HIV

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Find a doctor or healthcare provider who you feel comfortable with. Realize that you will be living with HIV for the rest of your life. Prepare yourself to learn about HIV and HIV treatments. You do not need to devote your life to HIV unless you choose to. You cannot learn everything overnight. There are many sources of information about HIV. Find the ones that work best for you.

Find someone to talk to
Many people feel that they do not want anyone else to know that they have HIV. As time goes on however, most people do find at least one or two people that they feel they can trust. It is important to find support from someone. If not someone close to you, consider a support group or online group. Your doctor or social worker can often help you with finding support. These sources of support can help you feel less alone. It can be very reassuring to know that others have gone here before you.

Conclusion

HIV infection is now a manageable, chronic infection in many cases. The more you learn about HIV and the steps you can take to control it in your body, the more likely you will live a normal, healthy life.

Next: Who can you talk to about your AIDS diagnosis

Last reviewed: 10/05

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