Ten things you may like to know about HIV Treatment

Ten things you may not know about HIV treatment-and may find useful!

1-Treatment leads to a longer, healthier life
Despite no cure existing for HIV, doctors state that through taking a combination of anti-retroviral drugs, almost all sufferers can live a normal life.

2-The best HIV care comes through seeking the NHS’s help
If you are entitled to care through the NHS, your HIV treatment, care and medicines will all be provided free of charge, and this will be administered through specialist HIV clinics. The doctors there will regularly check to see how HIV is affecting your immune system, and explain fully the treatment needed.

3-The goal of HIV treatment is an “undetectable viral load”
This means that the medicine you take to treat HIV will reduce the levels of HIV in the blood to an extremely low level, allowing your immune system to stay strong enough to fight infections and stopping HIV from becoming resistant to the treatment.

4-HIV treatment consists of three or more different drugs
This mixture of treatments helps to reduce the risk of HIV becoming resistant to the drugs you are taking.

5-The best time to start HIV treatment is unknown
However, if your immune system has been weakened through HIV, or you have become ill because of HIV, you should begin treatment.

6-There are guidelines relating to the exact treatment you should receive
Different people need different treatment, such as pregnant women and people who have received HIV drugs before, and specialist guidelines outlining the course their treatment takes are provided.

7-It is important to take anti-HIV drugs in the manner you have been instructed to
Not taking the drugs in the correct manner creates a risk the drugs will not work properly, immediately or during future treatment, and therefore it is vital to-
Take all doses of medicine at the right time
Take medicine in the manner in which you have been instructed, for instance, with or without food
It is also important you do not take other drugs or medicines which may affect your HIV treatment.

8-HIV treatment helps prevent HIV being passed from mother to baby
The risk of pregnant women passing HIV on to their unborn child is dramatically reduced by their receiving HIV treatment during pregnancy.

9-HIV treatment can bring about side effects
HIV treatment is to protect and improve health; however, it can cause side effects. If you do experience side effects, make sure to inform your doctor, as there is a good chance there will be a solution.

10-HIV treatment does not prevent the transmission of HIV
Therefore, it is vital to take precautions even if you are receiving treatment. Condoms effectively prevent the transmission of HIV during sex, and clean needles can be provided if you inject drugs, never share needles or other injecting equipment.