Treatment
If you are diagnosed HIV-positive, medication will be a
very important part of your life if you want to keep the virus under
control. It is a life long commitment and you will have to make some
lifestyle changes. This section gives an overall explanation of the
medications, the virus, what to expect, what to do and what not to do. It is
by no means comprehensive and you should talk to your doctor if you have
further questions.
What is HAART?
HAART stands for highly active anti-retroviral therapy and it
is the current treatment for HIV-positive people which helps to promote and
prolong a healthier life. It's a combination of at least three different
anti-retroviral medications.
A cocktail of Medications
Why three different medications?
To date, there is no single medication developed to do the
job well.
Research shows that a combination works better than one.
What are these three different types of medications?
It can be divided into 3 groups:
1)
Nucleoside reserves
transcriptase inhibitor –NRTI
2)
Non-Nucleoside reserves
transcriptase inhibitor – NNRTI
3)
Protease Inhibitor –PI
What does each medication do?
1)
NRTI acts like broken building
blocks so that the HIV that multiplies in your T-cell are built on broken
blocks, hence making the HIV weaker.
2)
NNRTI gives wrong instructions
to HIV during the building process so their building is weak and can
collapse.
3)
PI acts like workers putting
defective parts in each new virus being built, again to make the HI weaker.
What happens if I don’t take the medications?
Your CD4 cell count will go down which means your immune
system will be weakened and you'll be more prone to falling ill. And the
number of HIV (viral load ) in your body will increase.
What is Viral load?
Viral load tells you and your doctor how much HIV is in
your blood. The higher the viral load, the faster your CD4 cells will
destroyed. Hence you will have less CD4 cells. And your immune system gets
weaker.
Why is viral load so important?
If you are on HAART, viral load tells you how well the HIV
medications are working. If you are not HAART, viral load may give you an
idea about how fast your infection is progressing.
What is the level of viral load I should have?
If you are on HAART, a good level is fewer than 50
copies/ml, i.e. your doctor will tell you that your viral load is at an
‘undetectable
If I come under 'undetectable' levels, can I still
transmit HIV?
Yes. Viral load only measures the amount of viruses in your blood.
Does HAART help to keep viral load low and CD4 cell count high?
Yes. That is the aim of treatment.
How long do I have to stay on treatment?
Once you start, you can't quit. So, it's lifelong. If you stop taking the
medications, the virus will start replicating again. It becomes much
stronger and hence more difficult to keep the virus under control.
You can read
more informations about Viral Load and Viral Load Testing Here.
Change your lifestyle before
treatment
Why should I?
Well, because HIV medication is a lifelong commitment and it needs you o
make quite a few changes to the way you live, work and play. Starting early
just means you get used to your new way of life.
What are the changes that I have to make in my life?
For a start
Eat well, Exercise, If you smoke,
drink or take illicit drugs,
try to quit.
Why?
Cigarettes, alcohol and illicit drugs are known to be harmful to our body.
Your weakened immune system might not be able to cope with these harmful
effects.
Talk to your doctor before starting treatment
Why is the doctor so important?
It's important to have a good and comfortable relationship built on mutual
trust with your doctor, because it will be a lifelong contact.
You may have many questions about HIV, the treatment, side effects and
lifestyle changes that you may want to discuss with your doctor. And you
must be comfortable doing this.
What should I discuss with my doctor?
• How treatment could change your life.
• How to get ready mentally, emotionally and physically, because treatment
will be a central part of your life.
• It will be a commitment you make for life.
What if I can't take my medications on time?
It may cause your 1st combination of medications to fail. And it makes it
harder to keep the virus under control with other combinations.
How many types of combinations are these?
There are only a few types of combinations. So, you do not have many
options. That's why it's important for you to make the 1st combination work
for as long as you can.
What should I consider when deciding on the medications with my doctor?
Keep it simple as it could change your life.
Consider all the following:
- The cost of the medications.
- The possible side effects.
- You'll have to be aware of the medication times, your schedule and changes
is your routine.
- You may have to take the medications around meals, with or without certain
foods.
- You might have to take medications with you all the time.
- You may be busy, depressed or lazy but the medications have to be taken on
time, every time, every day, every year.
- How many pills do you have to take?
It can vary from 3 to 10 pills.
- Do you travel a lot?
- Do the medications need refrigeration and if so, will it be a problem for
you?
- Is your work schedule busy that it's hard to eat your meals regularly?
Changing medications & compliance
Can I change the medications if the side effects are unbearable?
Yes, but talk to your doctor first.
What are the other reasons to change the medications?
Sometimes, combinations are changed if you can't meet the dosing times or if
there are changes to your CD4 cell count and viral load.
Tips to help you take your medications on time
- Take your medications at the same time every day
- Keep supplies of your medication at places you go to regularly eg: office,
partner's, friend's or parents' home.
- Take your medications with you wherever you go.
- Be mindful of the different time zones when traveling.
- Keep a diary or calendar so you can tick off each time you've taken your
medications.
- Set a timer on your hand phone or alarm clock to remind you.
- Ask your loved ones to remind you.
- If you're going away for a long period, take ample supplies of your
medications.
- Keep a list of medications and dosage you are on when traveling.
- If you're a Muslim on treatment, and planning to fast, discuss this with
your doctor.
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