I need HIV Treatment, What does this mean?
Does it mean I have AIDS?
A positive HIV test result means that you are infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). Being infected with HIV does not mean that
you have AIDS right now. However, if left untreated, HIV infection damages your immune system and can progress to AIDS.
What is AIDS?
AIDS is the most serious stage of HIV infection. It results from the destruction of the infected immune system.
Your immune system is your body defense system. Cells of your immune system fight off infection and other diseases. If your immune system does not work well, you are at risk for serious and life-threatening infections and cancers. HIV attacks and destroys the disease-fighting cells of the immune system, eaving the body with a weakened defense against infections and cancer.
Which disease-fighting cells does HIV attack?
CD4 cells are a type of white blood cell that fights infections. They are also called CD4+ T cells or CD4 T lymphocytes. A CD4 count is the number of CD4 cells in a sample of blood. When HIV enters a persons CD4 cells, it uses the cells to make copies of itself. This process destroys the CD4 cells, and the CD4 count goes down. As you lose CD4 cells, your immune system becomes weak. A weakened immune system makes it harder for your body to fight infections and cancer.
How will I know if I have AIDS?
AIDS is not a diagnosis you can make yourself; it is diagnosed when the immune system is severely weakened. If you are infected with HIV and your CD4 count drops below 200 cells/mm3, or if you develop an AIDS-defining condition (an illness that is very unusual in someone who is not infected with HIV), you have AIDS.
What is HIV treatment?
HIV treatment is the use of anti-HIV medications to keep an HIV infected person healthy. Treatment can help people at all stages of HIV disease. Although anti-HIV medications can treat HIV infection, they cannot cure HIV infection. HIV treatment is complicated and must be tailored to you and your needs.
Recommended HIV Treatment Regimens
When I start treatment, what kinds of medications will I need to take? Anti-HIV medications are used to control the reproduction of the virus and to slow the progression of HIV disease. They are also called antiretroviral medications. There are six classes of FDA-approved antiretroviral medications: NRTIs,NNRTIs, PIs, entry inhibitors, fusion inhibitors, and integrase inhibitors.
How many medications will I need to take?
The recommended treatment for HIV is a combination of three or more medications from different classes in a regimen called Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). How many pills you will need to take and how often you will take them will depend on what medications you and your doctor choose. Some of the medications are combinations of two or more different anti-HIV medications from one or more classes.
Which medications should I take?
Each HAART regimen is tailored to the individual patient - there is no one "best" regimen. You and your doctor will decide which medications are right for you. For people taking HAART for the first time, the recommended regimens (in alphabetical order) are:
Atripla
Kaletra + Truvada
Lexiva + Norvir + Truvada
Prezista + Norvir + Truvada
Reyataz + Norvir + Truvada
Sustiva + Truvada
Are there any other treatment regimens?
Yes, there are several other regimens. Some people may benefit from a regimen other than those listed above. You and your doctor will select a regimen based on your particular needs. In general, taking medications from only one class is not recommended because any decrease in viral load is almost always temporary.
What are some of the negative side effects of HAART?
You may experience negative side effects when you take anti-HIV medications. Some of these side effects and/or drug toxicities are serious, even life-threatening; you may have to change medications due to intolerable side effects. You and your doctor or pharmacist should discuss the side effects of each medication.
- Possible side effects of HAART include:
- liver problems
- diabetes
- high cholesterol
- high levels of lactate in the blood
- abnormal fat distribution (lipodystrophy syndrome)
- decreased bone density
- skin rash
- pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
- nerve problems
- increased bleeding in patients with hemophilia
Side effects that may seem minor, such as fever, nausea, and fatigue, can mean there are serious problems. Always discuss any side effects you are having with your doctor.
References:
aidsinfo.hih.gov
Google Health HIV
Wikipedia