Side effects from antiretroviral HIV drugs can include appetite loss, diarrhea, fatigue, and mood changes. However, not sticking to a treatment plan can cause the virus to become resistant to drugs and harder to treat. What are antiretroviral drugs? The main treatment for HIV is a class of drugs called antiretrovirals.
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What happens if you stop taking antiretroviral drugs for HIV?
Antiretroviral drugs can cause side effects that can be severe enough to make some people stop taking them. But if a person with HIV skips doses of these drugs, the virus can start copying itself in their body again.
How many antiretroviral drugs are available to treat HIV?
Today, more than 40 antiretroviral drugs are approved to treat HIV. Most people who treat their HIV will take two or more of these drugs each day for the rest of their lives. Antiretroviral drugs must be taken at the right time and in the right way for them to work properly.
What are the side effects of antiretroviral drugs?
Other side effects from antiretroviral drugs can include: hypersensitivity or allergic reactions, with symptoms such as fever, nausea, and vomiting bleeding bone loss heart disease high blood sugar and diabetes lactic acidosis (high lactic acid levels in the blood) kidney, liver, or pancreas damage
How do antiretroviral drugs treat HIV?
This keeps the immune system strong enough to fight off disease. Today, more than 40 antiretroviral drugs are approved to treat HIV. Most people who treat their HIV will take two or more of these drugs each day for the rest of their lives. Antiretroviral drugs must be taken at the right time and in the right way for them to work properly.
How many antiretroviral drugs are there for HIV?
This keeps the immune system strong enough to fight off disease. Today, more than 40 antiretroviral drugs are approved to treat HIV. Most people who treat their HIV will take two or more of these drugs each day for the rest of their lives.
What are the side effects of HIV?
High cholesterol. Mood changes. Nausea and vomiting. Rash. Trouble sleeping. Other side effects. Takeaway. The main treatment for HIV is a class of drugs called antiretrovirals. These drugs don’t cure HIV, but they can reduce the amount of virus in the body of someone with HIV.
How long does it take for HIV to react to a drug?
They should do this even if they’ve been on the medication for a long time. It can take months or years to start reacting to a drug.
How to reduce belly fat from HIV?
Exercise can help reduce body fat from the whole body, including the areas where fat has built up. An injectable drug called tesamorelin (Egrifta) may help reduce excess belly fat in people who take HIV drugs. However, when people stop taking tesamorelin, belly fat is likely to come back.
Can HIV drugs cause side effects?
However, HIV drugs can still cause side effects. Some are mild, while others are more severe or even life-threatening. A side effect can also get worse the longer a drug is taken. It’s possible for other medications to interact with HIV drugs, causing side effects. Other health conditions can also make the side effects from HIV drugs worse.
Can HIV drugs cause resistance?
This could cause HIV to become resistant to the drugs. If that happens, the drug will no longer work, and that person will be left with fewer options to treat their HIV. Read on to learn more about antiretroviral drug side effects, and how to manage them and stick to a treatment plan.
Can you stop taking HIV medication?
Taking HIV drugs exactly as prescribed is important for them to work properly. If side effects occur, don’t stop taking the medication. Instead, talk with the healthcare team. They may suggest ways to ease the side effects, or they may tweak the treatment plan.