How can I talk to someone who has been diagnosed with HIV?
Follow the lead of the person who is diagnosed with HIV. They may not always want to talk about it, or may not be ready. They may want to connect with you in the same ways they did before being diagnosed. Do things you did together before their diagnosis; talk about things you talked about before their diagnosis.
Who should be started on HIV treatment?
Everyone diagnosed with HIV should be started on ART, regardless of their stage of infection or complications. ART is usually a combination of three or more medications from several different drug classes. This approach has the best chance of lowering the amount of HIV in the blood.
What can I do if a friend has HIV?
HIV treatment is recommend for all people with HIV and should be started as soon as possible after diagnosis. Encourage your friend or loved one to see a doctor and start HIV treatment as soon as possible. If they do not have an HIV care provider, you can help them find one.
How to support someone who is living with HIV?
Supporting Someone Living with HIV 1 Talk. 2 Listen. 3 Learn. 4 Encourage treatment. 5 Support medication adherence. 6 ... (more items)
Which doctor is best for HIV treatment?
Internist.Infectious Disease Specialist.
Where can I seek help or treat HIV?
It's important to find a doctor who has experience treating HIV. Your local Planned Parenthood health center can help you get the treatment you need. HIV.gov can also help you find an HIV doctor and other support services in your area.
How should you treat someone who has HIV AIDS?
There are many things that you can do to help a friend or loved one who has been recently diagnosed with HIV:Talk. Be available to have open, honest conversations about HIV. ... Listen. Being diagnosed with HIV is life-changing news. ... Learn. ... Encourage treatment. ... Support medication adherence. ... Get support.
Who should I contact if I have HIV?
A hospital emergency room, an urgent care center, an HIV clinic, or your doctor can prescribe PEP or have it in stock. The CDC recommends that you take PEP if you: Had sex without condoms with someone who might have HIV. Shared needles while using drugs.
Can u get ARV in pharmacy?
All countries are supposed to need a prescription to buy HIV drugs. This includes In South Africa. In some countries you might be able to buy some meds over the counter without a prescription (even if it is not legal). If you can do this, please make sure that you buy exactly the same meds that you usually take.
Can I get Arvs from a private doctor?
People with medical aid cover can get access to treatment for HIV/AIDS including antiretroviral (ARV) therapy, as part of their minimum benefits. People without medical aid can get treatment privately through a doctor or hospital but the cost of antiretroviral drugs is still very high.
Where can I get PEP pills in South Africa?
“PEP is available at any local government or private clinic and hospital, and any other primary healthcare facility such as Thuthuzela Care Centres,” explained clinical associate Kutlwano Leotlela.
Do I need PEP if I use condoms?
PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) is where you take an HIV medication after an incident to prevent getting HIV. It's an effective solution if you are using condoms, but have an instance where you had a slip-up for whatever reason (maybe the condom broke), and are concerned about your vulnerability.
What is HIV treatment?
HIV treatment (antiretroviral therapy or ART) involves taking medicine as prescribed by a health care provider. HIV treatment reduces the amount of...
When should I start HIV treatment?
Start HIV treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis. All people with HIV should take HIV treatment, no matter how long they’ve had HIV or how h...
What if I delay HIV treatment?
If you delay treatment, HIV will continue to harm your immune system. Delaying treatment will put you at higher risk for transmitting HIV to your p...
Are there different types of HIV treatment?
There are two types of HIV treatment: pills and shots. Pills are recommended for people who are just starting HIV treatment. There are many FDA-app...
What are HIV treatment shots?
HIV treatment shots are long-acting injections used to treat people with HIV. The shots are given by your health care provider and require routine...
Can I switch my HIV treatment from pills to shots?
Talk to your health care provider about changing your HIV treatment plan. Shots may be right for you if you are an adult with HIV who has an undete...
What are the benefits of taking my HIV treatment as prescribed?
HIV treatment reduces the amount of HIV in the blood (viral load). Taking your HIV medicine as prescribed will help keep your viral load low. HIV t...
Does HIV treatment cause side effects?
HIV treatment can cause side effects in some people. However, not everyone experiences side effects. The most common side effects are Nausea and vo...
What should I do if I’m thinking about having a baby?
Let your health care provider know if you or your partner is pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant. They will determine the right type of HIV...
Can I take birth control while on HIV treatment?
You can use any method of birth control to prevent pregnancy. However, some HIV treatment may make hormone-based birth control less effective. Talk...
How to deal with HIV?
There are many organizations around the country that help the families and friends of HIV-positive people and people with AIDS deal with their feelings. The best way to deal with your feelings about AIDS is to talk about them with other people who have experienced the same thing. The worst thing you can do is bottle all your feelings up inside and pretend that nothing is wrong.
How to deal with people who don't understand AIDS?
The best way to deal with people who don't understand AIDS is to give them the facts. Remember that they are afraid of AIDS because they don't understand what it's all about. Help them to learn more about HIV and AIDS. As more and more people begin to understand AIDS, the fear around the disease will go away.
What is the treatment for HIV?
HIV treatment involves taking medicines that slow the progression of the virus in your body. HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, and the combination of drugs used to treat it is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART is recommended for all people living with HIV, regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they are.
Why do you prescribe HIV?
Your health care provider may prescribe medicines to prevent certain infections. HIV treatment is most likely to be successful when you know what to expect and are committed to taking your medicines exactly as prescribed.
What is drug resistance in HIV?
What Is HIV Drug Resistance? Drug resistance can be a cause of treatment failure for people living with HIV. As HIV multiplies in the body, it sometimes mutates (changes form) and produces variations of itself. Variations of HIV that develop while a person is taking ART can lead to drug-resistant strains of HIV.
How long do HIV side effects last?
Some side effects can occur once you start a medicine and may only last a few days or weeks.
How soon can you start ART for HIV?
Treatment guidelines from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that a person living with HIV begin ART as soon as possible after diagnosis. Starting ART slows the progression of HIV and can keep you healthy for many years.
Is HIV treatment a prevention?
There is also a major prevention benefit. People living with HIV who take HIV medication daily as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting HIV to their HIV-negative partners. This is called treatment as prevention.
Can HIV be drug resistant?
A person can initially be infected with drug-resistant HIV or develop drug-resistant HIV after starting HIV medicines. Drug-resistant HIV also can spread from person to person. Drug-resistance testing identifies which, if any, HIV medicines won’t be effective against your specific strain of HIV.
What to do if you think you have HIV?
If you think you might have HIV infection, you're likely to start by seeing your family doctor. You may be referred to an infectious disease specialist — who additionally specializes in treating HIV / AIDS.
What are the services that are available to people with HIV?
Services they may provide: Arrange transportation to and from doctor appointments.
What test can help determine if you have HIV?
If you receive a diagnosis of HIV / AIDS, several tests can help your doctor determine the stage of your disease and the best treatment, including: CD4 T cell count. CD4 T cells are white blood cells that are specifically targeted and destroyed by HIV. Even if you have no symptoms, HIV infection progresses to AIDS when your CD4 T cell count dips ...
What is HIV RNA?
Viral load (HIV RNA). This test measures the amount of virus in your blood. After starting HIV treatment the goal is to have an undetectable viral load. This significantly reduces your chances of opportunistic infection and other HIV -related complications.
How long does it take to get tested for HIV?
Most rapid HIV tests, including self-tests done at home, are antibody tests. Antibody tests can take three to 12 weeks after you're exposed to become positive. Nucleic acid tests (NATs). These tests look for the actual virus in your blood (viral load). They also involve blood drawn from a vein.
What are some examples of anti-HIV drugs?
Examples include efavirenz (Sustiva), rilpivirine (Edurant) and doravirine (Pifeltro).
What is the treatment for HIV?
However, there are many medications that can control HIV and prevent complications. These medications are called antiretroviral therapy (ART). Everyone diagnosed with HIV should be started on ART, regardless of their stage of infection or complications.
What is the number to call for HIV treatment?
Hotlines/Expert Advice for Patients and the Public. AIDSinfo - Contact. HIV/AIDS clinical trial and treatment information is provided by AIDSinfo, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) project. 1-800-HIV-0440 (1-800-448-0440) Outside the United States: 1-301-315-2816. TTY: 1-888-480-3739.
What is the number to contact AIDS?
HIV/AIDS/Hepatitis C Nightline: Hotline providing support for people with HIV or hepatitis C and their caregivers during the evening and nightime hours. 1-800-273-AIDS or 415-434-AIDS; 5 p.m. - 5 a.m. Pacific time.
What to do if you are concerned about HIV?
If you’re concerned about exposure to HIV, either through sexual activity or sharing injection equipment, it’s important to be proactive and talk to your healthcare provider. They can advise you on prevention tips, including regular testing for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, condom use, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
Why do I wander my mind when talking about HIV?
During discussions about a topic like HIV, nervousness can sometimes cause your mind to wander from what the other person is saying. Try your best to be as attentive as possible, and write down any key points in the conversation as they come up.
Is PrEP recommended for HIV?
PrEP is now recommended, by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), for everyone at increased risk of HIV. Discussing HIV-related issues can be difficult or uncomfortable to bring up. Use the following guide as a blueprint for how to get the conversation started.
Is it important to talk to your healthcare provider about HIV?
Even though it may seem daunting, talking to your healthcare provider about HIV prevention is an important step towards protecting yourself against HIV. It’s never too soon to start the conversation, so if you’ve been considering using PrEP, or even if you’re just curious, make an appointment to see your healthcare provider today.
What to do if you have HIV?
If you are the sexual partner of someone who has been diagnosed with HIV, you should also get tested so that you know your own HIV status. If you test negative, talk to your healthcare provider about PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), taking HIV medicine daily to prevent HIV infection. PrEP is recommended for people at high risk of HIV infection, ...
When should I start HIV treatment?
HIV treatment is recommend for all people with HIV and should be started as soon as possible after diagnosis. Encourage your friend or loved one to see a doctor and start HIV treatment as soon as possible. If they do not have an HIV care provider, you can help them find one.
How can I keep my HIV under control?
By getting linked to HIV medical care early, starting treatment with HIV medication (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), adhering to medication, and staying in care, people with HIV can keep the virus under control, and prevent their HIV infection from progressing to AIDS.
How to tell someone you have HIV?
More than a million people in the United States are living with HIV, so you may know someone who has the virus. If your friend, family member, or co-worker has been HIV-positive for some time and has just told you, here’s how you can be supportive: 1 Acknowledge. If someone has disclosed their HIV status to you, thank them for trusting you with their private health information. 2 Ask. If appropriate, ask if there’s anything that you can do to help them. One reason they may have chosen to disclose their status to you is that they need an ally or advocate, or they may need help with a particular issue or challenge. Some people are public with this information; other people keep it very private. Ask whether other people know this information, and how private they are about their HIV status. 3 Reassure. Let the person know, through your words or actions, that their HIV status does not change your relationship and that you will keep this information private if they want you to. 4 Learn. Educate yourself about HIV. Today, lots of people living with HIV are on ART and have the virus under control. Others are at different stages of treatment and care. Don’t make assumptions and look to your friend for guidance.
How often should I take HIV medication?
It is important for people living with HIV to take their HIV medication every day, exactly as prescribed. Ask your loved one what you can do to support them in establishing a medication routine and sticking to it. Also ask what other needs they might have and how you can help them stay healthy.
How to connect with someone who has been diagnosed?
They may want to connect with you in the same ways they did before being diagnosed. Do things you did together before their diagnosis; talk about things you talked about before their diagnosis. Show them that you see them as the same person and that they are more than their diagnosis. Listen.
How many people in the US have HIV?
More than a million people in the United States are living with HIV, so you may know someone who has the virus. If your friend, family member, or co-worker has been HIV-positive for some time and has just told you, here’s how you can be supportive: Acknowledge. If someone has disclosed their HIV status to you, thank them for trusting you ...
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Preparing For Your Appointment
- If you think you might have HIV infection, you're likely to start by seeing your family doctor. You may be referred to an infectious disease specialist — who additionally specializes in treating HIV/AIDS.