Your Questions on Treatments
Q: If I was positive would I have to start treatment right away?
The majority of people who test positive for HIV do not start treatment right away. The clinic will suggest further blood tests to help you decide the best time to start. The two most important tests are:
CD4 Count Test - Checks how strong your immune system is by measuring the number of CD4 cells in your blood (also known as T cell count). If your CD4 count was low your doctor may recommend treatment.
Viral Load Test - Helps estimate the speed that HIV may affect your body, by measuring the amount of HIV in your blood. The clinic would recommend you have these tests regularly to check for any changes (usually every 3 months). Your doctor may recommend tratment if the viral load is very high. The aim would be to start anti HIV treatments before there was a significant risk of illnesses caused by HIV.
Q: How does HIV treatment work?
HIV attacks cells in the body that form part of the immune system, the body’s natural defence against disease. Without treatment, HIV gradually destroys the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to illnesses.
Anti-HIV drugs (antiretrovirals) stop HIV from multiplying and from destroying immune (CD4) cells. The aim of HIV treatment is to maintain the health of the immune system for as long as possible so that you can fight disease, keeping you well and active now, and in the long-term.
The current standard in HIV medicine is to take a combination of antiretroviral drugs to treat HIV - this is why HIV treatment is often called combination therapy. These drugs attack the virus at different points in its replication cycle. Today’s HIV drug combinations include at least three antiretrovirals. This type of treatment is referred to as HAART (Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy).
The thought of taking HIV drugs for many years may seem daunting but HIV drugs are available that can support your health now and into the future. Doctors have had years of experience with many of these drugs and know what side-effects to expect. Nowadays, there is no reason why people with HIV cannot live long, fulfilling lives.
