HIV/AIDS
Learn what it means to live with the HIV virus
Treatments and medication
HIV/AIDS is an immune disease, caught by birth or even not being careful. Now that you know that you have been diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, it's time for you to consider some options to help you fight off this disease. Taking care of this immune system damaging virus and later on a disease, is top priority because if untreated, it will cause death. Knowing that you are going to be getting better and that you are going to be okay will be a lot easier when taking medications. (taking at least 3 medications will help fight off the HIV virus)
- Ritonavir (Norvir)
- A Lopinovir and Ritonavir combination (Kelatra)
- Saquinavir (Invirsae)
Here are just a few of the MANY helpful medications that you can take to treat your virus. Talking to your doctor for more information is recommended, they are there to help. The doctor's will prescribe medications and they will help you to prevent those nasty viruses from multiplying and they will help strengthen your immune system, the sooner, the better!
PREPARING TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT IF YOU HAVE NOT YET
Not only is preparing to tell your loved ones, family, and friends about how you have HIV/AIDS important, but it is important to know how to prepare to make an appointment with your doctor. In the meantime, if you think that you may have the HIV infection, there are precautions that you NEED to take! (Have protected sex IF you choose to keep having sex and do not share any kind of needles with anyone else when its not sanitized)
Here are a just some of the questions that you can ask yourself and maybe things that you can tell your doctor about when they ask.
- What symptoms do you have?
- Has sex with you and your partner (s) used protection?
- Do you believe that you have been exposed to HIV?
When going to the doctor here are a few things that he/she will check for, just so you know what's going to be examined...
- swollen lymph nodes
- lesions on your skin and/or more
- abnormal sounds in the lungs
- enlarged organs in the abdominal region
How to tell your significant other and loved ones
After you have confirmed that you are HIV positive, letting loved ones and close friends know can be a difficult process. The first step is to identify who you should tell or who you feel comfortable telling. Telling your significant other that you are HIV positive can be the most difficult person to tell, but it is also the most important person to let know you are HIV positive. You should let your significant other know as soon as possible so they can be tested for the virus. One of the best ways to tell your significant other would be to have a face to face talk about the situation and would should be done to move forward. Your partner may react in many different ways, but it is important to talk it through. Try to bring up the news in a relaxed environment, where the issue can be discussed without adding any extra unnecessary stress. Other people you should let know would include any doctors that you may visit as well as any past sexual partners so they can be tested for the virus.
There are appropriate ways to tell someone you are HIV positive, but there are also ways and settings that should be avoided. One of the easiest ways to tell someone would be through a text message, but in most cases that is dis-respectful to your significant other and should not be done. You also do not want to bring up the issue in a stressful setting. For example, don't tell them when they are at work or at a social gathering such as a wedding. The conversation may bring up many issues, so you want to bring up the issue in a relatively relaxed setting. Another issue is deciding who you need or want to tell. Who you tell besides any sexual partners and doctors is really up to you. If you don't feel comfortable telling friends, co-workers, or family members, then you do not have to. Although it is a good idea to tell a close friend or family member, so they can share that information should a medical emergency happen to you and you are not taken to your normal doctor. In that case, they can let the doctors know that you have the virus.
There are appropriate ways to tell someone you are HIV positive, but there are also ways and settings that should be avoided. One of the easiest ways to tell someone would be through a text message, but in most cases that is dis-respectful to your significant other and should not be done. You also do not want to bring up the issue in a stressful setting. For example, don't tell them when they are at work or at a social gathering such as a wedding. The conversation may bring up many issues, so you want to bring up the issue in a relatively relaxed setting. Another issue is deciding who you need or want to tell. Who you tell besides any sexual partners and doctors is really up to you. If you don't feel comfortable telling friends, co-workers, or family members, then you do not have to. Although it is a good idea to tell a close friend or family member, so they can share that information should a medical emergency happen to you and you are not taken to your normal doctor. In that case, they can let the doctors know that you have the virus.
The next stages of your disease
HIV/AIDS starts off with leaving the infected person with no signs or symptoms, only to feel a bit sick but not too bad. After the first stage if untreated (after of between 2-4 weeks), it can take control of your immune system and make you have a very bad flu, another term called "ars." And finally for the third stage, the infection will go away but the virus will stay with you. Your body will experience this up to 10 years or more.
Life goes on living with the HIV virus
How to cope
Finding out you have any type of illness can be difficult and the HIV virus is no different. So naturally people look for ways to cope with the fact they have the virus. Coping with the disease means that you don't let it destroy your whole life and you find ways to stay positive. How one copes with finding out they have the virus differs from person to person, but the most important thing is to get the treatments that you need to get and be smart about the situation. If you know you have the virus, don't to anything to make it worse or spread the virus. One of the best ways to cope with any negative situation in your life is to find something you enjoy doing and take time out of the day to do some activities that you enjoy. This will help you reduce your stress level and enjoy your life more.
You can still live a normal life
After a few weeks of taking medications and recovering from HIV/AIDS, you can still have a life. By that, it means going out with friends, grabbing dinner out, and having a great time with others is what is most needed. Yes, the infectious disease will be active within your body for the rest of your life, but that doesn't mean that your life is over. Take time to have a good time, but also be safe. Wear protection, and always be careful now, even , more careful than you were before. Stay positive.