Delaying the final stage of HIV infection — called acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS — is possible; for this to happen, however, you’ll have to stick to your medication regimen, communicate with your doctor, and make the right lifestyle and health choices.
With Proper Treatment, HIV Doesn’t Have to Progress to AIDS
In most cases, if you take ART, HIV does not progress to AIDS. HIV attacks the immune system’s CD4 cells. Over time, if these cells are destroyed, the immune system can no longer fight off infection. AIDS is diagnosed when a person gets certain infections (called opportunistic infections) or cancers, or their CD4 count is fewer than 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood. Before ART medications were introduced, in the mid-1990s, people with HIV could develop AIDS in just a few years. But now that’s changed. Today, many HIV-positive people who get started on ART quickly, before the disease is advanced, can expect to live about as long as someone without HIV, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But treatment is crucial. Without it, an HIV infection usually progresses to AIDS in a decade or so, although the figure varies, according to the CDC. And without treatment, AIDS typically leads to death in about three years. By diligently taking ART, you can manage the illness by slowing the replication of the virus (when it makes copies of itself). This, in turn, can significantly delay the advancement to AIDS. But ART is not a cure for HIV or AIDS, and following the treatment regimen can’t entirely prevent the virus from replicating, weakening the immune system, and making you sick. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been HIV positive, or how healthy you are; doctors recommend ART to everyone, says the CDC. In most people, ART dramatically reduces the amount of HIV in the blood and other parts of the body, lowering what’s known as the viral load. Often the medicines can lower the viral load so much that HIV becomes undetectable by current technology. This is a very good thing that can help in many ways, including reducing the risk that sexual partners get infected with HIV, the CDC says. For best results, take your HIV medicines exactly as prescribed: every single day for the rest of your life. If ART isn’t taken properly — for example, if you skip doses — the virus has a chance to multiply and may become resistant to the medication you’re taking, rendering the drugs ineffective and decreasing your options for treatment, according to the CDC. RELATED: 4 Essential Facts About HIV Medications
Tips for Staying on Top of Your HIV Medications
Taking ART correctly and consistently is your best hope for preventing the progression to AIDS and preserving your health for many years. Use these tips to stay on track:
Remind yourself. Whether you mark it off on a calendar, set an alarm or timer, or check it off your to-do list, creating a daily reminder can help you stay on track.Store your meds in a visible spot. Keep your medications in the same spot all the time. Choose somewhere where you’ll see them easily — for example, next to the kitchen or bathroom sink, or near your bed. Have a travel medicine container that’s filled with the dose for each day while you’re at work or away from home; you should also keep extra doses with you in case something unexpected comes up.Stay organized. That means staying on top of your prescriptions. You must never run out, because running out can have serious consequences. Make sure you have an ample supply on hand at all times, including extras in case there’s a holiday coming up when the pharmacy may be closed. Pay attention to weather forecasts, too: If severe weather is on the way, get your refills early. Insurance and pharmacy changes can be a barrier to care as well; make sure you know where to find your medications and how much they will cost.
There are many tips and strategies for staying on track with your medicines. The goal is to find a plan that works for you. RELATED: 8 Tips to Help You Stick to Your HIV Treatment
How to Stay Healthy While Living With HIV
Work closely with your doctor and adhere to your medication regimen to delay the progression to AIDS. It’s also important that you maintain a healthy lifestyle and practice safer sex. If you’re HIV positive, here’s what you can do to keep your viral load as low as possible:
Spare your body from stress. Stress can weaken your immune system and make you more vulnerable to illness and infection. Combat stress by getting plenty of sleep each night and try stress-relieving practices like meditation or yoga.Get vaccinated. Infections like pneumonia and the flu can be devastating if you’re HIV positive. Get regular vaccinations for these and any other infections that your doctor recommends.Practice safer sex. Safer sex is always important, even if you have HIV. The goal should be not only to prevent the spread of the virus to others but to protect yourself from other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like hepatitis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia. Marilyn Henderson, BSN, RN, the science department director at the Medical Institute for Sexual Health in Austin, Texas, adds that you should be sure to start treatment for any existing STI right away once you’re diagnosed with HIV.Take care of your body. That means quit smoking, get regular exercise, avoid alcohol and recreational drugs, and stick to a healthy diet. All these lifestyle changes will help your body grow stronger and healthier.
Making a commitment to staying healthy can protect you against AIDS — even if you’re already HIV positive. RELATED: 10 Ways to Stay Healthy if You Have HIV
