Despite the association of HIV with fear, stigma, discrimination, and other repercussions, it is a condition that many are able to live a normal and quality life with the proper taking of HIV medication.
Aside from taking your HIV medication regularly, you should lead a healthy general lifestyle such as:
You should ensure your flu vaccination up to date yearly, and you are recommended pneumococcal vaccination.
Being diagnosed with HIV can be a life-changing event. It can cause tremendous emotional distress. One may commonly feel anger, hopeless, depress and anxious. You are not alone. Seek help, speak to your doctor. Your doctor will address your concerns and expectations. You may be linked up with trained counsellor or psychologist to give you further emotional support.
Some people find it helpful to speak to others who have HIV via support groups or internet chatroom.
It is common to feel angry, upset, or even embarrassed about disclosing HIV health status to your current or former partners. Having said that, it is important to inform your current sexual partner or any sexual partners regarding your HIV status, so that they will get tested and treated. Untreated HIV can lead to serious illness (AIDS) and death.
If you have any concerns, you may speak to your doctor for further advice. Your doctor will advise you to disclose your status to your future partners and how you can reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to others.
No, there is no legal obligation to inform your employer of your HIV status, unless you are at a frontline job that performs invasive procedures.
If you are pregnant:
If you are planning a pregnancy:
If your immune system is damaged by HIV virus, you are at risk of developing certain infections that a person with an intact immune system will not. The name opportunistic infections are termed to infections that occur when your immune system is very weakened.
The four main types of opportunistic infections are:
People with HIV are also at risk of certain cancer such as cancer of the lymphatic system (Lymphoma), Kaposi’s sarcoma.
Regular follow up with your doctor and compliant to your HIV medicine is important to maintain your immune system and prevent opportunistic infections.
Take care, stay well.
Embarking on a new relationship is an exciting chapter of life and a phase that nearly all of us will go through. Love is in the air, hormones are raging, and the days (and nights) are sweet and lovely.
Syphilis tends to affect various organs and presents a wide range of symptoms thus earning the distinction of being called “the great mimicker”.
HIV is caused by a virus known as a retrovirus. The combination of medications used to treat HIV is known as antiretroviral therapy (ART).
AIDS is used to describe a condition when a HIV person has a severely damaged immune system
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is offered when a person is at very high risk of acquiring HIV infection.
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is an antiretroviral medication (ART) option offer to people AFTER being possibly exposed to HIV to reduce the risk of becoming infected.
HIV infection will cause an infected person to produce antibodies as a response to fight the disease. HIV tests revolve mainly on detecting these antibodies to indicate whether HIV infection is present in the human body.