Learning How to Treat HIV Disease Part One of Three in Project
Inform's "Considering Treatment and Your Health Care" Booklet
The relationship between HIV levels and risk of disease
progression is complicated and varies from person to person.
Although some people can maintain good health for many years
without being on treatment, it's likely that the immune system
will not fully suppress HIV on its own over time. The longer you
have untreated HIV the more damage it can do to your immune
system, making you more susceptible to infections and other
problems. Being on HIV treatment can greatly extend a person's
life, but it should interfere as little as possible with your
quality of life. The regimen should be easy enough to use so you
can take every dose as prescribed. For most people, it's
possible to find a regimen that works well with minimal side
effects or drug interactions. If you cannot tolerate a drug or
the regimen isn't working for you, it's possible to switch to
other options. Restoring and Maintaining