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Preparing for HIV Treatment
Before I take my ARV, my counselor explained to me what the drugs for, how will I take it, their side effects and what to do if ever I have those side effects. I decided to adhere to the treatment because I am tired of being sick with those back to back colds and cough. Beside, before May, that was last year August till February, private doctors nor government doctor;s prescription drugs never cure it.
June 1, 2019 when my ARV treatment began. At Day 1 I thought I will have no side effects but then after a week, vivid dreams, cannot sleep at night, sweating, dizziness and most of all rashes all over my body came it and it was too itchy. June 4, 2019 I was so hot that was the time I disclosed my status to my children.
Benefits of Taking ARV on Time
I mean on time mean that once you learn that you are hiv reactive, you must undergo treatment. Being late, is taking ARV while having those unwanted opportunistic infection that leads to death. Even I have 180 CD4, I am not into AIDS stage because I do not have Pneumonia and Tuberculosis. My doctor gave me Isoniazid and Cotrimoxazole of which I take a week before my ARV.
So here are the benefits of taking ARV on time
Having a higher CD4 and keeping it highPreventing further damage to the immune systemDecreasing the risk for HIV-related and non-HIV-related health problemsReducing your risk of to others (also known as ), including babies (through perinatal transmission, or ) to your sexual partners, if you take your HIV drugs consistently and your viral load stays below the level at which it can be detected with standard tests.
After a week of taking the ARV, the rashes all over my body was too much. My doctor asked me to stop taking the LTE (first line ARV) and he gave me medicine for allergy for three weeks. Thanks God because my allergy subside by then those black scars remain till now. I lost my flawless skin. Still I am forward for this treatment.
What now, 1st line ARV is not good for me, so what's next? find out...
