Many of the antiretroviral medications are combined with others so that a person with HIV typically takes only one or two pills a day. A healthcare provider will help a person with HIV choose a regimen based on their overall health and personal circumstances. These medications must be taken every day, exactly as prescribed. Blood testing will help determine if the regimen is working to keep the viral load down and the CD4 count up.
Side effects of antiretroviral therapy vary and may include nausea, headache, and dizziness. These symptoms are often temporary and disappear with time. Serious side effects can include swelling of the mouth and tongue and liver or kidney damage. If side effects are severe, the medications can be adjusted. Costs for antiretroviral therapy vary according to geographic location and type of insurance coverage. Some pharmaceutical companies have assistance programs to help lower the cost.
Learn more about the drugs used to treat HIV. A person with a count below is considered to have AIDS. How quickly a case of HIV progresses through the chronic stage varies significantly from person to person.
Without treatment, it can last up to a decade before advancing to AIDS. With treatment, it can last indefinitely. People with HIV often have a near-normal lifespan with early treatment with antiretroviral therapy. This point is a count of or higher. Healthy individuals have a CD4 count of to 1, per cubic millimeter. Several different tests can be used to diagnose HIV. Healthcare providers determine which test is best for each person. They can show positive results typically within 18—45 days after someone initially contracts HIV.
These tests check the blood for antibodies and antigens. An antibody is a type of protein the body makes to respond to an infection. An antigen, on the other hand, is the part of the virus that activates the immune system. These tests check the blood solely for antibodies. Between 23 and 90 days after transmission, most people will develop detectable HIV antibodies, which can be found in the blood or saliva.
If they have a positive result, they should follow up with their healthcare provider to confirm. It takes from 5 to 21 days for HIV to be detectable in the blood. This test is usually accompanied or confirmed by an antibody test.
Learn more about HIV home testing options. As soon as someone contracts HIV, it starts to reproduce in their body. Most people develop detectable HIV antibodies within 23 to 90 days after transmission.
However, they can still transmit the virus to others during this time. If someone thinks they may have been exposed to HIV but tested negative during this time, they should repeat the test in a few months to confirm the timing depends on the test used. And during that time, they need to use condoms or other barrier methods to prevent possibly spreading HIV.
Someone who tests negative during the window might benefit from post-exposure prophylaxis PEP. This is medication taken after an exposure to prevent getting HIV. PEP needs to be taken as soon as possible after the exposure; it should be taken no later than 72 hours after exposure but ideally before then.
Learn more about how timing affects HIV test results. However, taking certain steps can help prevent the transmission of HIV.
The most common way for HIV to be transferred is through anal or vaginal sex without a condom or other barrier method. Shop for condoms online. Healthcare providers can offer more information on these and other ways to prevent the spread of HIV. Check here for more information on STI prevention. More than 1. The most important thing is to start antiretroviral treatment as soon as possible. By taking medications exactly as prescribed, people living with HIV can keep their viral load low and their immune system strong.
Hear some real stories of people living with HIV. In the s, a year-old person with HIV had a year life expectancy. By , a year-old person with HIV could expect to live another 53 years.
So, once you have HIV, you have it for life. In the U. Once someone has a dangerous opportunistic illness, life expectancy without treatment falls to about 1 year. The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. Testing is relatively simple. You can ask your health care provider for an HIV test.
Many medical clinics, substance abuse programs, community health centers, and hospitals offer them too. You can also buy a home testing kit at a pharmacy or online. HIV self-testing is also an option. HIV spreads when infected blood, semen "cum" or vaginal fluids enter the body. Because symptoms can be mild at first, people with HIV might not know they're infected. They can spread HIV to others without knowing it.
The best way to protect yourself from HIV is to not have sex vaginal, oral, or anal and not share needles. Then the medicine no longer works. Medical experts recommend testing the blood of everyone diagnosed with HIV to look for this drug resistance. You also may be tested for drug resistance when:. It is diagnosed if the results of your test show that you have a certain kind of infection called an opportunistic infection that is common in people who have weakened immune systems, such as Kaposi's sarcoma or Pneumocystis pneumonia.
The most effective treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy ART , a combination of several medicines that aims to control the amount of virus in your body. For more information, see Medications.
Other steps you can take include the following:. Medical experts recommend that people begin treatment for HIV as soon as they know that they are infected. Research suggests that treatment of early HIV with antiretroviral medicines has long-term benefits, such as a stronger immune system, delay in onset of AIDS, and longer life expectancy. If you put off treatment, you will still need regular checkups to measure the amount of HIV in your blood and your CD4 cell count to see how well your immune system is working.
Learning how to live with HIV infection may keep your immune system strong, while also preventing the spread of HIV to others. If HIV progresses to a late stage, treatment will be started or continued to keep your immune system as healthy as possible. If you get any diseases that point to AIDS, such as Pneumocystis pneumonia or Kaposi's sarcoma , your doctor will treat them. Many important end-of-life decisions can be made while you are active and able to communicate your wishes. For more information, see the topic Care at the End of Life.
Health care workers who are at risk for HIV because of an accidental needle stick or other exposure to body fluids may need medicine to prevent infection. Medicine may also prevent HIV infection in a person who has been raped or was accidentally exposed to the body fluids of a person who may have HIV. Studies have shown that treatment with antiretroviral medicine also can reduce the risk of an uninfected person getting infected through sex. Practice safer sex.
This includes using a condom unless you are in a relationship with one partner who does not have HIV or other sex partners. If you do have sex with someone who has HIV, it is important to practice safer sex and to be regularly tested for HIV. Talk with your sex partner or partners about their sexual history as well as your own sexual history. Find out whether your partner has a history of behaviours that increase his or her risk for HIV.
You may be able to take a combination medicine tenofovir plus emtricitabine every day to help prevent infection with HIV. This medicine can lower the risk of getting HIV. If you use alcohol or drugs, be very careful. Being under the influence can make you careless about practicing safer sex.
And never share intravenous IV needles, syringes, cookers, cotton, cocaine spoons, or eyedroppers with others if you use drugs. If you are infected with HIV, you can greatly lower the risk of spreading the infection to your sex partner by starting treatment when your immune system is still healthy.
Experts recommend starting treatment as soon as you know you are infected. Studies have shown that early treatment greatly lowers the risk of spreading HIV to an uninfected partner. Your partner may also be able to take medicine to prevent getting infected. The risk of a woman spreading HIV to her baby can be greatly reduced if she:. The baby should also receive treatment after it is born.
If you are infected with HIV, you can lead an active life for a long time. Support groups are often good places to share information, problem-solving tips, and emotions related to HIV infection. You may be able to find a support group by searching the Internet. Or you can ask your doctor to help you find one. Get the immunizations and the medicine treatment you need to prevent certain infections or illnesses, such as some types of pneumonia or cancer that are more likely to develop in people who have a weakened immune system.
A skilled caregiver can provide the emotional, physical, and medical care that will improve the quality of life for a person who has HIV. Medicines used to treat HIV are called antiretrovirals. Several of these are combined for treatment called antiretroviral therapy, or ART. When choosing medicines, your doctor will think about:. Medicines for HIV may have unpleasant side effects.
They may sometimes make you feel worse than you did before you started taking them. Talk to your doctor about your side effects. He or she may be able to adjust your medicines or prescribe a different one. You may be able to take several medicines combined into one pill. This reduces the number of pills you have to take each day.
Resistance to HIV medicines can occur when:. There are two main reasons that treatment fails:. Reducing stress can help you better manage the HIV illness. Some methods of stress reduction include:. Cannabis has been shown to stimulate the appetite and relieve nausea. Talk to your doctor if you're interested in trying it. Alternative and complementary treatments for HIV need to be carefully evaluated. Some people with HIV may use these types of treatment to help with fatigue and weight loss caused by HIV infection and reduce the side effects caused by antiretroviral therapy ART.
Some complementary therapies for other problems may actually be harmful. For example, St. John's wort decreases the effectiveness of certain prescription medicines for HIV. Make sure to discuss complementary therapies with your doctor before trying them. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.
Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Learn How this information was developed. To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise. All rights reserved. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. Top of the page. What is AIDS? HIV-2 infection is uncommon in North America. What causes HIV? Most people get the virus by having unprotected sex with someone who has HIV.
Another common way of getting it is by sharing drug needles with someone who is infected with HIV. The virus can also be passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. What are the symptoms? Common early symptoms include: Fever.
Sore throat. Muscle aches and joint pain. Swollen glands swollen lymph nodes. Skin rash. These symptoms usually include: Swollen lymph nodes. Extreme tiredness. Weight loss. Night sweats. How is HIV diagnosed? If you think you have been exposed to HIV but you test negative for it: Get tested again.
A repeat test can be done after a few weeks to be sure you are not infected. Meanwhile, take steps to prevent the spread of the virus, in case you do have it. How is it treated? How can you prevent HIV? So it's always important to protect yourself and others by taking these steps: Practice safer sex. Use a condom every time you have sex including oral sex until you are sure that you and your partner aren't infected with HIV or other sexually transmitted infection STI.
Don't have more than one sex partner at a time. The safest sex is with one partner who has sex only with you. Talk to your partner before you have sex the first time. Find out if he or she is at risk for HIV. Get tested together. Use condoms in the meantime. Don't drink a lot of alcohol or use illegal drugs before sex. You might let down your guard and not practice safer sex. Don't share personal items , such as toothbrushes or razors.
Never share needles or syringes with anyone. Experts may recommend this for: footnote 1 , footnote 2 People whose sexual practices put them at high risk for HIV infection, such as men who have sex with men and people who have many sex partners. People who inject illegal drugs, especially if they share needles. Adults who have a sex partner with HIV.
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