OK, time to pick up where I left off!
You may recall me ruminating over the pros and cons of my medication for the HIV. Well back in October 2007 I started my regime of HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Treatment) medication with some trepidation! I was dreading the anticipated side-effects as well as the burden of adhereance!
Well I am pleased to say none of my fears came to pass! I had (and have had) no noteable side-effects from the drugs and the adhereance as now become a part of my daily routine! Best of all the medication reached the first goal of treatment, an undectableable viral load (VL) within 2 months! When I started my VL was around 2000 pm/pml so to get it down to below 50pm/pml in such a short time was fantastic! My CD4 count is taking a little longer to recover however. Currently I am sat around the 385 mark. This is an improvement from the 285 when I started but that increase has taken just under a year to achieve.
Don't get me wrong, I was not expecting any miracles from the meds so I am more than pleased with the numbers so far. It only bodes well for the future if you ask me (",)
I have to say that very first night, when my alarm went off at 9pm and I poured my glass of juice for me to take the drugs with was an odd occassion! I was suddenly hit by the fact that this is now my life, for the rest of my life! I will be doing the very same thing at the very same time every night at 9pm! It was quite odd the have that certainty there right in front of me!
Showing posts with label Adherance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adherance. Show all posts
Monday, 17 November 2008
Thursday, 20 September 2007
Is knowledge power?
Good evening!
Been doing a bit of reading with regards to Anti-HIV treatments. There is a lot of information out there! However, I feel compelled to read at the moment, I mean I am going to have to start taking these drugs at some point in the future so I am going to want to know as much as possible. Aren't I?
If I am honest, the more I read, I am not too sure! For every positive I read there is always a scary negative, usually concerning some undesireable side effect. Now there are a lot of reports into how Anti-HIV drugs, when taken at the right time and with a near religious adherance, can allow a person living with HIV to have a near normal life-span. So what do you do!? OK, so the drugs, when needed are going to be the life-saver, the prolonger of life. However this still does not stop you approaching them with some trepidation! This is why I ask is knowledge actually power?
We have pals who are HIV positive too and they have said that try to steer clear of reading about the drugs. After reading what I have (and this is only the tip of the iceberg!) I am inclined to agree!
Mentally, I am prepared for the Anti-HIV treatment; I think only a fool would not be, but there are still those niggeling little doubts. How will I cope with the side-effects when you have to be so committed to your treatment? Its not like having an odd reaction to a parecetamol! Chopping and changing the Anti-HIV traetments can help the HIV build resistance to the drugs and when that starts to happen the goal of an undetectable Viral Load slips further away.
From our discussions with the Doctor at the clinic along with some of the stuff I have read, you can also take drugs to combat the side effects - I guess that is some comfort to the 'mind-fuck'! I am just scared I am going to rattle just as much as the pill box I will have to carry!!!!!!
Looks like 'His Knibbs' and me have a huge journey ahead of us!
Been doing a bit of reading with regards to Anti-HIV treatments. There is a lot of information out there! However, I feel compelled to read at the moment, I mean I am going to have to start taking these drugs at some point in the future so I am going to want to know as much as possible. Aren't I?
If I am honest, the more I read, I am not too sure! For every positive I read there is always a scary negative, usually concerning some undesireable side effect. Now there are a lot of reports into how Anti-HIV drugs, when taken at the right time and with a near religious adherance, can allow a person living with HIV to have a near normal life-span. So what do you do!? OK, so the drugs, when needed are going to be the life-saver, the prolonger of life. However this still does not stop you approaching them with some trepidation! This is why I ask is knowledge actually power?
We have pals who are HIV positive too and they have said that try to steer clear of reading about the drugs. After reading what I have (and this is only the tip of the iceberg!) I am inclined to agree!
Mentally, I am prepared for the Anti-HIV treatment; I think only a fool would not be, but there are still those niggeling little doubts. How will I cope with the side-effects when you have to be so committed to your treatment? Its not like having an odd reaction to a parecetamol! Chopping and changing the Anti-HIV traetments can help the HIV build resistance to the drugs and when that starts to happen the goal of an undetectable Viral Load slips further away.
From our discussions with the Doctor at the clinic along with some of the stuff I have read, you can also take drugs to combat the side effects - I guess that is some comfort to the 'mind-fuck'! I am just scared I am going to rattle just as much as the pill box I will have to carry!!!!!!
Looks like 'His Knibbs' and me have a huge journey ahead of us!
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