Damn! It's been a while part two! (A message from the HAART)

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!