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Taking ARVs is very important

Eve for Life

with Rosie Stone

Monday, April 26, 2010

Dear Eve,

I am HIV-positive. If I went to do another HIV test, would it show that I am taking ARVs?

Dear Madam,

I am not sure what your thoughts are when you ask this question. If you are indeed HIV-infected you would know that it is very important to take the antiretroviral (ARV) treatment as prescribed by your doctor. The ARVs are prescribed when your CD4 count is at 350 or below, because they help to fight the virus.

It is recommended that all HIV-infected persons be adherent as much as 95 per cent. What this means is that you should comply with the instructions for taking the medication all the time. If the instructions say twice a day, you should try to take your medicines the same time every day.

For example, if you take your medication in the morning at 10 o'clock, you should take the evening one 12 hours later at 10:00 pm. The reason for this is that the quantity of drugs in your system should be kept at a constant level in order to fight the infection.

Some persons have difficulty with the whole concept of going on medication. They know that HIV, like any other chronic illness, means medication and treatment for the rest of their lives. If you are having this problem you should talk it over with your doctor, your health care provider or adherence counsellors and they will help you to sort out your ambivalence.

I watched American Idol gives back last night (Wednesday, April 21) and it was really amazing to see what medication and care can do to help persons with HIV and AIDS. A gut-wrenching segment featured Annie Lennox and a seven-year-girl who was born with HIV.

At seven years old, she had AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). Her weight was comparable to a one-year-old child. She was emaciated and she looked like death would visit her shortly. I was overwhelmed with sorrow just observing her circumstance.

Several months later when Anne Lennox visited again, it seemed miraculous that the child had lived and looked to be thriving and healthy with no outward signs of the disease AIDS that had so ravished her body. Unfortunately, her mother was not as lucky, as she had died by that time.

You have to try very hard to see taking the medication as a positive thing. It is a way of prolonging life and a way of preventing your HIV-infection from developing into AIDS.

I hope that you are not trying to hide the fact that you are not taking your medication from your doctor and wondering if he or she can do a blood test to pick up that you are not being adherent. You know that a blood test can be done to determine whatever drugs are present in your system. Doctors do not routinely do this kind of testing in relation to HIV drugs. Be aware that if your doctor advised you to take medication it is wise to do so, as eventually it is going to show up in CD4 counts and your viral load. Your CD4 (fighter cells) will begin to fall and your viral load (the amount of copies of the virus in your system) will increase. Your immune system will be weakened and various opportunistic infections might invade your system.

HIV and kissing

Dear Eve,

If HIV cannot pass through kissing, how come dem a test fi HIV inna mi mout?.

Dear Sir,

The literature on HIV and AIDS states that it is highly unlikely that HIV can be transmitted through saliva. There is not enough concentration of HIV found in saliva to cause infection. The operative words are 'not enough concentration'. So a rapid test using oral fluid can be used to pick up the presence of antibodies.

Antibodies are present in our bodies because our immune system is reacting to the presence of the virus. Persons using the rapid test can usually know their results between 20 and 30 minutes.

It is, however, necessary to have a confirmation of samples that are found to be positive. These confirmatory tests are undertaken at the National Public Health Laboratory and at laboratories within regional health authorities.

You can send your questions or comments relating to HIV or related issues to info@eveforlife.org or write to Eve for Life, C/O Jamaica Observer.

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Taking ARVs is very important