Newer and innovative HIV medications offer every person living with HIV the chance of an individualized and as-tolerable-as-possible therapy, so that quality of life remains intact.
In the 1990s, the first drugs used to treat HIV infection often caused significant side effects, and people living with HIV were visibly affected by them. Happily, those days are behind us.
Over the past two decades, not only have numerous new active ingredients and mechanisms been developed, but also a wide range of innovative treatment options, delivery methods, and combination possibilities. Medications with substantial side effects have been replaced by more effective and better-tolerated drugs. Today they offer every HIV-positive person the chance of an individualized and as-tolerable-as-possible therapy.
What are side effects?
As with all medicines, HIV medications can cause unwanted effects—usually simply referred to as side effects. Which drug is best tolerated varies from person to person and everyone responds differently. It can happen that the same medication is well tolerated by one person, while another person experiences side effects. This can happen, but it doesn’t have to.
Generally, two kinds of adverse effects are distinguished: acute side effects and long-term side effects. Acute side effects typically occur in the first weeks after starting the medication or after a change in HIV medications. Acute side effects can include altered sleep patterns or gastrointestinal issues. Long-term side effects, on the other hand, usually become noticeable only after months or years. They can affect metabolism or the function of organs in the long run: for example, ongoing weight gain or a decline in kidney function, depending on the medication.
Since HIV therapy typically consists of two or more different, combined active ingredients, it’s not always easy to determine which ingredient is responsible for a side effect. Each active ingredient on its own can potentially cause a side effect. Therefore, it helps to know which and how many active ingredients are in your therapy or tablet.
What to do if side effects occur?
The goal of every HIV therapy is the successful suppression of viral load while maintaining good short- and long-term tolerability. Therefore, therapies are needed that, regardless of the number of active ingredients, enable achieving these goals, following the motto “as little as possible, as much as needed.” It is also important to minimize the burden on your body and the likelihood of side effects from the therapy, so that your health and quality of life are preserved as best as possible.
Especially with a lifelong therapy, it is wise to consider the tolerability of the medications not only before starting the first therapy but also during ongoing therapy. This can help counteract health burdens early on.
If side effects do occur during HIV therapy, people living with HIV should pay close attention to their bodies and monitor its signals. Changes should not be ignored, because side effects can limit quality of life and weigh on mental well-being.
In any case, it is important to talk openly with your doctor about this and never discontinue or interrupt therapy on your own. Together with your physician, you can determine whether the cause lies in the HIV therapy and what can be done about it.
Perhaps in such a situation a doctor will also recommend switching medications as a solution. Fortunately today there are many other medications and treatment options that still allow for successful therapy — just with better individual tolerability. This enables people with HIV to maintain high quality of life and long-term health.
Avoiding side effects and improving your own quality of life
For every person living with HIV, it is important that lifelong HIV therapy does not compromise quality of life due to side effects. Therefore it is advisable to talk openly with your doctor about potential side effects of the medications to jointly find a suitable therapy that is well tolerated and preserves quality of life.
Even if a therapy works well but no longer meets today’s standard of HIV treatment, it is worth re-evaluating and discussing it with your doctor. Because innovative therapies can offer many advantages compared with older medications and thus have a positive impact on one’s quality of life.
Further information on living with HIV as well as personal experiences from HIV-positive people can be found at www.livlife.de
Supported by ViiV Healthcare
NP-DE-HVU-ADVR-220016
