In treatment
Patients who are in treatment have usually had all of their basic questions answered, such as how HIV works, what lab tests need to be performed, and what their results mean. The role of the healthcare provider at this point is to not only monitor the response to treatment, but to also keep an eye on overall physical and mental health. The following questions can be used to elicit information that may seem insignificant to the patient, but may have larger implications:
- Have you noticed any changes in your appetite?
- Have you experienced any changes in your body, such as weight gain or loss?
- Have you had excessive diarrhea or nausea? If so, does it happen just after you take a dose of HIV medicine?
- Has your energy level changed since your last visit?
- In addition to asking these questions, encourage patients to alert you if any treatment-related side effects or out-of-the-ordinary physical changes occur before their next appointment