Switching treatment

Sometimes, during HIV treatment, it becomes necessary to change the medications that a person with HIV is taking. There are a number of reasons for this, including:

• Viral load increases or becomes detectable on a medication after being undetectable
• Viral load remains detectable after four to six months of treatment
• CD4 cell count decreases
• Side effects become unmanageable
• The medicine schedule set by your healthcare provider becomes difficult to follow
• Symptoms of HIV disease occur

The reasons for switching are important

If a healthcare provider suggests switching therapy, it is important to do so for several reasons:

• Viral load—viral load can continue to increase, and this can make a person with HIV become very sick
• Drug resistance—continuing to take medications that are not working can cause changes in HIV, which will make other drugs less effective in the future
• Side effects—unpleasant side effects may keep someone from taking their medicines correctly. Switching can sometimes make these side effects go away

Switching too soon

While there can be several good reasons to make changes in an anti-HIV medication regimen, it is important not to switch medication too soon. People with HIV should give their bodies time to adjust to their medication. Some side effects may decrease over time. Switching too soon can also promote resistance, possibly making certain drugs less effective at controlling HIV in the future. Regardless of the reason, a person with HIV should always consult with his or her healthcare provider before making any decision about his or her anti-HIV medications.

For more information on switching therapy, visit APositiveLife.com.