HIV / AIDS – Hello Doctor

What these celebrities taught us about HIV

November 24th, 2019 by Content Editor

According to UNAIDS (The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS) there were approximately 37.9 million people across the globe with HIV/AIDS in 2018. Of these, 36.2 million were adults and 1.7 million were children.

While many live with HIV, there are several famous South Africans who have used their popularity and HIV status to raise awareness about the disease.

Criselda Kananda Dudumashe

This radio host and activist was diagnosed with HIV two decades ago – a time when there was almost no hope for pregnant moms and babies. Today, she’s a mother, motivational speaker, professional counsellor, and serves on the board of the South African National AIDS Council.

Criselda uses her personal story to inspire and encourage people to take responsibility for the choices they make. She believes there’s a need to educate people and takes opportunities to correct incorrect assumptions.

Lesego Motsepe

The late South African actress known for her role as Lettie Matabane in the soap opera Isidingo, disclosed her status on World Aids Day in 2011. She strived in educating people on behalf of the voiceless. Lesego died in 2014, two years after stopping ARV treatment.

The main lesson that is taught by these South Africans about the HIV stigma, is their use of their stories to encourage those affected by it to speak up and to know they can still live a healthy life by taking treatment.

Musa “Queen” Njoko

This renowned Gospel artist was only 22 when she was diagnosed with HIV. She went public about her HIV-positive status in 1995, when treatment wasn’t yet available in South Africa. Though she faced many challenges and stigma, today, Musa still tells her story through inspiring policy work through her music. She aims to encourage people to get tested for HIV and shares that you can still live a good life after being diagnosed.

Other international stars who have inspired those living with the disease include:

Magic Johnson

American retired professional basketball player, Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr is the most well-
known sports star to disclose his HIV status. He has been living with the disease for more than 20 years and has committed himself to educating and informing people about the disease.

Charlie Sheen

Former Two and a Half Men star Charlie Sheen disclosed his HIV status after an exclusive interview with NBCs Today Show in 2015. He admitted that his admission to the disease was “like being released from prison”. Since then, he has publicly spoken out about his bout with the disease.

Get tested today

It’s recommended that you are tested for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) at least once a year if you’re having sex, even if you always use protection.

If you’re having sex with a new partner or feel you’re more at risk, test more regularly.

If you test positive, it means you can start treatment quickly to protect your immune system and continue living a healthy life.

If you are HIV positive:

Talk to your doctor about antiretroviral therapy (ART). People on ART take a combination of HIV medicines every day to treat the HIV infection.
The main goal of ART is to reduce viral load to an undetectable level. An undetectable viral load means that the level of HIV in the blood is too low to be detected by a blood test.
This is important because having an undetectable viral load means there’s effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to your HIV-negative partner through sex.

Although ART can’t cure HIV, it can help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives.

References:

Are we curing HIV with stem-cells?

March 7th, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

Ever since HIV was first identified in the 1980s, the medical community has been trying to identify a viable cure for it. This week, they got one step closer. In the UK, a patient’s HIV became “undetectable” following a stem cell transplant, only the second case of its kind.

What is a stem cell transplant?

A stem cell transplant has replaced the traditional “bone marrow transplant” used as an effective treatment for diseases of the blood and bone marrow, like leukaemia. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside some of your bones, such as your hip and thigh bones. It contains special cells that develop into either red blood cells, that carry oxygen through your body, white blood cells that fight infections, and platelets that help with blood clotting

In the “old days”, actual bone marrow needed to be extracted and replaced with healthy marrow, but these days, doctors use “stem cells”. Stem cells form the foundation of your entire body and act as building blocks for the blood, immune system, tissue and organs. These cells are not only able to replicate and regenerate themselves, but they also can differentiate into any kind of specialised cell in the body. Stem cells are essentially “master cells”, taking the form of whatever cell is needed. In the case of a bone marrow transplant, stem cells from a healthy person are extracted via the blood and then transfused into the person needing the transplant. The new stem cells find their way into the bone marrow, where they grow and start to produce healthy red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.

The “Berlin patient”: the first person to be cured of HIV

In 2005, an HIV positive man was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow which causes an overproduction of white blood cells. His treatment required both chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant. During their search for a donor, his medical team came up with the idea to look for a donor with a mutation called “CCR5 Delta 32”. CCR5 is a protein found on the surface of CD4 cells which acts as an entry point for HIV. Without this protein, there is no way for HIV to enter the cells.

The theory was that if the patient’s original bone marrow could be replaced with stem cells from a donor with this mutation, the new bone marrow and blood cells produced would be immune to HIV.

After 2 stem cell transplants done in 2006 and 2008, doctors could find no evidence of HIV in the patients’ blood.

What are the results?

The recent case followed a similar pattern. The patient was diagnosed with HIV in 2003 and advanced Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells, in 2012. This patient received chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant from a donor resistant to HIV and has been in remission from both cancer and HIV for the last 18 months. Even after stopping anti-retroviral treatment, HIV has become undetectable in their blood.

Can we cure HIV with this procedure?

This finding is encouraging, but it is not yet the cure or treatment that millions of people are looking for. This approach is aggressive, expensive and not without complications. It’s also difficult to implement on a large scale basis.

However, results like these help direct future research towards different ways of approaching HIV, specifically how the body can naturally resist infection. This in turn, as a “proof of concept”, reaffirms the belief that HIV is curable.

References

Can HIV increase your risk for TB?

January 23rd, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

Tuberculosis (TB) is the world’s leading infectious killer. It’s also the number one cause of death among HIV-positive people. In 2015, over 10 million people across the globe had TB disease. Of these, about one million also lived with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

If you’re wondering why these two infections often go together, and what you can do to stay free of TB if you’re HIV-positive, read on.

Why HIV increases your risk for TB

HIV is a virus that destroys those cells in your body that help to fight germs and infections. These are called CD4 cells. When you don’t manage your HIV properly, your body finds it hard to fight off the bacteria that cause TB.

If you’re healthy, your immune system is usually able to destroy TB bacteria before they make you sick. But if your immune system is struggling because of HIV, the TB bacteria can infect your body and stay there. The bacteria can either make you sick straight away or cause symptoms (e.g. coughing, chest pain, or coughing up blood) at a later stage.

Your risk of getting TB increases about three weeks after first becoming infected with HIV. If your HIV is not managed with antiretroviral treatment (ART) this risk can double by the end of your first year of HIV infection. If you’re HIV-positive, your risk of getting TB is around 27 times higher than people who don’t have HIV.

How TB hurts if you have HIV

If you do get TB, it can affect how fast HIV develops into AIDS (the final stages of HIV infection when your immune system is very weak). The TB infection speeds up the loss of your infection-fighting CD4 cells and ups your risk for other life-threatening infections.

While your body is focussed on fighting the TB bacteria, it takes the pressure off the HI virus, which means it can make new copies of itself faster.

How TB spreads

When you come into close contact with someone who has TB, you can easily become infected. When someone who is infected with TB coughs or speaks, the bacteria spreads through the air. If you’re nearby, you may breathe in the bacteria and become infected, too. The bacteria can lodge themselves in your lungs and begin to replicate. From here, they can move through your blood to other parts of your body, including your kidneys, bones and brain. When this happens, your life could be at risk.

Tips to prevent TB disease

If you have HIV, it’s important to take great care to prevent TB disease.

Start ART as soon as possible. Visit a doctor or clinic without delay, as your risk for TB and other infections is high.
Take your antiretroviral treatment as prescribed, for the rest of your life. This will help keep your immune system strong.
Get tested for TB. This is easily done with a blood or sputum test at your doctor’s consultation rooms or clinic.
Speak to your doctor about using an anti-TB drug. If it is prescribed, it’s important to complete the course.

If you do get TB, complete your course of antibiotics and regularly check in with your doctor to see if the medicine is working. If you don’t use your medicine exactly as prescribed, the TB bacteria may become stronger, and therefore harder to kill.

References:

Can you treat HIV with a tablet per week?

October 22nd, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus that, if not managed correctly, can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). AIDS is the final and most severe stage of HIV. According to UNAIDS in 2017 over 30 million people around the world were living with HIV.

If you have HIV, you should start antiretroviral treatment as soon as possible as the human body can’t get rid of HIV completely, even with treatment. HIV attacks your white blood cells and reduces the number of them in your body. White blood cells are important for keeping your immune system healthy. Without treatment, HIV slowly weakens the immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off illness or infection.

Antiretroviral treatment

Antiretroviral drugs are called ARVs. These medications treat HIV, but don’t kill or cure the virus. They can only keep the virus from completely destroying your immune system. When the virus is slowed down, so is the development of the HIV disease. HIV therapy involves a mix of drugs that must be taken once or twice daily.

ARV therapy works by keeping the level of HIV in your body low (your viral load). This lets your immune system recover and stay strong. When your viral load is low it also helps to prevent HIV being passed on to a partner.

One pill to fight HIV

HIV experts have developed a capsule that can slowly release one week’s worth of antiretroviral drugs in a single dose. Researchers say a once-a-week, slow-release pill may keep HIV infections under control and help prevent new HIV infections altogether. The aim is to make it easier for patients to take their medication.

A combination of antiretroviral drugs must be taken every day for treatment to be successful, but patients can find it hard to stick to such routines. So, taking one pill for the week could simplify the schedule.

A study done with animals suggests that this new approach could work. The tablet looks like a normal capsule, but when it reaches the stomach, its coating dissolves and a special structure unfolds. It stays in the stomach for seven days and slowly releases the drugs into your system. On testing the drug-loaded capsule on pigs, the researchers found that the capsule successfully settled in the animals’ stomachs, and slowly released the drug over the course of a week.

Although research on animals doesn’t always have the same effect as humans, researchers believe that their results show promise. The capsule needs to be tested in humans before it can be used for the prevention and treatment of HIV.

When will this new tablet be available?

Testing in people is expected to begin within two years. If it becomes a success, the pill may be available within five years. Replacing daily pills with a weekly routine could help patients stick to their dosage schedule.

References:

“The cure” for HIV and other myths

April 20th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

About seven million people in South Africa are living with HIV. Our country has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. HIV is a virus. If HIV is not treated and managed, it can lead to AIDS, the final and most severe stage of HIV.

Having HIV also means that your body becomes weaker, since HIV kills the cells in your body that protect you from infections and viruses like the flu, colds and other diseases.

However, having HIV does not mean you will automatically get AIDS. This is why it’s so important to treat and manage HIV as soon as you’re diagnosed.

Most of us have the wrong ideas (myths and misconceptions) about HIV. Here’s what you need to know.

Myth 1: I can get HIV by being around people infected by the virus.

Fact: Research has proven that HIV can’t be spread through saliva, sweat, tears and touch. You can get the virus from infected blood, semen, “pre cum”, vaginal fluid, or breastmilk. You can’t catch HIV by:

Kissing, hugging or shaking hands with someone who is HIV-positive.
Sharing utensils with an HIV-positive person.
Using the same gym equipment.
Breathing the same air as someone who is HIV-positive.
Using the same toilet seat or touching a door handle after an HIV-positive person.

Myth 2: An insect or animal bite can transfer infected blood into you.

Fact: You can’t get HIV from insects. When a mosquito bites you, it sucks your blood. It doesn’t inject the blood of the last person it bit. HIV can only be passed between human beings.

Myth 3: It’s risky swimming with someone who is HIV-positive.

Fact: You won’t get HIV from swimming pools, shower areas, baths, washing clothes or drinking water.

Myth 4: If I’m receiving treatment I can’t spread the HIV virus.

Fact: According to the AIDS Foundation South Africa, when HIV treatments work well, they can reduce the amount of virus in your blood to a low level that won’t show up in blood tests. But research shows that the virus may still be “hiding” in other areas of the body. It’s still important to practise safe sex to prevent infecting someone else with the virus.

Myth 5: My partner and I are both HIV-positive, there’s no reason for safe sex.

Fact: You’re still likely to get drug-resistant strains of HIV. Two sexual partners who are both HIV-positive may have different strains of the virus. Through unprotected sex they can still infect one another with another strain. This will lead to their immune systems being attacked by two different forms of the virus. It could further weaken their immune systems; which will change their treatment, because different HIV strains need different medication.

Wear a condom at all times. Keep your immune system strong and healthy. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables, starchy carbohydrates, protein and dairy to provide fibre, vitamins and minerals and energy for your body.

References:

World Aids Day: How we will win this war

November 27th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Can you believe that the war against HIV has been going on for 35 years!? Since the beginning of the war, we lost many battles, but we still have a good chance to win the war.

Since the start of this war, 78 million people around the world have become infected with HIV and 35 million people have died of AIDS-related illnesses.
In 2016, one third of all new infections in Sub-Sahara Africa came from South Africa, and the latest figures show that around 7.1 million people are currently living with HIV.

If we want to take this war to full victory, we need to stick to our battle-plan:

Phase 1: Prevention

Before 2001 up to 30% of babies born to HIV positive mothers tested positive for the virus at six weeks of age. As of 2016 this had dropped to around 1.4%! At the core of this success is South Africa’s program for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission which was launched in 2002. It is believed that it may even be possible to eliminate HIV in children altogether!
Between 2007 and 2010, the distribution of male condoms increased by 60%. Female condom distribution increased from 3.6 million to 5 million
By 2011, more than 150,000 medical male circumcisions had been conducted with an estimated one new HIV infection averted for every five procedures done.
In 2016 South Africa began an HIV vaccine trial, the first time in 7 years that such a big project to combat HIV has happened. The trial aims to enrol 5,400 men and women, making it the largest and most advanced HIV vaccine clinical trial to date in South Africa.

What YOU can do:

Never have unprotected sex. Have a condom ready, so you don’t get caught off guard.
If you are HIV positive and pregnant, make sure you know what medication to take, to prevent transmission to your baby.
If you know any HIV positive moms-to-be, encourage them to get to Ante natal clinic, and make sure they take their medication.

Phase 2: Testing

Between 2008 and 2012, annual HIV testing increased from about 19% to 38% in men, and from 29% to 53% in women.
A campaign launched in 2013 targeted testing in the private sector, farms and higher education. By 2015, an additional 9.5million tests were done, taking the total number of HIV tests since the 2010 campaign began to 35 million
In 2015, take-home HIV tests were made available for sale to the public, making testing easier and discreet.

What YOU can do:

Get tested at least once a year, especially if you have multiple sexual partners.
Never have unprotected sex.
Share your status, and inspire others to do the same.

Phase 3: Treatment

South Africa has the largest antiretroviral therapy programme in the world! Estimates are that ours is larger than the size of India, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Mozambique’s programs combined.
In 2000, only 90 people in South Africa were taking medication. By 2016, more than 3 million people were receiving treatment!

What YOU can do:

If you are HIV positive, get into an HIV clinic ASAP, and attend all your appointments.
If you know someone with HIV, support them – help them to make their clinic dates, and offer help to remind them to take their medication. Winning this war will have to be a team-effort!

Join the campaign for World Aids Day this year. The theme is “Right to Health”. Without their right to health, people cannot prevent HIV get access to treatment and care. Everyone counts, and everyone has a fundamental right to health.

Since that everyone includes YOU, here’s how you can get involved:

What does “right to health” mean to you? Post a picture of yourself realising your right to health by exercising, eating a nutritious meal, breathing clean air, having a blood test or buying condoms. Encourage your friends and family to do the same. Include the hashtag #myrighttohealth.
Get involved in Red Ribbon Friday. Wear a red ribbon to work or svarsity every Friday, take a pic and share it. Use the hashtags #RedRibbonFriday, #WAD2017 and #PreventionRevolution
Know your status, know your numbers. If you are HIV positive, ensure you take your medication as prescribed and go for your regular check ups.
Stay safe. While the vaccine trial is underway, its important to focus on prevention. Make sure you follow the standard HIV prevention guidelines.
Stay informed. Knowledge is power so keep up to date with the latest news and developments in the fight against HIV.

References

https://africacheck.org/reports/yes-south-africa-has-the-worlds-largest-antiretroviral-therapy-programme/
https://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-around-world/sub-saharan-africa/south-africa
https://www.health-e.org.za/2017/08/23/deaths-rates-declined-due-hiv-success-report/
http://www.hst.org.za/publications/Pages/HST-South-African-Health-Review-2017.aspx
http://ewn.co.za/2017/11/20/unaids-21-million-hiv-positive-people-receiving-treatment
https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/first-new-hiv-vaccine-efficacy-study-seven-years-has-begun

Frequently asked questions about ARVs

October 27th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

Can ARV’s cure HIV?

No, ARV’s can decrease the viral load (the amount of virus in the bloodstream), but they are not a cure.
Even if the viral load on a blood test is so low that it’s “undetectable”, the virus is not gone.

How can a doctor tell if the ARV’s are working?

The viral load should go down and the CD4 count should go up.

What happens if I miss a dose of ARV’s?

Take the medication as soon as you can and take the next dose at the scheduled time (except if the drug may have daytime side effects, in which case you should check with your doctor.)

Where can I go to receive ARV treatment?

You can go to your nearest primary health clinic or doctor. If necessary, you will be referred to the nearest HIV treatment site
The National AIDS Helpline: 0800 012 322
HIV 911: 0860 448 911

Can I take a break from ARVs (like a ‘drug holiday’)?

No! Breaks in treatment can cause the HIV to become resistant, and stop the ARVs from working!

If you change to a new ARV, can you go back to the old ones in the future?

The decision will depend on why the change was made in the first place and if the virus is resistant to those ARV’s or not.

HIV/AIDS: What you need to know

October 27th, 2017 by The Hello Doctor Team

The HIV virus is one that attacks the body’s immune system and, without proper treatment, effectively destroys the body’s ability to fight off diseases. Once your immune system reaches a stage where it can no longer fight off infection, HIV becomes AIDS. And while there is no known cure for HIV or AIDs, ARV (anti-retroviral) drugs can help prevent the HIV virus from becoming full-blown aids. With ARVS, an HIV positive person can live a normal and full life as long as they continue taking medication and lead a healthy lifestyle.

We spoke to Dr. Albert from Hello Doctor to find out more about the HIV virus. Here’s what he had to say: “For starters, HIV is NOT a death sentence, and we’re working hard to reduce the stigma around the virus and how it’s contracted and spread. The more people understand what it’s really about, the better.”

With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the causes, symptoms and treatment options available for HIV.

What Causes HIV?

HIV CANNOT be spread by:

Drinking from the same cup as an HIV positive person
Using the same cutlery or crockery as an HIV positive person
Using the same towels as an HIV positive person
Sharing a toilet with an HIV positive person – these are all common myths.

HIV IS spread by:

Using/sharing infected needles
From mother-to-child during pregnancy or delivery
If infected blood enters your bloodstream through an open wound
Through unprotected sex with an HIV positive person

What Are The Symptoms of HIV?

The symptoms of HIV change over time, as the virus develops and spreads through the body. The first symptoms can show up as early as 3 weeks after a person has been infected. These initial symptoms of HIV include:

Fever
Night sweats
Muscle aches
Diarrhoea
Swollen glands
Skin rashes
Headaches

Once any initial symptoms have subsided, an HIV positive person might not have any symptoms for years. Once the virus has advanced however, new symptoms appear, and these are often much more severe – especially if a person isn’t receiving ARV treatment.

More severe HIV symptoms include:

Significant weight-loss
Swollen glands
Easy bruising and slow healing
Skin rashes
Oral thrush
Vaginal discharge
Shingles
Sore throat
Recurring fever
Night sweats
Persistent cough
Pain
Loss of muscle strength and tone

What Treatment Options Are There For HIV?

Although there is currently no known cure for HIV/AIDS, an ARV (ant-retroviral) drug treatment plan is very effective at helping ensure the infection does not get worse or develop into full-blown aids. ARVs, when taken exactly as prescribed, are used to stop the spread of the HIV virus in the body and help restore the body’s immune system.

As we said, the treatment plan is very effective, but a person needs to follow the plan very carefully and make sure they eat a healthy, balanced diet. Failure to stick to the plan can cause the HIV virus to become drug-resistant, which renders the ARVs ineffective.

How Can I Reduce My Risk Of Contracting HIV?

Know your HIV status, and tell your partner – it’s important to be honest
Abstain from sex altogether
Unless you are in a monogamous, faithful relationship and you both know your HIV status, you should always use a condom each time you have sex

Speak To A Doctor About HIV

If you or someone you know is HIV positive, and you’d like to find out more about healthy eating, treatment and how to avoid spreading the disease, remember you can speak to one of our doctors right now. All you need to do is register for Hello Doctor, and download the app.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

What are the different types of treatment available?
When does a person start treatment?
What lifestyle changes will be beneficial?
What Cipla medication can be prescribed if you are HIV+

HIV Support Groups

Living positive with HIV

December 1st, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Antiretroviral medications (ARVs) have changed the lives of millions of people all over the world. Why is it so important? Because it’s the only medication that’s known to help manage the disease we call HIV/Aids.

How Have ARVs Changed Life?

Without treatment life expectancy of an HIV positive person was around 10 years and people experienced a poor quality of life with multiple infections and secondary diseases (like flu). But with the introduction of ARVs, along with a good diet and some lifestyle changes, life expectancy has pushed past the 20-30 year marker.

While researchers are still hard at work trying to find a cure for the viral disease, people living with HIV should not despair as successful management of the disease can make it as harmful to lifespan and quality of life as other non-infective chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

Sticking to Your Schedule

If you’re on ARVs, it’s very important for you to follow the treatment plan. If you mess up by choosing to skip a dose or forget to take your meds, or stop medication without first speaking your doctor, you could help the virus build up resistance towards the drug.

You Need a Little More Than Just ARVs

But using ARVs alone will not get you to the 30-year survival line. You have to use them in partnership with healthy changes to your lifestyle, which include:

Changes to what you eat and the way you eat
How you move your body and whether you get enough exercise
The thoughts and emotions you experience – keeping a calm mind and an open heart.
Stopping smoking

All of these can either build up your immune system, or break it down. The immune system is the target of HIV and when it has collapsed your body deteriorates into the Aids-phase of the disease. By making lifestyle choices that also suppress your immune system you make it easier for the HIV to take over. By doing the opposite you can proactively boost your immune system and make the virus a non-issue.

You are not alone

Magic Johnson is an American basketball player who came out as HIV positive in 1991. People thought he was on his way out, but 23 years later this 55-year-old man is still running strong.

A successful businessman, a sports personality in the USA and a prominent HIV activist, Johnson isn’t on a special expensive American-only drug. In fact, he is using the same drug regimen available in countries like South Africa. But he combines the meds with immune-supportive lifestyle choices, which make the world of a difference.

Another local example is Judge Edwin Cameron, a 61-year-old South African Constitutional Court Judge who has lived with HIV for over 25 years. He is someone who has used ARV’s to successfully keep the virus under control in combination with healthy lifestyle change.

These gentlemen are examples of people who have made HIV a manageable chronic disease, one that is not to be feared and denied but engaged with and proactively managed. By combining responsible ARV use, a healthy anti-inflammatory diet, an immune-building exercise regime and a stress-reducing mental and emotional health practice like meditation, you too can create a long and healthy future.

Author: Dr Yesheen Singh

Gay men should take PrEP, according to WHO

July 14th, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has suggested that gay men take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), as a way of protecting themselves against HIV.

What Is PrEP?

Pre-exposure prophylaxis is usually as a combination of two anti-retroviral drugs in a single pill, taken every day. It’s a way for people who are at high risk of HIV to help reduce their risk of contracting the virus.

Why Should Gay Men Consider PrEP?

The WHO’s suggestion that gay men should take anti-retroviral drugs, even if they’re not infected, doesn’t just stop at gay men. The call’s been made for all high-risk groups, including sex-workers and prisoners, in an effort to reduce the rampant spread of HIV.

What do the stats say?

According to WHO, it’s estimated that female sex workers are 14 times more likely to be HIV positive than any other women, gay men are 19 times more likely to have HIV than the general population, and transgender women are as much as 50 times more likely to be HIV positive than any other adult.

However, experts estimate that PrEP could drastically reduce the risk of HIV in gay men by up to 25%. When taken consistently, PrEP has also been shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection in high risk people by up to 92%.

What to eat if you are HIV positive

January 23rd, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Good nutrition and a balanced diet is incredibly important for people with HIV, as they have a compromised immune system and are prone to illness and infection. They are also at higher risk for developing other diseases, and may experience common side effects such as fatigue. Certain foods can help people with HIV to feel better, and can boost their immune system so that they get sick less often and are able to fight off infection.

For a lot of HIV positive people who take ARVs, the medication can make them feel ill and nauseous. If this happens to you, then follow the BRAT diet of bread, rice, apple sauce and toast. These foods are gentle on the stomach, but still provide all the nutrients a person needs to help recover faster.

Oranges are also a great natural source of vitamins and minerals, and they’re packed with Vitamin C – an antioxidant which helps boost your immune system. Fresh fruit and vegetables are always the better option, but you can also take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement to help ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need.

Hey guys! Have you downloaded the new Hello Doctor mobile app? It’s FREE, plus you get access to our latest health and wellness news and articles, top health tips from our doctors, online doctor chats and more. Simply sign up on our website, and download the free Hello Doctor app from the Google Play or iTunes store. With the app, you can talk to, or text our doctors, anytime, anywhere!

I am HIV + and want to have a baby

December 3rd, 2013 by The Hello Doctor Team

Dealing with HIV can be difficult, and dealing with pregnancy can be difficult. But having the facts about how to get pregnant safely and to prevent your baby from becoming HIV positive may help you feel more confident in your decision about whether or not to have a child. It is vital to find a doctor who will support your choices around your pregnancy and your HIV, and can help you with the correct information.

Questions to ask

Are you on anti-ARV medications? If not, are you willing to go on them? They can decrease the risk of passing HIV to the baby.
What is the state of your general health, and how high is your viral load? High CD4s and low viral load are what you want.
How might you react if your baby has HIV? It’s not likely, but it’s possible.
Do you have help if you get sick and can’t parent full-time?

Falling pregnant

An HIV positive woman can pass on HIV to her male partner while trying to get pregnant. One option to avoid this is alternative insemination. Alternative insemination can be done at home or may require medical assistance from a fertility clinic. At home, sperm provided by the partner is placed into the vagina with an eye dropper or syringe.

Medically assisted insemination (intrauterine insemination) is when the sperm is placed directly into the uterus by a medical professional, and this method can increase the chance of getting pregnant. This medical procedure is more expensive and is not available in every province. If you’re thinking about using a fertility clinic, carefully research all the services you will need and their costs.

HIV disease, anti-HIV drugs or co-infection with other sexually transmitted infections can make it harder for HIV positive women to fall pregnant. If you are having trouble falling pregnant, ask your doctor for a referral to a fertility clinic.
Your partner is also positive? Avoid the risk of re-infection

If you and your partner are both HIV positive, it’s best talk to your doctor about the risk of re-infection. Re-infection occurs when your partner becomes become infected with your virus, or the other way round. There are several strains of the virus and becoming infected with more than one strain makes it more challenging to remain healthy.

Your doctor may recommend a procedure called sperm washing. Sperm washing separates the sperm from the semen, as the semen carries most of the HIV. Once separated, the sperm is used to inseminate the woman. Sperm washing is also an option for HIV positive men who have HIV negative female partners, and the procedure is done at fertility clinic.

Healthy while pregnant and HIV+

Good health is very important while you are pregnant, and there are many things you can do to help you have a healthy pregnancy. Being pregnant and having HIV needs special medical care, so it is important to find a good doctor.
Ask your family doctor or HIV doctor to refer you to a doctor who specialises in pregnancy and childbirth who is familiar with HIV care. It is best to do this before you get pregnant or soon after.

Pregnancy does not make your HIV disease worse and HIV does not change how your pregnancy proceeds. However, a pregnancy is high risk if there is any illness or infection, including HIV. This simply means that you may have to visit the doctor more often so he or she can monitor your health and the health of the foetus.

References:

Aids.gov, Aids Meds,