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Tag: medication

Why it’s so important to stick to your ARV treatment schedule

October 21st, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

ARV treatment doesn’t cure you of HIV, it only helps to keep the infection under control so that you can stay healthy for as long as possible. If you do not take your ARVs as prescribed, you’re putting yourself in danger. Some of the risks include:

1. Your HIV infection may become resistant to the medication – this means that the treatment will no longer keep the infection under control because the virus finds ways to protect itself from the ARVs. Also, you’ll never be able to use that particular medication again – it will not work and please remember that there’re only a limited number of drugs used in treating HIV.

2. The virus will be able to replicate and you’ll end up with a high viral load in your body – a high viral load means that treatment is failing and your body is becoming weak

3. The HIV infection will progress and you’ll become ill. To succeed in treating HIV, it’s up to you to be responsible for your health – take your medication exactly as directed. ARV treatment used to be complicated with many different pills to take, but these days combined pills are available, which means you only need to take one tablet once or twice a day – much easier to remember!

ARVs leave the body quickly, which is why you need to take your medication regularly – ensuring that there is always the correct level of medication in your blood stream working to keep the HIV under control.

As soon as you skip a dose, it gives the HIV a chance to recover slightly, start replicating and learn ways to fight the medication you’re using – scary, hey!

So how can you ensure that you adhere to your treatment schedule? Here’re some tips:

  • Practice first with jellybeans- if you find the schedule difficult to follow then at least you can work with your doctor to iron out issues before you start taking the real medication
  • At the beginning of each week, divide your pills up into daily doses using a pill box – this way you simply need to open up the correct day and drink your tablets. Planning makes pill taking much easier
  • Work your pill taking into your daily routine- for example take them after brushing your teeth and leave your pill box next to the tooth paste in your bathroom cupboard (make sure this is out of children’s reach!)
  • Make sure you do not run short- keep an emergency supply of a few pills for just in case
  • Set an alarm on your phone to go off each day at the correct time to take your tablets

If you find that you keep missing your dose, do not be afraid to ask for help- that is what doctors and other medical professionals are there for, to help you!

You can try and work out together why it is you are struggling – are you having unpleasant side-effects? Your doctor could help you find a way to manage this, or perhaps you need to change to a different drug – not everyone tolerates medications in the same way.

The main goal is to keep yourself as healthy as possible, for as long as possible and by using your medication correctly you are increasing your likelihood of success.

Need some additional help staying on track? Speak to our doctors directly. You can ask our doctors a variety of questions at the touch of a button. 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!

Are you taking too many pills?

September 6th, 2015 by The Hello Doctor Team

Have you ever taken a rather large cocktail of medications to treat one disease or condition? This use of multiple medications – especially at the same time – is called Polypharmacy. It’s loosely defined as the use of five or more regular medications, or it can refer to excessive or unnecessary use of medication. Continue reading “Are you taking too many pills?”

5 Things you should never throw in your bin

September 30th, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

In this day and age is easy just to throw everything in the waste bin, without giving it a moment’s thought. But trash comes back to us in many different ways, none of them good. If you ever needed persuading to be mindful of what you throw away, watch this powerful video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUM58LIU2Lo . When you are finished watching, resolve to change your habits. Continue reading “5 Things you should never throw in your bin”

What is PrEP and PEP?

September 20th, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Ever heard of the acronyms PrEP and PEP? Both refer to HIV prevention; let’s have a look at what these terms mean.

PrEP:

This stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. Prophylaxis means to “prevent the spread of a disease or infection”. We’re desperately trying to curb the spread of HIV infection and PrEP is one of the newer methods being used – an HIV negative person will take a tablet (containing two types of antiretroviral medication) every day to prevent contracting HIV. This, together with other preventative methods such as condom use, can offer very good protection.

So who would take PrEP? At this stage it is not recommended for just anyone, only for those at high ongoing risk of HIV infection – for example someone whose partner is HIV positive, sex workers and men who have sex with men. This method can also be used when an HIV discordant couple (one HIV positive and one HIV negative) wish to conceive a child. It is important to note that this is not a vaccine for HIV, only a prevention strategy.

How effective is PrEP? Studies so far have been encouraging, with PrEP lowering the risk of HIV infection by up to 90% in some BUT this is only if the medication is taken daily. If compliance is poor, it is much less effective- with some studies showing it to be completely ineffective owing to poor adherence. Currently PrEP is not routinely given in government settings in South Africa- if however you think you are at particularly high risk speak to your doctor to see whether PrEP would be suitable for you.

PEP:

This stands for Post-Exposure Prophylaxis. After someone has been exposed to HIV, PEP can be given to reduce the risk of contracting the infection. This is regularly used in settings such as – after sexual assault and for health care workers if injured at work – a needle-stick injury for example. To be effective this needs to be taken within 72hrs of exposure and consists of 2 or 3 antiretroviral drugs that need to be taken for a month. PEP is NOT 100% effective even when taken correctly and the medication can make you feel quite unwell for the duration of the course.

So who would take PEP? Someone who has been exposed to HIV in a single event which is unusual. It is not to be used in place of condoms and other HIV prevention methods.

How effective is PEP? It is most effective if started within 72hrs of exposure – you will have an HIV test before starting (as it is only given to someone who is HIV negative) and then again at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months.

Author: Dr Lynelle Hoeks 

If you’re taking medication, watch what you eat and drink!

April 24th, 2014 by The Hello Doctor Team

Your pharmacist always tells you whether to take your medication before or after food, and whether or not it’s OK to take them with alcohol or before you drive. But do they ever tell you what you should and shouldn’t eat or drink? They should! This is because what you eat and drink has a powerful effect on your body, and what you consume can change the way that medication works in your system.

Here, we look at the most common food and drinks which can interfere with medication.
Continue reading “If you’re taking medication, watch what you eat and drink!”

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