i have been positive for less then a year and have become depressed as a result. my partner is also positive. i plan to talk to my mental health doctor about this depression but i want to go in with some information. here are a list of things that i am concerned about with being put on medication to treat my depression. I am highly concerned about a decrease in an almost nonexistent sex drive, i am concered about weight gain, nightmares, and increased fatigue. What is the best medication for me?

There are many effective and safe antidepressants available. I would recommend trying sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) or escitalopram (Lexapro). These medicines are very safe, well tolerated and effective. They have a low potential for interaction with antiretroviral medications, should you need them. They have low risk for weight gain, nightmares and fatigue. Decreased interest in sex is a common side effect (but not universal).

Also, there are psychotherapies, such as cognitive behavioral and interpersonal psychotherapy that have been demonstrated to be effective for depression. If you're concerned about medication side effects, psychotherapy is worth a try.