The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums

FAQs About When to Start Medication From The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums

Starting Early | Treatment Guidelines | Signs You Might Need to Start Meds | Pregnancy and Starting Treatment | Resistance

Starting Early

I keep reading that the new drugs have few side effects. If I am going to be on treatment for many years anyway, why should I wait to start instead of treating immediately?
Could starting HIV treatment shortly after being infected protect my immune system from long-term damage?
I've heard that starting early when you don't need meds can be beneficial. I know this commitment shouldn't be taken lightly, and that there’s a risk of becoming resistant. When should I start treatment?
My CD4 count is high (700) and my viral load is low (15,000), but I want to reduce my transmission risk as much as possible. My doctor keeps telling me that HIV meds are "not recommended" right now, but can he actually prohibit me from starting treatment?
My 10-year-old son was recently infected by accident. Is he too young to start treatment? What are the best choices of meds to ensure adherence?

Treatment Guidelines

Signs You Might Need to Start Meds

Pregnancy and Starting Treatment

Resistance

I've never been on HIV meds, but my virus is partly resistant to some NRTIs. How will this affect my options for first-line HIV treatment?

For frequently asked questions on other HIV/AIDS topics, click here.

This article was provided by The Body's "Ask the Experts" Forums.

HIV Medications: When to Start and What to Take -- A Guide From TheBody.com

Reader Comments:

Add Your Comment

Comment by: Bez (Kimberly) Mon., Nov. 9, 2009 at 3:38 pm EST
What can i do if cd4 r below 300

Comment by: Abie (NYC) Thu., Nov. 5, 2009 at 9:24 pm EST
Hi Elian I think you should start treatment. What is the treatment in guyana. 320 is beginning to be low. Even if you can't see it,bad things can be happening inside your body. Only treatment can stop this.

Comment by: elian (guyana) Thu., Nov. 5, 2009 at 5:06 pm EST
I was diagnosed HIV positive in 2008,at the time my CD4 count was 320..the doctor said i should start taking med..but i have put it off cuz i am healthy and has never got sick..although i had major surgery recently i recovered quite quickly and am still strong and healthy..do u think i should still take the meds at this point?

Add Your Comment:

(Please note: Your name and comment will be public, and may even show up in
Google search results. Be careful when providing personal information!)

HIV Medications: When to Start and What to Take -- A Guide From TheBody.com

My Health Tracker

Widgets and RSS Feeds

U.S. ASO Finder

The First Man to Be Cured of AIDS: An Update on the Amazing Story -- This Month in HIV

OIs and Co-Infections and STIs -- Oh, My!

HIV Antiretrovirals in Development: An Update From ICAAC 2009

World AIDS Day 2009: Home

Back From the Brink: A Blog Entry by Thomas DeLorenzo

More >>

The Body is a service of Body Health Resources Corporation, 250 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10107. The Body and its logos are trademarks of Body Health Resources Corporation, which owns the copyright of The Body's homepage, topic pages, page designs and HTML code. General Disclaimer: The Body is designed for educational purposes only and is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. The information provided through The Body should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or a disease. It is not a substitute for professional care. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, consult your health care provider.