Today’s HIV treatment regimens are more effective than ever. In fact, it’s common for treatment regimens to lower viral load to undetectable levels for extended periods. For many people, this means HIV is more like a chronic disease.
Like other long-term conditions, a change in therapy may eventually be necessary. There are various reasons for needing to change your HIV treatment. In some cases, test results or drug interactions may prompt a change. But there are also times when your personal needs push you toward a different regimen. Don’t hesitate to talk with your doctor about trying something new if you’re experiencing any of the following issues:
Side effects can start to affect your quality of life or your ability to stick with your regimen. Don’t suffer through them in silence. Explain what’s going on to your doctor and find out if you can expect the problem to improve with time or not. Also, ask if there’s anything you can do to make the side effects more manageable.
Consider keeping a diary noting the timing and severity of the side effect. Describe any time you’ve missed a dose due to side effects. If there’s no solution to your problem, ask your doctor about new medicines and regimens that may have fewer side effects.
You may find yourself struggling to stick with your regimen because it doesn’t work with your lifestyle or habits. If you start to miss doses, it’s important to contact your doctor as soon as possible. Skipping doses may allow your viral load to increase and gives the virus a chance to develop resistance. You can do more harm than good by trying to stick with it.
Ask your doctor about new regimens and combination drugs that may make your life easier. Explain your routine and habits, and try to pinpoint what it is about the regimen that doesn’t work with your lifestyle. Be honest about what you can commit to and what you can’t. Also, find out what tools—both digital and old-fashioned—can help you stay on track.
The goal of any HIV treatment regimen is to keep viral load low (preferably undetectable), CD4 count high, and your quality of life good. But this isn’t the only thing you and your doctor need to consider when selecting a new regimen. Other factors include:
HIV drugs you’ve taken in the past—keep your own records of your previous HIV regimens
Drug resistance test results
Ease of fitting the new regimen into your lifestyle and habits
Past side effects with other regimens
Possible side effects with the new regimen
Other drugs you take
The ideal HIV treatment regimen consists of three fully active medicines. Today, there are six classes of HIV medicines, most with multiple drugs in the class. There are also ways to boost drugs with treatment enhancers. This gives you and your doctor more ways than ever to find a regimen that works for you.