When you found out you had HIV, you must have felt a great shock, fear, and loneliness. You may have wondered, "What do I do now?" But don't worry. Today, medical science has advanced a lot. HIV is a condition that, if properly managed, can be lived with for a long time, healthy, and normal. The most powerful and important weapon for this is the treatment called ART. Today, we will talk about this in a simple way that will answer all the questions you have in your mind.
Simply put, what is ART?
ART, which stands for Antiretroviral Therapy , is a combination of drugs given to treat the HIV virus. To understand this, let's first look at what the HIV virus does to our bodies.
Think of our body as a well-guarded fortress. There are special soldiers who protect this fortress. We call them CD4 cells . These cells are the main part of our immune system. What HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) does, like a thief, is enter this fortress and destroy these security soldiers, that is, CD4 cells, one by one. Then the defense of our fortress is weakened. As a result, other diseases and infections that normally cannot do us much harm can easily enter our body and cause serious conditions.
Here's what ART does. Although these drugs cannot completely eliminate the HIV virus from the body, they stop the virus from multiplying inside the body, that is, making more copies of it. Then the amount of virus in the body, which we call the viral load , gradually decreases. When the virus is controlled, our body is able to make new CD4 cells to replace the destroyed CD4 cells. Then our immune system is strong again.
ART usually involves giving two or more drugs together. Treatment is more effective when a combination of drugs that work in different ways is given, rather than just one drug. This reduces the risk of the virus becoming resistant to the drugs and developing resistance.
What is the "Undetectable" level?
This is the most important and beautiful result of ART treatment. When you take your medication correctly, the amount of HIV virus (viral load) in your blood drops to a level that is so low that it cannot even be detected by tests. This is what we call an "undetectable" level.
But this does not mean that you are completely cured of HIV. The virus can remain hidden inside the cells of the body. If you stop taking the medication, the hidden virus can become active again. Therefore, it is essential to take the medication for the rest of your life.
But what are the advantages of this "Undetectable" level?
- Because your immune system is strong, you can live a healthy, normal life.
- The most important thing: A person with a stable viral load of "Undetectable" cannot transmit HIV to another person through sexual intercourse. We call this concept U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) . This is a great freedom for you and your partner.
How does ART treatment work?
The HIV virus uses a very complex process to enter our CD4 cells and make copies of itself. ART drugs work by interrupting different steps in this process. Think of it like a burglar taking many steps to break into a house, and ART works by setting up different traps to stop each step.
Let's look at this table to understand how ART medications work.
| Drug Class | The way it works is simple. |
|---|---|
| NRTIs (Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors) | Instead of the 'bricks' the virus needs to make its own genetic copy (DNA), it is given useless 'fake bricks'. Then the DNA production stops halfway. |
| NNRTIs (Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors) | Instead of providing 'fake bricks', they deactivate the 'mason base' (an enzyme) that makes DNA. Even then, the work stops. |
| INSTIs (Integrase Inhibitors) | It prevents the DNA made by the virus from combining with the real DNA in our cells, just like it blocks the installation of a virus program. |
| Protease Inhibitors (PIs) | Newly formed virus copies are assembled and a 'scissor' (an enzyme) that is needed for them to be active is deactivated. Then new viruses are not formed. |
| Entry Inhibitors | It just blocks the virus from entering our CD4 cells. It's like locking the door. |
How do I choose the right ART treatment for me?
This is not a decision you can make alone. Your doctor will choose the best combination of medications for you. He will consider several factors.
- Your viral load and CD4 count when you start treatment.
- Whether you have previously taken other treatments for HIV (such as PrEP or PEP).
- Test results to see if the virus in your body is resistant to certain medications.
- Are you pregnant or hoping to become pregnant?
- Other medical conditions you have (such as kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, heart disease) and the medications you take for them.
- Whether you can take your medicine on time.
Medication and side effects
For many people, ART is given as a daily pill. Sometimes, several medications are combined into one pill. It's very convenient. And now, this treatment is also available as an injection that can be taken once a month or every two months.
Some people may experience minor side effects when starting this medication. Things like nausea, vomiting, stomach upset, headaches, insomnia, and skin rashes. But most of the time, these will go away completely after a few weeks as the body gets used to the medication.
The most important thing is, even if you have an unbearable side effect, never stop taking your medication on your own. Doing so can cause the virus to spread rapidly again and become resistant to the medication. That is very dangerous. If you experience any discomfort, talk to your doctor right away. He or she can change your medication or help you manage the side effects.
Monitoring the success of treatment
After you start treatment, your doctor will monitor your condition regularly. This will involve two main blood tests.
1. Viral Load Test: Check the amount of virus in the body.
2. CD4 Count: See the strength of the immune system.
Usually, the viral load falls to an "undetectable" level within 1-6 months of starting treatment. After that, these tests are continued at intervals prescribed by the doctor to see if everything is going well.
Take-Home Message
- HIV is not a death sentence. With ART treatment, you can live a completely healthy, normal, and long life.
- ART treatment must be taken for life, exactly as prescribed by the doctor, without missing a single day .
- If your viral load is at an "Undetectable" level, you cannot pass HIV to another person through sex (U=U).
- If you experience any discomfort or side effects from medication, be sure to talk to your doctor before making decisions on your own.
- You are not alone. Your doctor, family, and trusted friends are there to help you through this journey. You can also find great strength in support groups.
💬 අදහස් (0)
තවමත් කිසිදු අදහසක් පළ කර නොමැත. ඔබේ අදහස පළමු වරට මෙහි එක් කරන්න.
ඔබේ අදහස එක් කරන්න