HIV/AIDS Management: preparing for ARV treatment (part 2)

Tuesday, July 05, 2011. I brought my friend Jay to the H4 ward in San Lazaro Hospital as a requirement by my doctor to have another treatment partner aside from my dad. Jay was very supporting and asked questions regarding my treatment and the what nots as well as the what tos. I deeply appreciate his efforts on doing so and coming with me to the hospital.

All my lab results turned out well, except that my blood sugar level was a bit high, so no more extra rice for me. The rest of the lab results were good, including Hepatitis B and Syphilis that turned out non-reactive.

The second session of the counseling was more detailed, because the doctor had to discuss all the medicines from 1st line to the 3rd line one by one, their possible side effects and what to do with each one. Whether I will be needed to be rushed to the hospital or just to let it wait until a particular side effect clears. We also discussed how long I will be doing my weekly check-ups once I start my trial stage of treatment. The weekly check-ups will be once a week, every Thursdays for one to two months. I have to be on leave from work for two weeks so that everything will be observed and anything that may happen will be noticed and will be taken cared of. The pills were also shown to us, the intervals of taking each one were discussed and what the pills look like. The first line of medicines are Lamividine/Zidovidine and Nevirapine.

I also have to be careful on what I eat. The importance of me going on a hypoallergenic diet was also discussed again, just to make sure I understood its importance in the treatment, which I must strictly adhere to. It is important for me to go on a hypoallergenic diet to find out the causes of allergy if ever I will have or may develop one. Also, no more raw foods for me, either vegetables or animals. So goodbye sushi, sashimi, and most types of maki, no rare and medium-rare steaks; hoping all of this is just for now. No more street foods too. All avoidance to certain types of food to be done to prevent me from getting any parasites, fungi, or additional viruses.

Exercise is a must but must be done in moderation, because I cannot get tired. Amount of sleep was also discussed, I must have at least 6 hours of sleep, but it is important to have full 8 hours. It was also reiterated in the discussion that lack of sleep and stress can significantly damage the immune system. The doctor also suggest that I get vaccinated before I start on ARV treatment, making sure I get additional protection.

With a CD4 count of only 295, all measures must be done to protect my already weak immune system. Strict compliance to medical advices is a must.


Part 1

Part 3