How to Talk to Your Doctor About HIV/AIDS

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that causes AIDS or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. HIV attacks the body's immune system until it is no longer able to fight off dangerous infections. However, in the last few years, there have been several new treatments developed that are helping people with HIV/AIDS live longer and healthier lives. That is why you need to be able to talk to your doctor about HIV/AIDS. Read on to learn how to talk to your doctor about HIV/AIDS.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Inform yourself about your risk factors for HIV/AIDS. The Center for Disease Control National Prevention Information Network has an informative series of articles related to understanding AIDS. See the Resources section below for a link.

2. Get tested for HIV. You can have this done at your doctor's office, at a clinic or at home. Your doctor offers confidential testing, which means he or she won't share your name and the results of your test with anyone without your consent. Clinics and home test kits offer anonymous testing which means no involved in the test knows who you are. The only home testing system currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration is the Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System. See the Resources section below for a link.

3. Inform your doctor of the test results. You should follow this step whether the test comes back positive or negative.

4. Expect your doctor to run a battery of tests to determine your current health status if the HIV test comes back positive. These tests may include a viral load test to determine how much of the virus is in your body, a CD4 T-cell count to see how well your immune system is functioning and possibly other tests for infections common to people with HIV/AIDS.

5. Discuss treatment with your doctor. There are a whole new generation of medications that have helped transform HIV/AIDS into a chronic condition rather than a rapidly fatal one, but it is important to know what side effects you may expect and the schedule for taking the medications. You must follow the schedule exactly.

6. Ask your doctor for a referral to an infectious disease specialist or an HIV/AIDS clinic. Just like a cancer patient should be treated by an oncologist, you should have a doctor with special knowledge about HIV/AIDS overseeing your care.

7. Consider asking your doctor for a referral to a support group. You may think you are handling everything fine, but chances are you could use the information and support from people who have "been there/done that."

Tips & Warnings

• AIDS cannot be cured, but through a variety of medications and lifestyle changes, it can be controlled so that many people with this disease can expect to live a fairly normal lifespan.
• Doctors have to warn patients about health risks--that's part of their jobs--but if your doctor is harsh or judgmental about your lifestyle, it's time to find a new physician--one who can advise and support without judging.
• If you have reason to believe you are infected with HIV/AIDS, see your doctor right away and talk to him about your symptoms. The sooner you start treatment, the more easy it will be to control your disease.

Resources

• Center for Disease Control National Prevention Information Network--HIV/AIDS
• Home Access Express HIV-1 Test System

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