Not to be missed, obey the rules for taking HIV medicine and tips on remembering it

Living with HIV and AIDS requires you to stick to a treatment schedule. With so many drugs being prescribed, it can sometimes be overwhelming to remember when to take HIV medicine. We would like to share some tips that can help you follow the rules for taking your HIV medicine in a timely manner.

Why is it important to take HIV medicine on time?

Taking HIV treatment with antiretrovirals (ARVs) cannot completely eliminate the HIV virus from the body. However, ARVs are very important in slowing down the replication process of the HIV virus, which mutates easily to attack the immune system.

The HIV virus reproduces copies of itself when it gets into your body. HIV medicines can prevent the virus from doing this process.

Your doctor will immediately recommend that you take HIV medicine as soon as you are diagnosed with HIV in order to reduce the amount of the HIV virus or viral load as early as possible. The sooner ARV treatment is carried out, the shorter the duration in reducing the amount of HIV virus in the body.

However, taking HIV medicine in the wrong dose will make the drug ineffective. The HIV virus has a high ability to mutate, forming various variants of the HIV virus in the body. As a result, it will be difficult for ARV drugs to target previously recognized viruses.

In other words, ARVs can no longer hold the virus from replicating. The danger, this condition will lead to drug resistance conditions that lead to treatment failure.

After you become resistant to an HIV drug, you must stop taking it and replace it with another drug. HIV drug resistance testing, can help doctors determine what types of drugs are effective in suppressing the amount of the HIV virus.

Constraints on how to treat HIV

Why do people with HIV often forget to take HIV drugs or violate the rules for the dosage of HIV drugs prescribed by the doctor? One of the reasons is the number of ARV drugs that must be consumed.

HIV medicine consists of several classes, each of which has a different way of working in reducing HIV infection. In general, people with HIV in the early infection phase will be given two types of ARV drugs in different classes.

Reporting from the NAM, here are some types of HIV drugs that are usually given. These drugs are classified based on the stage or stage of HIV infection that develops in the body.

1.Nucleoside / nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs): HIV drugs that inhibit the initial phase of viral replication.

2.Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs): HIV drugs that block the final phase of viral replication.

3. Integrase inhibitors: Inhibits the viral process when integrating host cells i.e. when destroying the host cell's genetic code.

4. Entry inhibitors: Stops the process of the HIV virus entering the body's cells. There are two types, namely CCR5 inhibitors and fusion inhibitors.

5. Protease inhibitors (PIs): Blocking the final process of the virus from replicating

6. Booster drugs:Drugs that act to increase the effect of a protase inhibitor.

7.Single-tablet regimens:A combination drug consisting of two to three types of antiretroviral drugs combined in one pill, usually taken as a dose once a day.

Each of these drugs has different rules for taking HIV drugs, starting from the dose to the time of taking it, so that it often makes it difficult for HIV sufferers to remember.

Other obstacles that can make HIV sufferers fail to comply with the rules for taking HIV medicine are:

Pain because of the side effects of ARV drugs
Busy working or doing daily activities that are too busy
On the go or traveling far
Irregular sleeping and eating patterns
Experiencing depression or other mental health problems
Consuming illegal drugs or alcohol makes sufferers forget about their HIV medication schedule
Not understanding the importance of taking medication regularly and the dangers that come with breaking the rules

Rules for taking HIV drugs

Talk to your doctor about taking HIV medications to avoid the risk of dangerous drug resistance.

Instructions for using drugs will also help you understand the rules for taking HIV medicine. Here are some general guidelines for the rules for taking HIV medicine:

Take HIV medicine twice a day

The first dose should be taken in the morning and the second dose to be used about 12 hours later. For example, if you take the first dose at 8 a.m., the second dose should be taken at 8 p.m.

Take HIV medicine three times a day

All three doses should be taken at an 8 hour interval. If the first dose is taken at 7 a.m., you should take the second dose 8 hours later at 3 p.m. The third dose should be taken 8 hours later, that is, at 11 o'clock in the evening.

Take HIV medicine after eating or taking it with food

You must eat something before taking your HIV medicine. If you don't want to eat a full serving, eat a large snack, such as a peanut butter sandwich, biscuits with milk, or granola bars and yogurt.

Take HIV medicine on an empty stomach

You should take the medication at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after you eat a snack or heavy meal.

Tips for obeying the rules for taking HIV medicine

Here are some useful tips for you to remember to take HIV medicine in a timely manner and at the right dosage:

Do a "trial run" before you start taking HIV medicine to see if you are having trouble sticking to drug rules. You can use candy as a drug substitute in this "trial".
Use a separate box pill box for each day of the week
Group the pills according to the doctor's recommended dose in one compartment
Make a detailed daily schedule for time to take medication, time to eat, and what to eat.
Pick one daily activity, like going to work or watching your favorite TV show, and take your pills at that time each day
Use a watch with an alarm. Set an alarm for each time you need to take HIV medicine.
Invite someone who is also taking HIV medication so that they remind each other to stay on schedule.
Keep all your HIV medicine prescription information together in one place
Make sure the supply of HIV drugs is always there by buying it well in advance before the supply of HIV drugs runs out.

Don't let the thought that having HIV means you can't go about your normal routine. Following the rules for taking HIV medicine regularly is an important part of fighting this disease that attacks the immune system.

That way, you will get the most of the drugs and have the best chance of beating HIV.