no more teachers' dirty looks
complications. Medication is discussed in relation to other life events. Emphasis is always as much on quality as length of life.
Here are three people who were helped to make the right treatment choice
for themselves.
my HAART - and San Francisco
Brian was new to the Globe. He'd been recently diagnosed and, physically,
felt well. Suggesting treatment was futile. Brian was clear he did not
want the horrible side effects that he had seen friends experience. Anyway,
he was going on holiday to San Francisco in six weeks' time. He was sure
his results would be OK.
They weren't. Brian's CD4 count was 80 and his viral load 750,000 copies.
He was devastate. Within the space of three weeks he had been diagnosed
and had been told to start treatment as soon as possible.
We saw each other twice-weekly throughout this time, having many discussions
about life expectancy and quality of life. Brian decided he would continue
to plan for his holiday. We worked out a plan: he would take Septrin (to
prevent PCP) while on holiday. It would be good practice for starting
antivirals on his return. He took with him information about local hospitals
and possible complications of low immunity.
A holiday may not seem much to some but for Brian it was the best three
weeks of his life. He met many other HIV positive people on treatment
and was able to discuss
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his fears. He eventually started treatment four months after
his diagnosis.
Having time to adjust to an HIV diagnosis is crucial. If treatment is
rushed it
