Following an HIV Treatment Regimen
Following an HIV Treatment
Regimen
How can I prepare for
adherence before I
start HIV treatment?
Preparing for adherence
before you start taking anti-HIV
medications is the
rst step to treatment success. Planning
ahead will help you follow
your treatment
regimen
once you
start treatment.
Begin by talking to your
health care provider. Make sure you
understand why you’re
starting HIV treatment and why
treatment adherence
is important. Discuss these
important
details about your treatment
regimen:
•
Each anti-HIV medication in
your regimen
•
e dose (amount) of each
anti-HIV medication in your
regimen.
•
How many pills in each dose
•
When to take each medication
•
How to take each
medication—with or without food
•
Possible side efects from
each medication, including
serious side efects
•
How to store your medications
Talk to your health care
provider about other medications
you take and their possible
side eects. Your health care
provider will tell you about
potential interactions between
the anti-HIV medications in
your regimen and the other
medications you take.
Tell your health care
provider if you have any personal issues,
such as depression or alcohol
or drug abuse, that can make
adherence di
cult. If needed, your health care provider can
recommend resources to help
you address these issues before
you start treatment.
How can I maintain adherence
after I start
treatment?
Consider one or more of the
following strategies to help you
adhere to your regimen:
•
Use a 7-day pill box. Once a
week,
ll the pill box with
your medications for the
entire week.
•
Take your medications at the
same time every day.
•
Use a timer, an alarm clock,
or your cell phone alarm to
remind you to take your
medications.
•
Ask your family members,
friends, or coworkers to remind
you to take your medications.
•
Keep your medications nearby.
Keep a backup supply of
medications at work or in
your purse or briefcase.
•
Plan ahead for changes in
your daily routine, including
weekends and holidays. If
you’re going away, pack enough
medications to last the
entire trip.
•
Use a medication diary to
stay on track. Write down the
name of each medication;
include the dose, number of pills
to take, and when to take
them. Check o each medication
as you take it. Reviewing
your diary will help you identify
the times you’re most likely
to skip medications.
•
Keep all your medical appointments.
Write down the date
and time of heath care
provider visits on your calendar or
daily schedule. If you run
low on medications before your
next visit, call your health
care provider to renew your
prescriptions.
•
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