Living with HIV

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Summary

What are HIV and AIDS?

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It harms your immune system by destroying a type of white blood cell that helps your body fight infection.

AIDS is the final stage of infection with HIV. It happens when the body's immune system is badly damaged because of the virus. Not everyone with HIV develops AIDS.

Are there treatments for HIV?

There is no cure for HIV, but there are many medicines to treat both HIV infection and the health problems and infections (called opportunistic infections, or OIs) and that come with it. These other infections are called opportunistic infections (OIs). The medicines allow people with HIV to have long, healthy lives.

How can I live a healthier life with HIV?

IIf you have HIV, you can help yourself by:

Getting medical care as soon as you find out that you have HIV. You should find a health care provider who has experience in treating HIV.
Taking your medicines every day.
Letting your provider know if you get any symptoms or health problems.
Keeping up with your regular medical and dental care.
Managing stress and getting support, such as from support groups, therapists, and social service organizations
Trying to live a healthy lifestyle, including:

Eating healthy foods.This can give your body the energy it needs to fight HIV and other infections. It can help you manage HIV symptoms and medicine side effects. It may also improve absorption of your HIV medicines.
Getting regular exercise. This can strengthen your body and immune system. It may also reduce the risk of depression.
Getting enough sleep. Sleep is important for your physical strength and mental health.
Not smoking. People with HIV who smoke have a higher risk of developing conditions such as certain cancers and infections. Smoking can also interfere with your medicines.
Avoiding heavy drinking or taking illegal drugs. They can damage your liver, which means your HIV medicine may not work as well. They can also make it harder for your body to fight infections.
Protecting yourself from OIs. Talk to your provider about medicines and vaccines that prevent certain OIs. Also be careful to avoid exposure to contaminated food and water.

It is also important to reduce the risk of spreading HIV to other people. You should tell your sex partners that you have HIV and always use latex condoms. If your or your partner is allergic to latex, you can use polyurethane condoms.

Start Here

HIV Treatment Overview (HIV.gov; National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research)
How to Stay Healthy with HIV (National Library of Medicine) - PDF Also in Spanish
What to Do after Finding Out You Have HIV (National Library of Medicine) - PDF Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

Stages of AIDS-Related Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute)

Treatments and Therapies

How to Find HIV Treatment Services (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
Treatment Option Overview (AIDS Related-Lymphoma) (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish

Living With

Get the Facts about HIV Medical Care (National Library of Medicine) - PDF Also in Spanish
HIV and Nutrition and Food Safety (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
HIV Treatment Adherence (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
Living with HIV (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Mental Health (HIV.gov; National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research)
Mental Health and HIV (Department of Veterans Affairs)
Seeing Your Health Care Provider (HIV.gov; National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research)

Related Issues

Drugs, Alcohol and HIV (Department of Veterans Affairs)
HIV and Heart Disease (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
HIV and Immunizations (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
HIV and Kidney Disease (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
HIV Infection and Cancer Risk (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
Just Diagnosed: Next Steps after Testing Positive for HIV (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
Oral Sex and HIV Risk (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
Sex and Sexuality and HIV (Department of Veterans Affairs)
Smoking and HIV (HIV.gov; National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research)
Travelers' Health: HIV Infection (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Types of Providers (HIV.gov; National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research)
What's a Blip? (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Body Shape Changes with HIV (Department of Veterans Affairs)
General Information about AIDS-Related Lymphoma (National Cancer Institute) Also in Spanish
HIV and COVID-19 (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
HIV and COVID-19 Basics (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
HIV and Mental Health (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
HIV and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
HIV/AIDS and Infections: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
HIV/AIDS and Oral Health (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research) Also in Spanish
How to Take Care of Your Mental Health with HIV (National Library of Medicine) - PDF Also in Spanish
Neurological Complications of HIV and AIDS (National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) Also in Spanish
People with HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections (HIV.gov; National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research)

Images

Pets and People with HIV (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
Tips for HIV Treatment Regimen Adherence (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

HIV in the United States and Dependent Areas (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
HIV in the United States by Age (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Also in Spanish
HIV/AIDS Statistics Overview (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
The Science Is Clear: With HIV, Undetectable Equals Untransmittable (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: HIV/AIDS and Quality of Life (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Reference Desk

Glossary (HIV.gov; National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research)

Find an Expert

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Also in Spanish
Clinicalinfo: Information on HIV/AIDS Treatment, Prevention, and Research (HIV.gov; National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research) Also in Spanish
HIV.gov (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research)
HIVinfo (National Institutes of Health, Office of AIDS Research)
NIAID Division of AIDS (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases)

Women

HIV/AIDS and Pregnancy: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish

Older Adults

Aging with HIV (HIV.gov)
HIV, AIDS, and Older Adults (National Institute on Aging) Also in Spanish

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MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

Lactic acidosis

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Living with HIV is the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

Disclaimers

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