Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that affects the immune system, gradually damaging it until it can no longer fight off infection and disease. The HIV infects the cells of the immune system. However, for reasons that scientists don’t fully understand, HIV remains resistant to the immune system’s efforts to eliminate it.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the term used to describe patients who are in the advanced stages of an HIV infection, when the immune system is no longer able to protect them from infections or cancer. The time between when a person is infected and when they develop illness may be anywhere from a few months to 10 years or longer.

There is currently no cure for HIV/AIDS, but drug therapy can prevent the virus from replicating, keeping it “in check” and preventing illness.

These are 12 Must See HIV Symptoms. Even though partners use a condom, there maybe a cases of leakages from broken condoms do often occur.  

Here are some of the signs and symptoms that may come with HIV infection:

Fever:

If you have practiced unprotected sex, watch out for fevers as a symptom of HIV. Early after being infected by HIV, you may experience flu like symptoms. This can include a low grade fever that does not respond to medication. You may experience night sweats as a response to the fever. The fever is an inflammatory reaction to the virus entering your blood stream.

Cold Sores:

Cold sores can be a symptom of HIV. Cold sores are caused by the Herpes Simplex virus. It can occur as genital, rectal, or oral herpes. Anyone can be infected with herpes, regardless of their HIV status. Those who are infected with HIV and have cold sores may suffer from recurrent outbreaks of the herpes virus.

Night Sweats:

As the HIV infection develops in the body, flu like symptoms can appear. One of the most annoying and notable symptoms is night sweats. The sufferer may go to bed at a good temperature, but through the night may experience widely ranging body temperatures, going from very cold to very hot quite quickly. The physical response of the body is to pour sweat to regulate the temperature. The person may wake up soaking wet and have to change their sheets and clothing.

Skin Rash:

Skin rash is one of the most common symptoms of HIV. Called the “HIV rash”, this symptom can be seen in approximately 85% of cases. The rash may develop into blisters at the warm moist areas of the body, including genitals and facial regions.

Most rashes develop on the trunk of the body. The appearance of the rash is red bumps that may itch and peel.

Fatigue:

Fatigue associated with HIV may be the most under-reported symptom. Many people suffer from chronic fatigue but do not realize it is a medical condition. Chronic fatigue is tiredness that cannot be alleviated with rest. Fatigue is first reported in the flu like symptoms that accompany the early stages of HIV. Once this phase is complete, fatigue may not appear until AIDS develops

Yeast Infection:

As HIV develops, the infected persons immune system becomes compromised. One of the starting symptoms of a failing immune system is bodily infections. Yeast infections are very common, and they affect more than just women. The cause of this infection is a fungus called Candida. It can affect the body in different ways, such as v*ginal yeast infections, thrush, intestinal infections, and more. Getting rid of these infections may prove futile until HIV medication is in place.

Weight Loss:

Weight loss in HIV infected individuals is common through the progression of the disease. When first infected, the flu like symptoms can cause nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. This can cause a temporary loss in weight. As the illness progresses, weight loss can be caused by a condition called “AIDS wasting”. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services categorize a person as having AIDS wasting when they have lost 10% or more of their body weight, and have experienced related weight loss symptoms for a period greater than 30 days.

Headaches:

One of the first symptoms of the flu related symptoms of HIV is an unrelenting headache. The headaches may develop into chronic debilitating migraines. Migraines become chronic after affecting a person for 15 or more days per month. 50% of people infected with HIV will experience headaches as a symptom, while 27% will experience chronic migraines. This is compared to the general population, where only 2% of people suffer from chronic migraines.

Body Pain:

Sore muscles and joint pain are common symptoms of HIV infection that occur in the early flu like phase. This can be caused by the swollen lymph nodes, or from rheumatic illnesses. Rheumatic disease affects the muscles and joints of the body, causing inflammation. This disease can lead to arthritis, fibromyalgia, and vasculitis. Some HIV medications can also cause these symptoms.

None:

The most dangerous symptom of HIV is having none at all. Many of those infected do not know they are. This can be particularly dangerous as the person may continue to have unprotected se.x, potentially spreading the disease. In 2001, it is estimated that less than 1% of the population has been tested for HIV. In South Africa, it is estimated that over 5 million people are infected. If you think you are at risk for HIV, get tested right away.

HIV drugs have improved over the years, and serious side effects are much less likely than they used to be. However, if you’re having any new or unusual side effect, call your doctor — even if you’ve been on the medicine for a long time. Sometimes it can take months or years for you to start reacting to a medicine.

For more serious side effects, your doctor might first check to make sure that your medicine, and not other factors, is causing your symptoms. If the medicine is to blame, the doctor might switch you to another antiretroviral drug. Yet this isn’t as easy as it sounds. Because HIV is such a serious infection, your doctor needs to be sure that the new treatment will still work to control the virus, and that it won’t cause even more severe side effects.

Milder side effects may go away as soon as your body gets used to the drug. If not, the doctor might suggest that you change the way you take the drug (for example, taking it with food instead of on an empty stomach, or at night instead of in the morning). Alternately, you might be able to treat the side effect to make it more manageable.


It might take some time to find just the right drug regimen. With some careful monitoring and follow-up, your doctor will eventually find the antiretroviral medicine that not only works but is also safe for you.

Routine:

Sticking to Your Medicine Routine
Side effects aren’t the only issue with HIV treatment. You also need to remember when and how to take your pills.

To help you take your medicine as directed, get a pill organizer. Arrange all of the pills by dose. Set reminders in your phone or computer so you’ll remember when it’s time to take your medicine.


Work with your doctor to find a dosing routine that works best for you. Review it at each visit and make adjustments as needed so you get the most benefit possible from your treatment.

There are many ways that you can support our fight to end HIV and support individuals living with HIV.  You can volunteer.  You can give in-kind and monetary donations.  And, you can keep the message about HIV alive in your community!  If you would like to make a monetary or in-kind contribution to Help HIV carrier, we have outlined below how this can be done.  If you have any questions, please contact the Project Director at johnalba2222@gmail.com.  Thank you!


You can make a donation online at any time by just clicking on the donate button  and it will take you to a secure donation page where you can make a donation. (PAYPAL)

ARV side effects

The main treatment for HIV is a class of drugs called antiretrovirals. These drugs don’t cure HIV, but they can dramatically reduce the amount of virus in the body so it can’t destroy the immune system.

Today, more than 20 antiretroviral drugs are approved to treat HIV. Most people will take two or more of these drugs every day for the rest of their lives. You have to take antiretroviral drugs at the right time and in the right way in order for them to work. Taking your medicines the way your doctor prescribed them is called “adherence.”

The anti retroviral treatment regimen isn’t easy. These drugs can cause side effects, which can be severe enough to make some people stop taking them. If you skip doses, the virus can start copying itself in your body again. It could become resistant to the medicine you are taking, leaving you with fewer effective options to treat your HIV. That’s why it’s so important to work closely with your doctor to find the best drug for you, and to address side effects right away if you experience them.

Side Effects
Antiretroviral Drug Side Effects — And How to Treat Them
Most medicines you take can cause side effects. HIV drugs are no exception. Some of the side effects they cause are mild. Others are more severe, or even life threatening. A side effect can get worse the longer you keep taking the drug.

It’s also possible for other medications you take to interact with your HIV medications. Additionally, other conditions you have may amplify the side effects from these drugs (for example, viral hepatitis can worsen effects on the liver from HIV drugs). That’s why, when you start taking any new drug, you should tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the other medicines you take — even drugs you buy over the counter without a prescription.

Here are some of the most common side effects from antiretroviral treatment, and ways your doctor might recommend to manage them:

Appetite Loss
Antiretroviral drugs that cause it: Abacavir (Ziagen)

What you might do to help:

Eat several small meals a day, instead of three big ones.
Drink nutritional supplements or smoothies to make sure you get enough vitamins and minerals.
Take an appetite stimulant.

Changes in the Distribution of Body Fat (Lipodystrophy)
Antiretroviral drugs that cause it: combinations of drugs from the NRTI and protease inhibitor classes (although some people with HIV who aren’t on these drugs also have this side effect)

What you might do to help:

Exercise to lose weight in areas where you’ve gained fat, such as in the stomach.

Get injections of polylactic acid (New Fill, Sculptra) in your face if you’ve lost weight there.

Have liposuction to remove fat in other areas where it has collected.

Ask your doctor about trying a drug called tesamorelin (Egrifta), which reduces excess belly fat in people who take HIV medicine.

Diarrhea
Antiretroviral drugs that cause it: Protease inhibitors and other medicines

What you might do to help:

Eat fewer greasy, fatty, spicy, and dairy foods.
Eat less insoluble fiber (raw vegetables, whole grain cereal, nuts).
Take over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medicines such as loperamide (Imodium) or diphenoxylate and atropine (Lomotil).

Fatigue
Antiretroviral drugs that cause it: Many different drugs

What you might do to help:

Eat healthy foods to give you more energy.
Exercise as often as you can.
Avoid drinking alcohol and smoking.
Higher than Normal Levels of Cholesterol and Triglycerides (Lipids) in the Blood
Antiretroviral drugs that cause it: Protease inhibitors and other medicines

What you might do to help:

Stop smoking.
Exercise more.
Reduce the amount of fat in your diet (talk with a dietitian about the safest way to do this).
Eat fish and other foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Have blood tests at your doctor’s office to check your cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Take statins or other lipid-lowering medicines if you need them.
Mood Changes, Depression, Anxiety
Antiretroviral drugs that cause it: Efavirenz (Sustiva)

What you might do to help:

Change the timing of your medicine dose (talk to your doctor first).
Avoid alcohol and recreational drugs.
Try talk therapy or antidepressant medicines.
Nausea and Vomiting
Antiretroviral drugs that cause it: Almost all of them

What you might do to help:

Eat smaller portions several times during the day, instead of three big meals.
Eat bland foods like plain rice and crackers.
Avoid fatty, spicy foods.
Serve your meals cold, instead of hot.
Take anti-emetic medicines to control nausea.
Rash
Antiretroviral drugs that cause it: Nevirapine and other drugs

What you might do to help:

Moisturize your skin by applying lotion daily and avoiding hot showers and baths.
Use mild, non-irritating soaps and laundry detergents.
Wear fabrics that breathe, like cotton.
Ask your doctor if you can take an antihistamine medicine.
Trouble sleeping
Antiretroviral drugs that cause it: Efavirenz (Sustiva) and other medicines

What you might do to help:

Exercise regularly.
Stick to a sleep schedule and avoid naps.
Make sure your bedroom is comfortable for sleep.
Relax before bedtime with a warm bath or other calming activity.
Avoid caffeine and other stimulants within a few hours of bedtime.
Talk to your doctor about sleep medicines if the problem continues.

Other side effects from antiretroviral drugs include:

Men Greatly Affected by New HIV Infections
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over one million people aged 13 and older were living with an HIV infection in the United States at the end of 2009. Gay and bisexual men make up nearly two-thirds of the 50,000 newly infected each year. Black/African American men and women are also greatly affected.


Early treatment is key to a long life, but some men experience no symptoms. Here are the signs to look for.


How to spot early HIV symptoms in men

In general, the HIV symptoms that men will experience are not all that different to those found in women. Apart from vaginal or menstrual changes all the tell-tale signs are the same in men and women.

HIV symptoms can vary significantly between patients. No two HIV-positive men will have exactly the same experience.

In general, a man's HIV infection will follow this general pattern:

Acute illness: This may or may not occur. Around 70% of patients notice it. If this occurs, it is most liekly to happen 1-2 weeks post infection. Symptoms include fever, sickness and chills.

Asymptomatic period: A long period of time (up to 10 years) in which you do not experience any symptoms.

Advanced infection: A highly weakened immune system makes you susceptible to a number of different illnesses.

"Flu-like" Illness

One of the earliest HIV symptoms in men is a severe 'flu-like' illness, known as the 'seroconversion illness.'

Seroconversion is the point in time where a person's blood is converted from being HIV negative to HIV positive, by the production of antibodies. It is often accompanied by an acute illness, the symptoms of which vary significantly between patients.

However, a man may experience:
Severe headaches
Fever (with temperatures over 100 degrees F)
Chills and sweats
Fatigue
Severe muscle ache
Sickness and diarrhoea
Rapid weightloss
Ulcers And Other Skin Conditions

Unusual skin problems can occur as either an early or late HIV symptom in men:

Rashes may develop on 'moist' areas of a man's body such as the groin, penis or anus

They may develop on the face and neck, chest/ torso and palms of hands
They may be either itchy or minor and painless

A man might develop painful ulcers within the mouth or throat which do not go away and make eating difficult

Asymptomatic Period
For up to 10 years after being infected, your infection will go through an asymptomatic period where you feel perfectly healthy. During this time, the HIV virus replicates within your body and starts to break down your immune system.
Some men complain of severely swollen lymph nodes (in the neck, or groin, or both) during this time, but this may be one of the only HIV symptoms men will experience.

Symptoms Of An Advanced HIV Infection

It may take a number of weeks, months or years, but the HIV infection will eventually break down your immune system. This weakened immune system leaves the body susceptible to attack by so called 'opportunistic infections.' These are conditions that your body would normally be able to fight off, but which can prove fatal in HIV-positive individuals.

You may notice:
Recurrent fungal infections such as fungal nail infections that will not go away or respond to over-the-counter medication
Recurrent colds, flu and viruses
Dementia, confusion and impaired motor skills
What Should A Man Do If He Notices Symptoms?

If you notice any of these symptoms and you've recently put yourself at risk of HIV infection, you should get tested as soon as possible. You can visit your local clinic or check out the lists of HIV Testing Center in the Philipppines.

Many people with HIV and AIDS use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in combination with traditional medical treatments to improve their health and wellbeing. There is some evidence that CAM treatments can relieve some symptoms of HIV. However, there is no evidence that these treatments can treat or cure HIV.

Just because a treatment is natural does not mean it’s safe. These treatments can affect your medical care. Tell your doctor if you’re interested in using CAM to help manage symptoms of HIV/AIDS.

Interactions Between Supplements & HIV Treatment
Several supplements are known to disrupt the efficacy of HIV treatment.

Garlic Supplements

Garlic supplements can greatly reduce the efficacy of certain HIV treatments. This outweighs any possible benefits of these supplements on the immune system. However, occasionally eating garlic is not known to cause problems.

Alternative Therapy for HIV Symptoms
There is relatively little research on the use of CAM treatments for HIV symptoms and treatment side effects. However, some common CAM treatments have been shown to improve the symptoms of other illnesses.

Body Therapies
Yoga and massage therapy may help reduce pain. They can also improve feelings of overall health.

Acupuncture may help with nausea and other treatment side effects. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese medical practice that involves placing thin, solid needles into various pressure points on the body. This releases chemicals in the body that can sometimes relieve pain.

Relaxation Therapies
Meditation and other forms of relaxation treatment can help to reduce anxiety. They may improve your ability to cope with the stress of an illness.

Herbal Medicine
Herbal medications should be used with caution. There isn’t enough evidence to support the use of these drugs for treating HIV. However, certain herbs may boost immunity in people with HIV. These include echinacea, ginseng, and bitter melon. Other herbs may interact with conventional HIV treatments.

Tell your doctor if you’re using herbal medications. That way they can monitor you for side effects and drug interactions.

Medical Marijuana
Loss of appetite is common with AIDS/HIV. Some antiviral medications can upset the stomach and make it harder for you to keep up with scheduled doses. Marijuana can reduce pain, control nausea, and increase your appetite.

There’s no evidence to suggest that medical marijuana will interact with medications. However, you should consult your doctor before using marijuana to treat your symptoms. Your doctor will monitor you for possible drug interactions or pulmonary complications.

Supplements
Use supplements with caution. Talk to your doctor about what vitamins and minerals you should take to improve your health. Some supplements that may be useful in people with HIV include:

calcium and vitamin D to improve bone health
fish oil to reduce cholesterol
selenium to slow the progression of HIV
vitamin B-12 to improve the health of pregnant women and their fetuses
whey or soy protein to help you gain weight