Take Your HIV Medicine On Time and Every Day

Educator name:

Developed by: Lydia Barakat, MD, Waterbury Hospital, Waterbury, CT. 2008.

How do your HIV medicines work?

the medicines get absorbed into your body through your stomach.

When you take your medicine,

The medicines run to the T-Cell to stop the HIV virus from multiplying.

= medicine bottle

Why is it important for you to take your medicines on time?

Each time you take your medicine, the medicine enters your blood and reaches a certain level.

You need a certain level of medicine in your body to keep the virus frommultiplying. When you stop your medicines, there is no medicine in yourblood to fight the virus. 

Key To Success

Take your medicines on time and every day.

How Do You Know Your HIV Medicines Are Working?

Time

HIV Viral Load

Time

T-cell

The HIV viral load is the amount of HIV virus in your blood. Your Viral load (VL) will go down over time until it can’t be seen or is undetectable (un de tect able).

These T-cells or helper cells in your blood will go up over time. You need a certain amount of helper cells to keep your immune system strong.

Low Viral Load and

High T-Cell Count

is a very good result.

On the other hand,

High Viral Load and

Low T-Cell count is

not a good result. 

Remember:

Developed by: Lydia Barakat, MD, Waterbury Hospital, Waterbury, CT. 2008.

Your Viral Load (VL) and T-Cell Count

Attach

1. Patient’s VL/T-cell graph

2. Patient’s medication schedule