We’ve recently passed another National HIV Testing Week – a yearly opportunity to normalise and encourage testing, bringing it close to those who otherwise wouldn’t test.
There are still so many barriers to testing, so if you’ve just tested, I applaud you for taking this positive step for your health. And if you now find yourself with an HIV positive diagnosis…breathe!
Here’s a little advice from me. Allow yourself to feel everything that you are feeling. Give yourself the time to process. Lean on healthcare professionals and peers to help you navigate what’s ahead. Things may be different from now on. There are changes ahead that you might find easy or not.
So be sad, be scared, be relieved, be confused, be everything at once, but be. Being present is all you need to start taking action to ensure you have a good healthy life.
Accept this new reality, take your medications, find and access support where you need it. Build a network, learn the facts, learn to talk about it, and most importantly learn to love yourself along the way. Simple, but not easy!
Starting treatment is the first new step in taking care of your body and your life. HIV medicines reduce the level of HIV in your body to undetectable levels, which means you can’t pass the virus on and you maintain a healthy immune system. The sooner you start them, the better your health will be.
Here are four things I think are really important to know for your physical health:
You have good treatment options. Treatment has changed since the start of the epidemic, and there are more and better options today. Your HIV doctor can guide you through the process of making decisions about which medications are right for you and how to take them correctly.
You are entitled to those options. HIV treatment is universal, which means anyone in the UK regardless of their immigration status, their address, or their financial status is entitled to free treatment through their NHS HIV clinics.
You are in control. Your HIV treatment and care should be confidential, and you can decide what is or isn’t shared with other healthcare professionals. Everyone involved in your care should seek your consent for anything related to your information. It is also your right to make informed decisions about your treatment and no one can force you to choose one or another option, unless it is clinically needed.
You can use your medical support team. When taking HIV treatment today, some people might experience short-term side effects for a couple of weeks, whilst any long-term side effects are regularly monitored and addressed by clinical teams. Some HIV medications can also interact with prescribed and recreational drugs, hence the importance of getting clued up about HIV and HIV treatment, and build an honest and trusting relationship with your clinician and healthcare team
Going forward, don’t forget to prioritise your mental health.
I’m aware that all of the above can feel overwhelming, especially when you might be dealing with the emotions of learning your diagnosis. I’d urge you to lean on trusted friends, family and on other people living with HIV. This can be people you know who are living with HIV, or people in peer support services who have similar experiences.
Others who have gone through the same can guide you, offer advice and if needed, link you with support services for other life challenges. They can help show you how to live the life you want, to build an encouraging, empowering and positive language around HIV, give you guidance on how to navigate sex, and how to talk about your status whenever you need to or feel ready to do so.
Like with any other long term health condition, living with HIV will take some getting used to. It’ll require learning, lifestyle changes and acceptance. Because of ongoing treatment and wider societal forces, living with HIV can sometimes take a toll on people’s mental health and wellbeing. So it is paramount that you focus on maintaining and improving your life, on doing things that make you happy and loving yourself to the best of your ability. My advice is to allow yourself to be active, social and jolly, and other times to be still, siloed and blue. Connecting with your inner self and building relationships with others will help you find the right balance.
The process ahead is never ending, non-linear and complex. But you have it within yourself to move through it, adapt and grow. HIV treatment is the door to good health, confidence and peace of mind. So come on in!
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Newly diagnosed with HIV
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