Dealing with Side Effects
en español
We've all heard by now about the dramatic advances in treating HIV/AIDS – if you can access treatment, you now have a chance of living a long life. But, let's face it, being on treatment is no cakewalk. You're probably having to deal with one or more side effects related to HIV and/or the treatments you're on.
While the short-term side effects of treatments are generally well known when a drug is approved, possible long-term side effects are still being studied. For instance, we know that people taking treatment sometimes experience laboratory and physical changes, including high levels of fat in the blood (hyperlipidemia) and changes in the way body fat is distributed (lipodystrophy). The causes and possible remedies of these side effects are a major focus of current AIDS research.
Other side effects which can be caused by HIV and/or anti-HIV drugs are fatigue, anemia, peripheral neuropathy (pain or tingling in the hands or feet), nausea, diarrhea, liver damage, and osteoporosis (weakening of the bones).
For more information on these and other side effects, click on the following lesson links:
