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How to Live Being HIV Asymptomatic

The second stage of HIV-disease is known as asymptomatic HIV; it follows directly after acute infection, during which time some people develop a brief flu-like illness, but no HIV-specific symptoms. During this time, although the virus is still weakening the immune system, there are no symptoms of HIV infection. Although there is no way to know how long a given individual with HIV will remain symptom-free, antiretroviral therapy can extend the time an HIV-positive person spends without significant HIV symptoms.

Things You'll Need

  • Antiviral medications as prescribed by your doctor
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Instructions

  1. Living without HIV Symptoms

    • 1

      Have your CD4 T-cell count monitored. This testing can be done by your doctor and, according to Avert.org, helps doctors and patients make decisions about when to initiate HIV testing. CD4 T-cells are the target of HIV infection; once infected, these cells, which are part of the immune system, produce more copies of HIV, which continues the infection process. Antiretroviral therapy for HIV is begun after CD4 T-cell count drops, but before AIDS, the fourth stage of HIV-disease, develops.

    • 2

      Stick to the antiretroviral medication plan that your doctor prescribes. This can be difficult, as you will have to take a number of medications at specific times throughout the day. However, missing doses or going off of treatment can weaken the impact of treatment and lead to resistance to antiretroviral drugs.

    • 3

      Schedule appointments with your doctor in order to assess how effective your treatment regimen is. This can be done through continued CD4 cell count testing as well as viral load testing, which shows how many copies of the virus are present in your system. If a treatment plan is not working, alterations can be made to increase the efficacy of treatment.

    • 4

      Familiarize yourself with the side effects of the antiretroviral drugs you are taking. When you know the potential side effects of medications, you can recognize them and report them to your doctor if and when they occur.

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