I have been following the Pill Diary story about a guy taking antiretroviral therapy and managing his life and side effects. To many the scenario is possibly very extreme, given the hard reality this person describes in managing fatigue, diarrhoea, nausea and headaches. Sadly this scenario is more common than most people know as the silent burden that many positive men and women tolerate the rigours of keeping HIV at bay. Sometimes it seems that the treatments are worse than the ravages of HIV , yet many would tell you they do not want to become ill with HIV related infections and cancers - as these are actually worse and much harder to regain strength from. I think the story is punchy and very real. In my experience most people on anti HIV treatments will say they feel different on the drugs - and many (50%) have some minor to major side effect problems. This is the truth about living with HIV that the uninfected presume all is OK, and that medical drugs will sort out the problem. The chronic nature of managing HIV is a big ask of those living with the virus, and yet they do. The pill diary is another reminder that we should not take HIV infection lightly and we need to End the Silence about it. Kevin Baker Programme Manager, Positive Health NZ AIDS Foundation NZ AIDS Foundation - 30th November 2004
Credit: NZ AIDS Foundation
First published: Tuesday, 30th November 2004 - 12:00pm