HIV/AIDS - Signs, Symptoms and Treatment

The good news is that HIV/AIDS Infection is not the end of the world. You can manage it effectively or even get cured if you read this post, when I say get cured I mean ‘get cured’ Many youths today are infected with this virus without their knowing it, so the question is are you free from HIV/AIDS?

You should never assume that you are free because at the early stages of HIV no symptoms are noticed you should go and get tested, although knowledge of having the disease can be unbelievable and traumatic but there is no choice because the earlier you are diagnosed the better chance you have to survive.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Following initial infection, a person may not notice any symptoms or may experience a brief period of influenza-like illness. Typically, this is followed by a prolonged period with no symptoms.

As the infection progresses, it interferes more with the immune system, increasing the risk of common infections like tuberculosis, as well as other opportunistic infections, and tumors that rarely affect people who have working immune systems.These late symptoms of infection are referred to as AIDS. This stage is often also associated with weight loss.

HIV is spread primarily by unprotected sex (including anal and oral sex), contaminated blood transfusions, hypodermic needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. Some bodily fluids, such as saliva and tears, do not transmit HIV. Methods of prevention include safe sex, needle exchange programs, treating those who are infected, and male circumcision-Wikipedia

Signs and Symptoms

For me the only sign and symptom of HIV/AIDS is getting tested to know whether you are negative or positive. Do not wait for later sever symptoms such as weight loss it can prove disastrous, just get tested. In many counties HIV tests are free go and run the test now do not postpone.

       Management and Treatment

Combined therapy of Anti retroviral Drugs: The doctor should prescribe a combined therspy of anti retroviral drugs because the virus can prove resistant to a particular drug. There are many drugs used in treatment of HIV/AIDS such:

• Fusion or Entry inhibitors. This drugs helps to block the entry of HIV into cells. Examples include maraviroc and enfuvirtide (Fuzeon).

• Protease inhibitors (PIs). This helps to inhibit protease production, protease is a protein HIV virus needs to multiply itself. Examples include indinavir (Crixivan), darunavir ,   atazanavir  and fosamprenavir.

• Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NtRTI) and Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTI):  they prevent nucleosides from entering  the DNA, they are faulty versions of building blocks that HIV needs to multiply. Examples include  tenofovir, Abacavir, lamivudine,zidovudine . this drugs should be combined for efficiency.

• Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs): it helps to inhibit  a protein needed by HIV to multiply itself. Examples include etravirine , nevirapine, efavirenz and rilpivirin.

• Integrase inhibitors. it helps to inhibit the production of integrase, a protein that HIV uses to insert its genetic material into CD4 cells. Examples include raltegravir, elvitegravir and dolutegravir.

The use of many drugs that act on different HIV targets is called Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). HAART decreases the patient's total burden of HIV, it helps maintain the function of the immune system, and prevents further different infections that can prove fatal leading to death.

As there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, a variety of combined drugs can be used to control the virus. Each class of anti retroviral drugs blocks the virus in different ways and helps increase the longevity of patients.

Healthy Nutrition

Once you are diagnosed of HIV healthy nutrition is very important to your body so as to help manage HIV symptoms, provide the nutrition your body needs and combat the impending weight loss. Below are the nutrition tips you need for HIV management.

• Water therapy: The water therapy is all about drinking at least 1.5 liters of clean normal temperature water first thing upon rising in the morning, then once it is around 1 to 2 pm drink about 7.5cl of water and later on around 5 to 6 pm drink another 7.5cl of water and lastly drink close to 7.5cl of water before going to bed. note that it is not icy, cold or chilled water.


• Eat a healthy diet high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes


• include low fat source of protein such as fish and seafood’s


• Totally avoid sweetened drinks, foods with added sugar, and fried foods


• Include proteins, carbohydrates, and a little good fat in all meals(balanced diet).

Exercise

A HIV patient should also involve in regular light exercise programs such as stretches and shot distance jogging, this will generally improve your condition and well being.

Be happy

For me this is the most important tip, this can be difficult to do but you just have to take your mind off the disease. Engage In humorous activities and try as much as possible not to be idle so that chronic depression will not set in enroll into engaging activities. do not let HIV confine you in doors know that you can live a normal life.

Do not infect another person

HIV is a foe to the whole of humanity not only yourself, do not infect another person with the virus so as not to keep the massive cycle going and surely we will win the  war against HIV.

In conclusion HIV and AIDS is medically impossible to cure but it is very important to know that there is no disease Jesus cannot cure, you are advised you to visit synagogue church of all nations in Lagos Nigeria and register for the prayer line were the holy spirit through his servant prophet TB Joshua will heal you of cancer. For information on how to visit there log on to www.scoan.org