Drugs that are used to treat HIV are called anti-HIV drugs or antiretrovirals (ARVs).

Antiretrovirals are used in combination regimens of two, three and four drugs and this combination of drugs is often referred to as HAART. Where you see the term HAART, it means Highly Active Anti Retroviral Therapy.

Starting combination therapy is a big step – when should you make the call?⁴

Combinations of therapies vary and the choice depends on a number of factors, for example, your viral load, CD4 count, treatments you may have taken before, your lifestyle and any concerns you may have.

Whatever combination is used it generally involves taking at least three types of medicines once, twice or three times daily. It can get pretty complicated knowing what to take when. If you’re not on treatment but thinking of getting started, have a look at this fact sheet⁵ which covers the key points you may want to think about.

Adherence or compliance is a key factor in treating HIV – it’s really important to make sure that there’s enough drug in the system to keep the virus levels low otherwise your HIV virus can become resistant⁶ to the drugs. But we know it’s not easy. Here are some tips⁷ to try and help. If you’re in any doubt as to whether you can commit to taking medications, it’s really important to discuss this with your doctor.

We know from the recently published HIV Futures 5 study⁸ that over a quarter of the people surveyed reported difficulties in remembering to take their medications on time.

So, why can’t it be made simpler?

Well, it has. Significant work has gone into simplifying treatment regimens in recent years – many antiretrovirals that are available today can be taken once or twice daily and some have been combined into single tablets. These single tablets are known as fixed dose combinations or FDCs.

FDCs have been developed to reduce the number of tablets you have to take – to try and make it easier to take your treatment regimens as part of your daily routine.

Of course, whilst we expect ARV’s combined into one pill will make taking the drugs easier and be more convenient, it also means that we have to be careful to remember to take all doses as close to the prescribed dosing times as possible.

Remember that one pill combination ARV’s combine different ARV's and taking them exactly as prescribed is the best way to make sure that you have enough of each drug in your system all of the time.

There is more to life than just surviving – THRIVE

After discussing new alternatives with my doctor I have found that there are new medications available which reduce the side effects I was experiencing. I have been blessed with finding a man who is not HIV+ himself, but loves me for who I am regardless. My condition has never been a problem for him, he helps me understand that having HIV is not the end of the world and is there for me. I know that we will grow old together and I will enjoy life with my one true soul mate. Paul Schaufler