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• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 11 >> Explains how you could deal with being preached at: You can always change your doctor if you are unhappy with him or her.

He has never needed medication for HIV. Even though he did not think he would live past his 20s, he is now facing middle age.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 17 >> He is grateful his doctor allowed him the time to find out for himself - and decide about - his antiviral treatments.

He took time to work out who to disclose to and to make treatment decisions (he currently takes Combivir and efavirenz). He initially suffered mental health side-effects (e.g. trouble sleeping, irratibility) but now has few problems with medication.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 17 >> Explains that you can take responsibility for treatment decisions using the advice of trusted health professionals to understand complex issues.

He took time to work out who to disclose to and to make treatment decisions (he currently takes Combivir and efavirenz). He initially suffered mental health side-effects (e.g. trouble sleeping, irratibility) but now has few problems with medication.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 31-35 >> Interview 18 >> She was distressed about the side effects of her medication, but the doctor focused on the improvements in her immune system. (Read by an actor.)

Her current combination of abacavir, AZT and 3TC has few side-effects. She feels much better having started exercising and improving her diet. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 12 >> Compares an encounter about treatment with a HIV consultant and a counsellor.

He suffered from severe diarrhoea and peripheral neuropathy while taking an earlier combination of anti-HIV drugs, but he currently takes nelfinavir, 3TC and abacavir with few side effects. He has had to cope with HIV-related illness, depression and mania at various times in his life.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 38 >> Talks about how people need to live life in the present, but responsibly.

Although he has developed a lot of resistance to anti-HIV drugs, he is currently doing well on T20, TMC114 (as part of a trial), FTC, tenofovir and abacavir, and has an undetectable viral load.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 41-45 >> Interview 30 >> After attending an HIV conference he negotiated with his doctor to change his medication. (Read by an actor.)

He was admitted to hospital with a high temperature and headaches where he was diagnosed with HIV. He negotiated his current treatment regime with his doctor (Kaletra and efavirenz), (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 03 >> Describes how he reacted to - and tried to deal with - the sudden prospect that he might die.

Has slowly built up his strength since his illness, becoming highly expert in HIV. He did extensive self-development work on himself. He has 870 CD4 cells and currently takes nevirapine, abacavir, and lamivudine with minimal side effects.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 03 >> He was used to collaborating in treatment decisions with his HIV consultant and felt his oncologist did not treat him as an equal.

Has slowly built up his strength since his illness, becoming highly expert in HIV. He did extensive self-development work on himself. He has 870 CD4 cells and currently takes nevirapine, abacavir, and lamivudine with minimal side effects.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 36-40 >> Interview 03 >> Compares negotiating with doctors in the earlier days of HIV to what it is like for him now.

Has slowly built up his strength since his illness, becoming highly expert in HIV. He did extensive self-development work on himself. He has 870 CD4 cells and currently takes nevirapine, abacavir, and lamivudine with minimal side effects.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 16 >> Believes that being optimistic can help people to cope with health problems if they arise.

He was taking a combination of anti-virals (zidovudine, nevirapine and abacavir) with no side effects. He has less energy than he once did, but is not sure if this is due to HIV or getting older.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 38 >> People need to live life in the present, but responsibly.

Although he has developed a lot of resistance to anti-HIV drugs, he is currently doing well on T20, TMC114 (as part of a trial), FTC, tenofovir and abacavir, and has an undetectable viral load.

• Chronic health issues >> HIV >> Aged 46-55 >> Interview 04 >> It was not until he talked to a psychiatrist that he could consider his drug use as anything other than normal.

He was taking saquinavir, ritonavir, tenofovir, and ddI with few side effects. He was also taking Prozac for depression. He had an undetectable viral load. Counselling has helped him to cope.