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Experiences of health care :
Getting a diagnosis
Getting health and social care
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Taking anti-HIV drugs
Challenges of anti-HIV drugs
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Disclosure, discrimination and other challenges :
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Dealing with difficulties, finances and benefits
Work and routine
Prejudice, stigma and discrimination
Telling children and parents
Negotiating Sex :
How people became infected
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Sex in relationships
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Looking ahead :
Living now & in the future
Illness and death
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HIV
Subject index
Topic
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Taking anti-HIV drugs
>>
Taking anti-HIV drugs
Taking anti-HIV drugs
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Challenges of anti-HIV drugs
>>
Challenges of anti-HIV drugs
Challenges of anti-HIV drugs
Clip
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 36-40
>>
Interview 03
>>
Says there is no need to rubbish either the medical or alternative approaches to health.
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 56-65
>>
Interview 29
>>
He takes 'drug holidays' and lives with the consequences.
He currently takes Kaletra, tenofovir, 3TC and has an undetectable viral load. He has suffered from painful peripheral neuropathy and uses visualisation and meditation to control the pain.
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 36-40
>>
Interview 12
>>
Believes that the high level of service he gets from the NHS will not last.
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 31-35
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Interview 18
>>
Had much more energy and better concentration after improving her diet and exercising. (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
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Interview 20
>>
He has found a way to relate to the virus that makes sense of his experience. (Read by an actor.)
He started treatment soon after diagnosis (efavirenz and Combavir) and his viral load quickly became undetectable and he had few side effects. He resists blaming his life problems on HIV. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
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Aged 46-55
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Interview 05
>>
Believes there is too much complacency that anti-HIV drugs will always work and death can be avoided. (Read by an actor.)
His current T cells are 600 and he is not on anti-HIV medication. He is happy to be alive now, does voluntary work (non-HIV) and training courses. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 56-65
>>
Interview 34
>>
He needed to accept that the medication would work before he took it correctly. (Read by an actor.)
His wife took the news about his HIV very badly and their relationship broke up. He felt depressed and had suicidal thoughts. The care of HIV clinic staff and support groups were very important to his survival. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 36-40
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Interview 28
>>
Explains some potential problems with HIV treatments that make it well worth HIV negative people avoiding infection with HIV.
He currently has an undetectable viral load and about 900 CD4 cells. He did not respond well to earlier regimes, but is now doing well on 'salvage therapy,' although his medication has numerous side-effects.
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 36-40
>>
Interview 03
>>
He stopped taking his anti-HIV drugs and his T cells quickly fell to the low level they were before treatment.
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 28
>>
He has few anti- HIV drug options left and so is careful about taking medication.
He currently has an undetectable viral load and about 900 CD4 cells. He did not respond well to earlier regimes, but is now doing well on 'salvage therapy,' although his medication has numerous side-effects.
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 31-35
>>
Interview 46
>>
She couldn't sleep so tried changing the time she took it, and eventually her combination was changed. (Read by an actor.)
Although her CD4 count was as low as 40 when she ill, it is now 700 and she feels better than ever. Counselling, support groups and staff at GUM clinics have been the most helpful to her. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 31-35
>>
Interview 14
>>
He had difficulties taking his medication at a regular time even though he only took them once a day.
He believes dealing with multiple difficulties in his life like HIV has made him stronger. He takes Fosamprenavir, Ritonavir, Tenofovir and Emtricitabine (6 tablets once in the evening) with few side effects.
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 41-45
>>
Interview 22
>>
Is reluctant to view her experiences as side effects.
Her anti-HIV drugs (Kaletra and Combivir) brought her viral load down to undetectable at the time of interview. She has strong faith that Jesus has healed her in combination with her medical care.
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 36-40
>>
Interview 12
>>
He put up with diarrhoea and painful feet on his new combination because it worked so well.
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 36-40
>>
Interview 20
>>
He believes that resting and avoiding certain foods helped his medication to work better. (Read by an actor.)
He started treatment soon after diagnosis (efavirenz and Combavir) and his viral load quickly became undetectable and he had few side effects. He resists blaming his life problems on HIV. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 36-40
>>
Interview 12
>>
An irregular heart beat and high cholesterol were treated as potentially serious side effects.
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 36-40
>>
Interview 28
>>
He has 'male menopause' and chronic fatigue which may have something to do with long-term anti-HIV drugs.
He currently has an undetectable viral load and about 900 CD4 cells. He did not respond well to earlier regimes, but is now doing well on 'salvage therapy,' although his medication has numerous side-effects.
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 36-40
>>
Interview 15
>>
He is flexible and very successful with taking his medication. (Read by an actor.)
He is determined not to let HIV rule his life. He takes Sustiva/Combivir with no current side effects. He exercises and is careful about his diet to stay healthy. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 31-35
>>
Interview 14
>>
At first he was scared of the list of possible side effects but his side effects settled down in time.
He believes dealing with multiple difficulties in his life like HIV has made him stronger. He takes Fosamprenavir, Ritonavir, Tenofovir and Emtricitabine (6 tablets once in the evening) with few side effects.
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 46-55
>>
Interview 09
>>
It was not until she moved to a better house that taking her medication was easier. (Read by an actor.)
Now on anti-retroviral treatment (nevirapine, tenofovir, 3TC), she has overcome her isolation mainly through support groups and her Christian church which is accepting of HIV. She still suffers from health problems. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)
Chronic health issues
>>
HIV
>>
Aged 31-35
>>
Interview 31
>>
With anti-HIV drugs becoming simplified it makes them easier to take. (Read by an actor.)
While he did not become very ill with HIV, his GP proposed HIV testing when he had skin rashes in 2000. An early diagnosis meant it was possible for his health to be monitored. (Video and audio clips read by an actor.)
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