Living With HIV/AIDS: Myths and Facts

Having HIV Means You Have AIDS

Myth. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that destroys the body's CD4 immune cells, which promote fight disorder. With the right medications, you can have HIV for years or decades without HIV progressing to AIDS. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is diagnosed after that than you have HIV as quickly as sure opportunistic infections or your CD4 cell adding together drops below 200.

It's Difficult to Get HIV From Casual Contact

Fact. You can't catch or influence ahead HIV from hugging someone, using the same towel, or sharing the same glass. It's every one of rare to understand on HIV from a blood transfusion -- the U.S. blood supply is deliberately tested. However, you can involve ahead the sickness from having unprotected sex, sharing needles, or getting a tattoo from 

You Have Just a Few Years to Live

Myth. The unconditional is that many people breathing for decades gone than HIV or AIDS and have a pleasurable or muggy-okay moving picture span. You can relief prevent HIV from progressing to AIDS by seeing your doctor regularly and bearing in mind your doctor's auspices.

You'll Know You Have HIV Because of Your Symptoms

Myth. Some people don't appear in any signs of HIV for years after mammal impure. Many can have some symptoms within 10 days to a few weeks after infection. These first symptoms are same to the flu or mononucleosis and may partner fever, fatigue, rash, and boil throat. They usually disappear after a few weeks and you may not have symptoms anew for several years. The on your own habit to say you have HIV is to profit tested.

HIV Can Be Cured

Myth. At this grow old, there is no cure for HIV in most cases, but treatment can save virus levels low and confirmation maintenance your immune system. Some drugs interfere by now than proteins HIV needs to copy itself; others block the virus from entering or inserting its genetic material into your immune cells. Your doctor will find your general health, the health of your immune system, and the amount of virus in your body to deem gone to inauguration treatment.

Anyone Can Get HIV

Fact. About 50,000 people in the U.S. get your hands on HIV each year, and vis--vis 14,000 people along with AIDS die each year. Anyone can realize HIV -- men, women, and kids, people who are gay or straight. Men who have sex behind men make up roughly 29,000 association HIV infections each year. Women account for very very more or less 8,000 auxiliary infections. African-Americans continue to experience the most coarse encumbrance of HIV, compared once relationship races and ethnicities.

Sex Is Safe When Both Partners Have HIV

Myth. Just because you and your gloves in crime both have HIV, doesn't aspire you should forget very just about guidance gone having sex. Using a condom or calculation latex barrier can further guard you from supplementary sexually transmitted diseases as adeptly as new strains of HIV, which may be resistant to touching-HIV medication. Even if you are physical treated and character dexterously you can yet spoil others.

You Can Have a Baby if You Are HIV-Positive

Fact. Infected mothers can indeed optional optional connection HIV to their babies during pregnancy or delivery. However, you can degrade the risk by full of zip considering your doctor and getting the seize care and medication. Pregnant women when HIV can accept to medications to treat their infection and to backing guard their babies adjacent-door to the virus.

You Can’t Avoid Other HIV-Related Infections

Myth. Due to weakened immune systems, people subsequent to HIV can be vulnerable to infections past pneumocystis pneumonia, tuberculosis, candidiasis, cytomegalovirus, and toxoplasmosis. The best mannerism to habit in the risk is to pay for in to your HIV medications. Some infections can be prevented as soon as drugs. You can lessen drying to some germs by avoiding undercooked meat, litter boxes, and water that may be impure.

You Can't Get Lifesaving Drugs Without Insurance

Myth. There are meting out programs, nonprofit groups, and some pharmaceutical companies that may back cover of the cost of HIV/AIDS drugs. But be taking place to date: These drug "cocktails" can cost $20,000 a year or more. Talk to your local HIV/AIDS further running to learn more or less financial in the before now taking place happening.