Disability is not Inability

:: Adherence: why does it matter?

What does Adherence mean?

It means taking medicines in the right amounts at the right time with or without food as necessary and checking for interactions with any other medication you may be taking.

It is also about making sure you have your drugs prescribed again well before you run out and that you have all the information you need to make the best use of your medicines.

Adherence, or lack of it, is the main reasons why HIV treatment works for some people and not for others. HIV treatment is less "forgiving" than treatment for almost any other condition. Failure to take one or two may have an impact.

Sign for medicine. ARVs need to be taken exactly as the doctor says. The discipline required is very strict. To forget your medicine can be harmful to your body by making it weak.

It sounds like alot to remember. Are there ways to make it easier?

You can get a aprtner to help you remeber or ask you doctor about options to simplify your treatment to make it easier to take.

I sometimes take my doses late does it matter?

It varies between different drugs, depending on how rapidly drug levels in the body riise and fall after a dose is taken. Some drugs give you more leeway than others in the same combination. Dont make assumptions.

For drugs that need to be taken with food, it can be more important to take the drug with the food than to take them exactly at the same time every day. So if a mealtime is later or earlier than usual, it may be best to shift the time the drug is taken.

What about interactions with other drugs?

Sometimes one drug will increase or decrease the levels of another drug in your body, increasing the risk of unwanted effects or failure.

Most importantly, recreational drugs and most complementary (especailly herbal) medications can do this too. So your HIV doctor needs to know about other drugs you are taking or thinking of taking, including recreational drugs. Check with your clinic about over-the -counter treatments you should avoid.

How can i get it right before starting?

Take the time needed to make sure you understand what treatment you are being offered, and how it fits with your lifestlye and situation. It is particularly important to know what side effects are likely to happen from the treatment and to discuss how you will manage them. Satrting (or changing) HIV treatment is a big decision and if you already other practical or emotional problems, talk to your HIV clinic about seeking extra support and help in sorting them out. Unless you need treatment urgently it may be better to wait until you feel more in control before starting.

What if it all gets too much?

Sometimes it is possible and at times even a good idea to stop treatment, at least for a while. weather this is sensible will depend on how ill you may have been before strting on treatment, how well you have responded to treatment, the nature of the side effects or other problems you may have.

It is crucially important to discuss stopping fully with you clinic before you do it and take their advice, to keep your options open in future. It may be best to stop all drugs all at once, or to do so in a particular order, and your clinic should advice you on any extra monitroing that may be needed.

Reproduced from
Positive nation
by Julian Meldrum,
International Editor, NAM
www.nam.org.uk

disabilitykenya

Category: Health

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