What to do when you get an HIV diagnosis

The first thought that comes to your mind when you get an HIV diagnosis is that it’s the end of the world.

Unfortunately, though there have been progress in the medical field for HIV treatment, it’s still not curable.

But there’s life after being diagnosed with HIV. More importantly, you should keep yourself healthy so that when they do find a cure, you’ll be alive to get it.

In the interim, here are a few things to keep in mind when you first learn you have HIV.

HIV diagnosis tips #1; Have a serious discussion with your doctor

Normally, you learn you have HIV through a test result; it’s not always through a doctor or someone who specializes in it who tells you.

In any other type of ailment, we’d be encouraged to seek out medical treatment. But getting an HIV diagnosis might be too much for you such that you’d skip seeing a doctor at all.

Don’t. When diagnosed with HIV, don’t mope about it. The best way to deal with this is to seek a professional on how to beat the sickness. Commit yourself to fight.

HIV diagnosis tips #2: Read up on the disease so you know what you’ve got

How do you battle something you don’t understand? It’s like charging at an enemy in the dark with no knowledge of who you’re up against, what the battlefield is like, or knowing your strength.

Scary as having HIV sounds, find the courage to read up on your disease. The more you know about it, the more you see it’s just a disease you have to defeat.

Understand what you have by reading about it. So if any symptoms of the sickness comes up, you’re ready for it.

HIV diagnosis tips #3: Get an HIV baseline evaluation of your illness

When you seek out an HIV/AIDS doctor, you’ll be asked to get an HIV baseline evaluation. This will determine the level or stage of your HIV.

Just like any disease, information should be collected to know what kind of medicine or treatment to give. With bacterial infections, your white blood cells (WBCs) are tested to see how high the infection is, and the doctor can give the right dosage of antibiotics.

HIV baseline evaluation does the same thing. It’s also some sort of counseling with the health care provider to explain HIV.

HIV diagnosis tips #4: Be considerate and don’t spread the virus

Because this is a virus, you’re liable to spread it. Knowing how to protect other people from getting the disease should also be your priority.

Aside from unprotected sex and sharing needles, you can also spread the virus as a woman if and when you get pregnant. You can also infect your baby via breastfeeding.

Read up or seek medical advice on how to make sure you don’t spread it to other people.

HIV diagnosis tips #5: Like we mentioned earlier, watch your health

Having HIV means your body will get weak. It’s not a death sentence but there are consequences.

The one thing you should be commit for the rest of your life is to stay healthy. A healthy body can fight off not just the HIV virus but other ailments you might catch along the way.