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Coping with side-effects
The risk of side-effects might be something you consider when deciding whether or not to take a certain treatment. If you are ill, or at risk of becoming ill, the benefits of the treatment may well be clear-cut and far outweigh the risk of side-effects.
If you have decided it is worthwhile taking a treatment and you do develop side-effects, it’s important to establish which drug is causing the problem. This can be quite tricky if you are taking anti-HIV medication, as more than one of the drugs might have the potential to cause the side-effects you are experiencing.
Talk about problems you are experiencing with side-effects with your doctor. Don’t stop taking treatments without seeking medical advice.
Taking other medicines, such as anti-sickness or anti-nausea medication, can help control side-effects.
If it’s known that a particular anti-HIV drug is causing side-effects, then there’s a good chance, particularly if you’ve never taken anti-HIV drugs before, that you will be able to switch to a drug that doesn’t cause the side-effects you are experiencing.