As your dependable guide, simply listing HIV symptoms may not be sufficient. Instead, it’s crucial to understand that numerous factors influence the nature of these symptoms. Curious about these factors? They encompass age, underlying health conditions, genetics, access to quality healthcare, and most notably, the stage of the disease. Consequently, as HIV progresses to AIDS, symptoms may escalate in severity. How can this progression be prevented? The golden rule is to consult a doctor as soon as you:
- feel “HIV-vulnerable”
- engage in sexual activity (whether accidentally or by choice) with HIV-positive partners
- use a contaminated or shared needle (which we strongly advise against)
Addressing the issue early can slow the disease’s progression, helping you maintain a HIV-free life.
Now, let’s explore the main topic – HIV symptoms.
Symptoms of HIV/AIDS in General
What are the symptoms of HIV?
Typically, individuals infected with the virus may experience flu-like symptoms. The body triggers a defense response to combat the infection, leading to whole-body inflammation. These symptoms often emerge 2 to 4 weeks after the virus has entered the body and are known as acute HIV infection. This phase can last for several weeks.
Common signs and symptoms of HIV include:
- Fever
- Muscle aches
- Joint pain
- Fatigue
- Chills
- Rash
- Headache
- Mouth ulcers
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Weight loss
- Cough
- Night sweats
Now, let’s discuss the symptoms specific to each stage of the disease.
Early-Stage HIV Symptoms
Early diagnosis and awareness of HIV can significantly minimize future complications, making the disease more manageable by monitoring and controlling the viral load in the body. So, what is HIV Viral Load?
HIV Viral Load
HIV viral load measures the amount of HIV present in your blood. A higher viral load indicates a more rapid disease progression.
Although HIV can only be diagnosed through testing, recognizing early symptoms of HIV can help identify unusual health changes that might indicate an HIV infection.
Early HIV symptoms include:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Headache
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Skin rash
- Nausea
- Dry cough
- Sore throat
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
It’s important to note that even if HIV-positive individuals do not exhibit symptoms at this early stage, they are highly contagious due to the high viral levels in their blood. Refrain from sexual activities if you suspect any HIV-related exposure. Get tested after a few weeks, and if the result is negative, you can resume your active sex life—this time with added protection!
Late-Stage HIV Symptoms
What happens if HIV symptoms are ignored and the viral load continues to rise?
When the immune system is severely compromised and damaged by HIV, it progresses into AIDS. This is the final stage of an HIV infection diagnosed when the CD4 cell count in the body is critically low. Consequently, the immune system can no longer defend against opportunistic diseases like tuberculosis, pneumonia, and certain cancers.
Late-stage HIV or AIDS symptoms include:
- Recurring fever
- Rapid weight loss
- Prolonged swelling of lymph glands
- Chronic diarrhea
- Uncontrollable night sweats
- Sores in the mouth, anus, and genitals
- Blotches on the skin
- Memory loss
- Depression
Many of these symptoms are linked to other diseases due to the weakened immune system caused by AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
It’s also critical to note that the severity and combination of symptoms can vary for each individual based on factors such as age and underlying health conditions.
HIV Drugs
Individuals living with HIV or AIDS are advised to undergo antiretroviral therapy (ART), which involves taking a combination of HIV medicines daily. Standard HIV treatment typically includes three HIV medicines from at least two different HIV drug classes.
Here is a list of FDA-approved HIV drugs:
Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs)
- Ziagen
- Emtriva
- Epivir
- Viread
- Retrovir
Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NNRTIs)
- Pifeltro
- Sustiva
- Intelence
- Viramune
- Viramune XR
- Edurant
Protease Inhibitors
- Reyataz
- Prezista
- Lexiva
- Norvir
- Aptivus
Fusion Inhibitors
- Fuzeon
- Selzentry
CCR5 Antagonists
- Vocabria
- Tivicay
- Tivicay PD
- Isentress
- Isentress HD
Attachment Inhibitors
- Rukobia
Post-Attachment Inhibitors
- Trogarzo
Pharmacokinetic Enhancers
- Tybost
Combination HIV Medicines
- Epzicom
- Triumeq
- Triumeq PD
- Trizivir
- Evotaz
- Biktarvy
- Cabenuva
- Prezcobix
- Symtuza
- Dovato
- Juluca
- Delstrigo
- Atripla
- Symfi
- Symfi Lo
- Genvoya
- Stribild
- Odefsey
- Complera
- Descovy
- Truvada
- Cimduo
- Combivir
- Kaletra
Bridge Health offers a variety of HIV medications. Visit our website for more information about the different HIV drugs available for treatment.