HIV: Symptoms and Medications

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV is a type of virus that dangerously attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated properly, it can also lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS, which currently has no cure. If someone is infected with HIV, that person will be a carrier of the disease for their entire life. With good medical care, one can keep the effects of HIV under control.

HIV symptoms

HIV infection occurs in three appropriate stages. If not treated properly, the condition will worsen and can become life-threatening.

First stage

At first, infected people do not even understand that they have a virus in their body. Symptoms begin to occur 3 to 5 weeks after the virus enters the body. This is the time when the body’s immune system tries to fight HIV. This condition is called primary HIV infection or acute retroviral syndrome. The symptoms are very similar to those of a viral illness and can be compared to a normal flu. These symptoms usually last one to two weeks. The symptoms are as follows:

• Headache

• Muscle pain

• Tired

• Swollen lymph nodes

• throat pain

• Red rashes on the torso that are not itchy

• Fever

If a person has these symptoms, they should see a doctor right away and get tested for HIV as soon as possible. If you neglect these symptoms and are affected by HIV, the consequences can be dangerous. The test is important because the HIV content in your blood and body fluids is very high at first, making you much more contagious. Starting treatment early can help boost the immune system and also relieve symptoms.

Second stage

After the fight, when the immune system does not win, the symptoms automatically disappear, but this is not a sign of improvement; the damage is still being done. This period is called the chronic HIV infection or asymptomatic period. In this stage, HIV slowly kills the CD4T cells that coordinate the immune system. As more CD4T cells are destroyed, the immune system weakens and the infected person slowly collapses.

third stage

The third stage is the stage where AIDS will hit hard. This is when the CD4T count falls below 200; his immune system is also massively damaged. You can get sick frequently and face many health problems on a regular basis, such as Kaposi’s sarcoma and pneumonia. Some of the most common symptoms of HIV are:

• regular fatigue

• Swollen lymph nodes

• Fever for many days

• huge weight loss

• night sweatshirts

• The skin may have purple spots.

• Respiratory problems

• Severe and continuous diarrhea

• Unexplained bleeding or bruising

• Candidiasis in the vagina, throat and mouth

HIV medications

Antiretroviral therapy or ART is the best treatment for both HIV and AIDS. Some HIV drugs can detect the effects of HIV, but cannot cure it.

• NRTIs or Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors: This blocks the enzyme reverse transcriptase.
• NNRTIs or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors: This binds and then changes reverse transcriptase.
• Integrase inhibitors: This blocks the integrase enzyme.
• PI or Protease Inhibitors: This blocks the protease enzyme.