HIV
Antiretrovirals: Tips on coping with ARVs from an HIV+ woman

Antiretrovirals are lifesavers and extenders, but they can leave you feeling ill and worn out. I draw most of my energy from faith that this too shall pass... and that I have the opportunity to think more clearly about a future. I know it sounds impossible, but the mind does amazing work on our physical discomforts.

Besides enormous amounts of meditation - and that can be just for short periods of time, like 15 minutes daily, the key is to make sure it is kept up daily.

I drink a lot of ginger tea, made from the root itself. That does fabulous things for nausea etc. I also (by trial and error) , found different foods that "settle my somach", and gravitate towards those when feeling uncomfortable.

A friend of mine says he goes to sleep when side effects become annoying.

After developing a pattern around the onset of miserable side effects, you can plan your day around it. I feel awful every morning for about an hour directly after taking my meds. I feel awful now while writing this - just took my meds, but it is not bothering me, because I drank a glass of Chinese green tea and I had a small glass of tamarind juice.

Giving up is not an option, i'm happy you are on ARVs ...it only gets better - TRUST ME!

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