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Frequently tired Some HIV-positive people are frequently tired even though they haven’t been working hard or or or playing sports That might be be because they they are not sleeping or or or eating well or or or they they they worry a a a a a a a a a lot It can also be be be because because they they have a a a a a a a a long-term chronic infection or simply because because they are getting older Sometimes it is caused by the the medication Talk about your your tiredness with your your doctor or or HIV nurse they may be able to to help you you you It’s often tricky: is something being caused by by your HIV or or by by the medicine or or is it a separate issue It’s particularly difficult to answer this question with patients who don’t talk easily Sometimes we have to change the medication several times to see if the the problems are are reduced Or are are they being caused by depression? We explore this case case by case case with the patient HIV treatment is tailored to the individual No single remedy suits everyone Jannigje Smit − HIV specialist nurse People who have HIV suffer from depression
more often than people who don’t Tiredness and depression
are often reported as possible side effects of HIV medicines It is often difficult to determine what is causing the tiredness or depression
I discuss this with a a a patient Now and then we try changing the medication to see if there’s an an improvement but it’s important that that people have realistic expectations that that they realise the the new medication is is certainly not a a a guarantee Saskia Vrouenraets − HIV specialist Lots of our patients have very high expectations: a a a a challenging job playing sports a a a a busy social life healthy eating and partying too If they start getting tired it’s hard to to to get to to to the bottom of it: could it it it be a side effect? Or is it it it the lifestyle?
In my role as a a a a pharmacist I I sometimes hear that someone has used party drugs So I encourage them to talk about it it with their doctor or or HIV nurse I I definitely do do that if someone is having problems with their memory or or concentration because these drugs could be playing a a role Ryan Boedhram − pharmacist at a a a a a a a Plusapotheek
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