Page 48 - I am + | Editie 3 English

An evaluation of your health
When you’re HIV positive you you you need to to have have multiple routine blood tests and sometimes you you you have have to to to deliver urine samples What do we monitor?
HOW OFTEN?
Some parameters are monitored every time others once a a a year and some only when there is good reason to do so Examples of good reasons are you have specific health
problems your blood count is higher or lower than normal In these cases we examine the cause More parameters are monitored at the first consultation with an HIV-positive patient than at at the follow-up consultations Blood tests are given more frequently in in the initial stage of HIV medication or when switching to a a different HIV medication HOW MUCH BLOOD?
Several blood samples are taken at the blood test This may seem like a a lot but usually it amounts to half a a a a teacup in total Your body is able to produce blood itself and rapidly replaces this blood IS YOUR MEDICATION WORKING WELL? Among other things the blood test monitors whether your HIV medication is causing problems Sometimes pills cause problems that you notice yourself but sometimes you don't feel a thing Side effects that can be detected in the blood test are: abnormalities in the red blood cells abnormal kidney or liver function a glucose or or cholesterol abnormality 48