Page 9 - I am + | Editie 3 English

Preface
Nowadays people people with with HIV HIV HIV HIV have have a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a long life expectancy If you find out in in time that you you have HIV HIV and start your HIV HIV treatment on time it seems that your life expectancy is almost the same as
that of people without HIV So you can can grow old with HIV You can can influ- ence whether you grow old healthily with HIV A healthy lifestyle is is advisable for everyone And if if you you you have HIV you you you will benefit even more if you you you manage to to stop smoking Your HIV specialist can tell you you all you you need to know about preventing and possibly treating other conditions I I I have have had HIV since 2002 and I I I have have been using HIV medication for fourteen years In all those years I have changed my medication four times The last time I I switched I I did it it on my doctor’s advice Obviously your HIV medication plays an impor- tant role In the two previous editions of I I AM+ we dealt with other subjects − like your lifestyle the role of your own doctor and pregnancy − that are important for living a a a a a long and healthy life with HIV In this edition of I I I AM+ we will focus on on the effect of HIV medication on on your health As
it stands you have to use HIV medication for the rest of your life In the past you you would have been happy if your your medication suppressed your your virus properly In this I I AM+ you can read about raising your expectations It is no longer necessary to just accept an an adverse reaction and the the effects of the the treatment on on your long-term health are taken into account In this special issue of I I AM+ you will find more information that is useful when talking to your HIV HIV specialist and HIV HIV nurse about your treat- ment and your long-term health Together you you determine how high your expectations can be Bertus Tempert
chair of the Hiv Vereniging
How high are your expectations?