62. Why is it important for people with HIV to get medical care?

People with HIV should seek early medical care so they can:

• find out about medicines that fight HIV; and

• receive care for HIV-related conditions.

Treatments that fight HIV help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. Often, it is best to start treatment before symptoms appear. A doctor can do blood tests to find out how much HIV is in a person’s body and how much damage the virus has done to the immune system. This information helps people with HIV and their
doctors decide when to start treatment and how well treatment is working. Early medical care helps people with HIV take best advantage of treatments for HIV. Certain medicines can also prevent some opportunistic illnesses like PCP (Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia). Testing and treatment for other illnesses, like TB (tuberculosis) and STDs (sexually transmitted diseases), is also important.
These illnesses are more common in people with HIV and can make HIV progress more quickly to AIDS.
It is important to see a doctor who is well informed about HIV. The New York State Department of Health designates doctors who meet certain criteria, like treating HIV-infected patients and taking special courses in HIV-related topics, as HIV specialists.