LIVING WITH HIV

MAINTAINING THE QUALITY OF LIFE

An HIV-positive diagnosis is not an immediate death sentence. Years may pass before an HIV-infected person meets the CDC definition of AIDS (see card 92) by having a T-cell count lower than 200 or having had opportunistic infections (Ols). Most health workers believe that for longer-term survival, HIV-positive people must build up their health and strength before their bodies are hit by Ols. This means cutting out tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. Eating a healthy diet-one high in cancer-fighting kale family vegetables like broccoli and cabbage is often recommended. Because AIDS is marked by weight loss, some also advocate a high-calorie diet.

In the research labs of major pharmaceutical companies, the goal has been to develop antiviral drugs which will attack HIV, much in the way antibiotics like penicillin attack syphilis. So far, no compound is toxic enough to destroy HIV without also poisoning the body, but drugs which inhibit HIV replication are currently in use despite their side-effects and limited span of efficacy (see card 71). Critics of chemotherapeutic or "Western" medicine claim antiviral drugs harm benign bacteria, such as acidophilis, which help the body absorb nutrients and may be carcinogenic. Instead, they may prescribe herbs (Aloe vera extracts, for instance) or acupuncture.

As AIDS develops, strength ebbs. People with AIDS need help with heavy chores. About half will experience some level of dementia marked by a mental slowdown. To reduce the risk of certain Ols (see card 72), pet litter must be cleaned by a helper. If CMV retinitis occurs, sight will be lost. As appetite wanes, the creation of enticing meals becomes a goal of those who care for people with AIDS. Next Card 71: AZT, DDI, AND DDC: Drugs That Fight HIV