Healthy Living With HIV-August/September 2011

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The Interaction Between

Shingles & HIV S

hingles is a common and painful opportunistic infection in people with HIV. About 20% of people who have had chicken pox will eventually develop shingles,

Treating but the rate may be higher in people with HIV because of their weakened immune systems. Having HIV increases the risk of complications from shingles. Shingles may disappear within a couple of weeks, but severe pain may continue for months. There is no way to predict an outbreak of shingles, but there are treatment options. Acyclovir, taken 5 times daily or given intravenously, may fight shingles in severe cases. Two newer drugs, famciclovir and galaciclovir, also seem to be effective against the pain of shingles but need to be taken only 3 times daily. Talk to your doctor to get treatment immediately if you think you may have shingles. Source: TheBody.com (www.thebody.com/content/art6101.html).

Telling Others

You’re HIV Positive

O

ne of the toughest decisions you’ll ever face is who to tell about your having HIV. It can be difficult to decide on who to tell and how to tell friends, family, lovers, and coworkers that you have the virus. There is no single “right” way to disclose your HIV status. Telling others can be a good thing, because you can get love and support to help you deal with your health. You can keep your close friends and loved ones informed about issues that are important to you. Informing others of your HIV status may also help you reduce the chances of transmitting the disease to others. On the same token, you may worry about how others will accept or discriminate against you after telling someone about your HIV. You may also be concerned about being rejected in social or dating situations. Take time to decide who to tell about your HIV status and how you’ll approach them. Be sure that you’re ready to tell someone.

August/September 2011

Here are some things to think about when you’re telling someone that you’re HIV-positive: • Know why you want to tell them: What do you want from them? • Anticipate their reactions: What’s the best you can hope for or the worst that might happen? Be prepared to accept reactions from others. • Learn about HIV: You may want to leave articles or a hotline phone number for the people you tell. • Get support: Talk it over with someone you trust, and come up with a plan. To get help with telling others about your HIV status, think about reaching out to counselors at HIV anonymous test sites or your HIV case manager. They may be able to help you consider all aspects of telling others about your HIV. Source: TheBody.com (www.thebody.com/content/living/art6111.html?ts=pf).

Psoriasis

P

soriasis is a skin ailment that people with HIV may develop. Typically, it first appears on the knees and elbows as itchy or burning reddish patches. Psoriasis may be caused by skin injuries, systemic infections, and certain drugs. People with HIV and psoriasis are prone to developing new infections.

Feature:

Good antiviral coverage is considered the best treatment for psoriasis and other HIV-related skin problems. Topical corticosteroid creams and ointments and phototherapy—a treatment with ultraviolet B light and excimer lasers—may be helpful for mild outbreaks. For more severe outbreaks, tumor necrosis factor inhibitors can be of benefit but require regular injections and close monitoring by healthcare providers.

Getting Your

Cholesterol Under Control

To manage symptoms, keep skin moisturized to control the itching that comes with outbreaks. Cold compresses, cool showers, topical corticosteroids, and antihistamines can ease discomfort as well. If you think you may have psoriasis, talk to your doctor to explore treatment strategies that work best for you. Source: eHow.com (www.ehow.com/how_4967392_treat-psoriasis-hiv-patients.html).

The editorial content for this brochure was developed and created solely by the Patient Education Center. The content does not necessarily represent the opinions and/or views of our advertisers. Healthy Living With HIV is published by the Patient Education Center. Offices: 2445 Kuser Road, Suite 202, Hamilton, NJ 08690; and 180 Mount Airy Road, Suite 102, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920. Reproduction without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. Publication of an advertisement or other product mention in Healthy Living With HIV should not be construed as an endorsement of the product or the manufacturer’s claims. Such advertising or product mentions should similarly not be construed as either influencing or controlling the editorial content of Healthy Living With HIV. The appearance of or reference to any person or entity in the editorial material (including photographs) in this brochure does not constitute an expressed or implied endorsement of the product advertised. Readers are encouraged to contact the product manufacturer with any questions about the features and/ or limitations of any product mentioned. The reader also is advised to consult appropriate medical literature and the product information currently provided by the manufacturer of each drug to verify indications, dosage, method, duration of administration, and contraindications. Copyright 2011, Patient Education Center

PEC-HL-AUG-034

Also in this issue:

The Interaction Between Shingles & HIV Treating Psoriasis Telling Others You’re HIV Positive

Visit us online at www.patientedu.org/hiv


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