WHAT ARE SIDE EFFECTS? Drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for sale in the U.S. must be safe—which means that the benefits of the drug appear to be greater than the known risks—and effective. However, both prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs… Read More

WHAT IS ANEMIA? Anemia is a shortage of hemoglobin (HGB). HGB is a protein in red blood cells (RBCs) that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Anemia causes fatigue, shortness of breath, and dizziness. People with anemia don’t feel as… Read More

WHAT IS DEPRESSION? Depression is a mood disorder. It is more than sadness or grief. Depression is sadness or grief that is more intense and lasts longer than it should. It has various causes: Events in your daily life Chemical changes in the brain Side… Read More

WHAT IS DIARRHEA? Diarrhea is an increase in the water content, frequency, and volume of bowel movements. It is frequent in people with HIV. Diarrhea can be a serious problem. Mild cases disappear within a few days but more severe cases can cause serious dehydration… Read More

WHAT IS FATIGUE? Fatigue is tiredness that does not go away when you rest. It can be physical or psychological. With physical fatigue, your muscles cannot do things as easily as they used to. You might notice this when you climb stairs or carry bags… Read More

WHAT IS IMMUNE RECONSTITUTION INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME? Some people who start antiretroviral therapy (ART) get health problems even though their HIV infection comes under control. An infection that they previously had might return. In other cases, they may develop a new disease. This is linked to… Read More

WHAT IS LACTIC ACIDOSIS? Some antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) in the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) drug class have negative side effects that may lead to liver and other problems. One such side effect is damage to the mitochondria inside your cells, or mitochondrial toxicity. When… Read More

WHAT IS LIPODYSTROPHY? Lipodystrophy, or lipo for short, is a collection of body shape changes in people taking antiretroviral medications (ARVs). Lipo- refers to fat, and -dystrophy means bad growth. These changes include fat loss, fat deposits, and metabolic changes. Fat loss occurs in the… Read More

WHAT IS OSTEONECROSIS? Bone is a living, growing material. It has a framework of protein and calcium strengthens the bone framework. The outer layer of bone has nerves and a network of small blood vessels. Bone is constantly breaking down and being renewed. Osteonecrosis means… Read More

WHAT IS BONE? Bone is a living, growing material. It has a framework of protein and calcium strengthens the bone framework. The outer layer of bone has nerves and a network of small blood vessels. Old bone is removed and new bone is added all… Read More

WHAT IS PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY? Peripheral neuropathy (PN) is a disease of the peripheral nerves. These are all the nerves in the body except for those in the brain and spinal cord. About 30% of people with HIV develop PN. Some PN is a breakdown of… Read More

WHAT IS WEIGHT GAIN? The prevalence of obesity and overweight among people with HIV is rising globally. It is estimated that up to 40% of people with HIV who where assigned female at birth (AFAB) and 20% of people with HIV who were assigned male… Read More