What an HIV Diagnosis Means

If you’ve received a positive HIV test, don’t panic! Knowing your status gives you powerful ownership of your own health information so you can make life-affirming decisions for yourself and your loved ones. Take a moment to catch your breath, then read on.

What should I do after receiving a positive HIV diagnosis?

Again, take a deep breath. We’ve come a long way since first discovering HIV in the 1970s. Our understanding and knowledge of the virus has changed, meaning with proper detection and treatment HIV can be something that one just lives with, whilst living a healthy life.

If you’ve tested positive with the OraQuick® HIV self-test, schedule an appointment with a doctor, clinic, or healthcare professional to confirm the results - just like one might do after taking a home pregnancy test.

Then, we suggest you do the following:

Take time to process the news

You might feel a range of emotions and that’s okay. The most important thing is that you now know your status and are empowered to make positive decisions about your health. And remember - think of HIV as a chronic disease that can be managed with medication.

Find an HIV care provider

Your care provider will be your partner in managing your health. The earlier you seek care, the better. That's why it is so important to know your HIV status - you're empowered to protect your own health and the health of your partners and loved ones.

Be prepared

Receiving a positive result can be jarring. Take this time to do research about living with HIV and collect your thoughts. Identify any questions you might have for your HIV care provider to make the most of your visit.

Let people know

You don’t have to tell everyone at once. The most important people to share your status with are your healthcare providers, sexual or needle-sharing partners, and anyone who might be at high-risk for exposure.

It may seem hard at first, but sharing has numerous benefits. Your friends and family can be a significant support system in managing your HIV and studies have shown those who share their HIV status respond better to treatment than those who don’t.

What does HIV treatment look like?

While HIV is a serious infection, many people with HIV live long and healthy lives thanks to effective treatment and lifestyle choices. To get a better understanding of what the best treatment is for you, your HIV care provider will order several tests to see how your immune system has been impacted.

The CD4 count test allows health care providers to see how robust your immune system is, while a viral load test indicates the progression of HIV in your system. The higher the CD4 count, the healthier the immune system, while a lower viral load means treatment is working or that the virus isn’t as active. You may also take a drug resistance test to determine the best medical options for you. The results of these tests will be used as a baseline to see how effective treatment is and how the virus is progressing.

Currently, there are more than 30 drugs that have been approved to treat individuals living with HIV and AIDS, and more are under development. The treatments are divided into classes based on how the drug attacks HIV. The standard treatment usually includes three drugs from two different classes and is known as “triple therapy” to best attack the virus.

As of right now, there is no single drug that can cure or treat HIV, but triple therapy has been proven to help reduce the amount of virus in your blood, lower your transmission-risk to others, and protect your immune system. Under a consistent and managed treatment regimen, most people can get the virus under control within six months.