HIV treatment
If you have HIV and take your medicines correctly every day, you can live a normal life and even live as long as someone without HIV.
Take your medicines the way the doctor tells you to. Discuss with a doctor which medicine suits you best.
If you are not treated, you can infect someone through unprotected sex or through blood. You can infect your baby during pregnancy or delivery or when breast-feeding. With the right treatment, women with HIV can have healthy children.
Healthy lifestyle
Take care of your health:
- Eat healthily. This improves your resistance to diseases.
- Take exercise.
- Keep cigarettes, drugs and alcohol to a minimum.
- Rest well at night. It will reduce stress.
Social contact
You cannot infect someone through social contact. You do not have to be scared if, for example, you share a glass or plate with someone or you touch or kiss someone.
Minimal risk of infecting others
If you take your medicines correctly every day, the amount of HIV in your blood (viral load) lowers. After a few months, it can often no longer be traced, though the virus is still in your body. After six months there is then almost no risk that you will infect someone else.
You can have a normal sex life when you have HIV, but it is against the law to knowingly expose others to the risk of being infected with HIV or other STIs without this person consenting to the risk. This is the case both in a steady relationship and for other sexual partners.
If you do what is possible to avoid infecting others, you cannot be punished. For instance: if you use a condom and/or are receiving successful treatment for HIV.
It is advisable to talk to your doctor and your partner if you want to have sexual intercourse with a condom.
Telling someone you have HIV
If you find living with HIV difficult it might help if you talk with someone about HIV. You are not forced to tell people you have HIV.
