From the Editor
by Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr.
I was 22 years old when I was diagnosed with HIV and was convinced I’d die of AIDS before turning 30. Today, I’m looking forward to my 40th birthday.
First Steps
The best steps a person newly diagnosed with HIV can take are down a well-worn path that thousands of others have successfully walked.
Ask the Sexpert
Your sex life doesn’t have to change—for the worse—because you are HIV positive.
Perfect Match
The quality of the relationship with your doctor—including the amount of information shared and how well he or she hears you—is critical to long and healthy living with HIV.
More than HIV
After 23 years of living with the virus, Valerie Wojciechowicz knows that health care doesn’t end with taking her daily dose of HIV meds. Here’s her recipe for total wellness.
Whole Body, Whole Self
Living with HIV entails more than viral load and CD4 cell counts. It requires long-term planning that reflects all of your body’s needs.
Time for HIV Treatment?
Antiretroviral (ARV) therapy slows HIV and lets positive people live longer, healthier lives.
Financial Health
HIV care and treatment are costly. Health programs reduce—if not eliminate—out-of-pocket expenses.
Know Your Lab Tests
Having HIV means monitoring your health regularly. You’ll have blood drawn every three to six months to see how well you are responding to HIV treatment, as well as how good your overall health looks. Here are some of the lab tests you’ll become familiar with:
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