HIV 101: What Will Change Now That I’m HIV-Positive?

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It depends on what your habits are like before you knew you had HIV.

Diane Anderson-Minshall

Diane Anderson-Minshall is the CEO of Pride Media, and editorial director of The Advocate, Out, and Plus magazine. She's the winner of numerous awards from GLAAD, the NLGJA, WPA, and was named to Folio's Top Women in Media list. She and her co-pilot of 30 years, transgender journalist Jacob Anderson-Minshall penned several books including Queerly Beloved: A Love Across Genders.

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Diane Anderson-Minshall

December 13 2016 3:07 PM EST

December 15 2016 8:02 PM EST

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With proper treatment, being HIV-positive is a manageable, chronic condition like lupus, diabetes, or asthma. You might need to exercise caution with some of your regular activities.

Unless you had other health conditions prior to diagnosis, you'll likely see a physician more than you did before because it's vital that you monitor your health closely. Regular visits with your HIV health care provider will keep you up to date on everything concerning your health.

You should speak with your doctor about changes that need to be made to your diet, exercise regimen, and use of alcohol, prescription medicines, and recreational drugs.

If drugs were a factor in your transmission (there's a link between crystal meth use and HIV transmission, for example), your doctor might recommend, and you should consider, going to rehab. Recreational drug use and chemsex can be extremely hard on the immune system and yours is alreayd compromised.

You may also tire more easily, be more prone to infections, have medical side effects you didn't have before.

But hands down, the biggest change in your daily routine will be taking daily oral HIV medication, at least until long-acting injectibles are on the market. HIV medication requires strict adherence to the prescribed daily dosage, and the drugs sometimes have side effects, which you should share with your doctor. Getting the right treatment may take some testing.