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FYI
by Debbie Bell RN
[Editors Note: Debbie Bell is Kaiser Permanente' Regional HIV Coordinator]
A bright spot in the midst of the gloom of an N.E. Ohio winter is
all the positive news about treatment successes across the country. We
hear of cocktails, zero viral loads and immune reconstitution. We read
about Johnny and Jane, stepping back from the grave - back to work, back
to health, back to life after combination therapies and protease
inhibitors. There are even those who dare to utter the word "cure". Can
we believe it? Or is this just more media hype, good copy in a world
starving for good news?
My answer is, I'm cautiously optimistic. I've seen it with my own
eyes, Yes, it's a lot of pills to take. Yes, you may need to do it for
the rest of your life. Is it worth it? that is for you to decide. Will
we cure it? A definite maybe is the best I'll offer. Research efforts
are frantic right now. Thank God for egos! Everyone wants to be the one
to find the cure, the next Jonas Salk. What ever the motive, the results
are impressive, and I guarantee it will get better, with more therapy
options and easier drug regimens. Think about AZT when it first came
out. A pill six times a day at exact intervals. Now, it's one pill twice
a day. That will happen with protease inhibitors too. It just takes
time. Time is not such a scary word anymore.
For the first time in the history of this disease, it is better to
know one's status than not. I urge each of you to become an advocate for
testing and early intervention, with your friends, family and community.
One fact that I want to bring to the surface is that, while we can stop
the virus, we can not yet "fix" an immune system that has been too
damaged. One would think that once viral load drops down to non
detectable, There would be a complimentary rise in T-Cells, eventually
back to normal. We see the rise, but not back to normal. Thus even in
the absence of HIV, the body remains immunosupressed. There is much
research going on in the area of immune restoration, so don't lose hope
if your T-Cells have been depleted. But please, be safe and smart in the
meantime.
The critical message to those whose immune systems are still
healthy, PLEASE, LET'S KEEP IT THAT WAY. We believe in early
intervention, aggressive treatment and immune preservation. Start
treatment early. Take your meds as prescribed. Reduce your risks,
sexually, environmentally, and nutritionally.
Finally, this is not just about viral loads and T-Cells. It is about
feeling good. As always, I hope this finds you happy, healthy and
feeling good.
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