The Importance of Routine in Maintaining U=U

If you are newly diagnosed with HIV, one thing that I am sure you have heard about is medication adherence. Medication adherence simply means when you are taking the appropriate medicine exactly as prescribed by your healthcare provider.

As a Latino gay man, I know that navigating our health can sometimes feel like a private battle, but someone who adheres to their medication can maintain a suppressed viral load and ultimately become undetectable. If you are undetectable, that means you are untransmittable (U=U).

Living with HIV is a lifetime of management and can come with challenges and new ways of approaching your own health. It took me a few months to fully adjust to taking one pill a day and feeling comfortable enough to share my HIV status.

Maintaining U=U

Taking a daily pill is the key to achieving an undetectable viral load. From my personal experience, taking a pill every single day can be overwhelming, especially if you forget things often.

A great way to remember to take your pill is to set a reminder or an alarm on your phone. I also realized that incorporating it into your existing daily routine is a great way to remember. Each morning, I make sure to use mouthwash, and my prescription bottle is right next to it. Whenever I use my mouthwash, I also take my medication right after. It’s all about creating that habit.

Another great way to remember to take your daily pill is by having a social support system. If you are close to a family member, a friend, or a roommate, they can also help remind you. I remind my partner to take his PrEP just like he reminds me to take my medication. Supporting each other keeps us both healthy.

Navigating side effects still? Talk to your doctor

I have heard that many people hesitate to take their medication due to side effects. If you have been taking your medication for a while and you are still having side effects, you really should talk to your medical provider.

There are so many other options and medications that you can switch to if the current one is not working well with your body. Taking control of your health starts with speaking up and asking the right questions. You deserve to feel good while being undetectable.

Taking ownership

For a very long time I was nervous and hesitant about taking my medication. I was unsure about exactly what it was going to do to my body. All I knew was that I was now living with HIV and that I had to take antiretroviral medication to lower the amount of HIV in my body.

After a few months, I realized that taking ownership of that daily pill meant that I was taking control of my situation and doing all I could to stay healthy. Interestingly, taking a pill every day also reminds me to stay active and to continue going to the gym. I try to go to the gym about five times a week and incorporate both cardio and weightlifting into my weekly routine.

I wanted to share this with you all because we all need a little reminder of why it is important to take your daily HIV medication. We all want to live a healthy and long-lasting life with the ones that we love. Please continue to take your daily medication and stay strong. We are in this together.