Effectiveness of treatment in women

Effectiveness of treatment in women

To find out more about specific types of HIV treatment, or antiretroviral therapy, see the NAM booklets Anti-HIV drugs and HIV therapy in this series.

Women tend to get higher levels of some anti-HIV drugs in their blood than men. This is probably because men tend to weigh more than women. Having higher levels of a drug in your blood can mean that there's more of it available to fight HIV but, on the downside, it could mean that you might be more likely to experience side-effects.

Gender differences in side-effects may also be due to an interaction between HIV medications and female hormones.

Starting treatment

You may feel anxious about starting and adhering to your treatment. Discuss your concerns with your doctor and talk with other people who are already on HIV treatment. You will find out about how they successfully manage to keep taking the treatment regularly and what strategies they use to minimise any side-effects.

Adhering to your treatment

HIV treatment involves powerful drugs which work very well when your adherence is good. Adherence is a term used to refer to taking your drugs on the right day and at the right time, every day, as prescribed by your doctor.

Taking your treatments every day, as prescribed by your doctor, and not missing any doses, is one of the most important aspects of managing your HIV. If you are finding it difficult to take your treatment in the right way, talk to one of your HIV healthcare team as soon as possible. You could also talk to other women who are successfully managing their treatment at home and work. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and having a good support network are other important means of staying well.