Did you know?
More than 1.1 million patients in the United States are living with HIV at this time. Great strides have been made in the medical world in recent years, and this means that HIV and AIDS patients have more treatment options than ever before. Dr. Tagbo J. Ekwonu at Eastowne Family Physicians, PA in Charlotte, North Carolina is certified in HIV/AIDS treatment by the American Academy of HIV Medicine. He’s ready to help patients from NoDa, Eastway, Plaza Midwood, and other parts of Charlotte to live the best life possible while dealing with HIV/AIDS. Make your appointment today by calling our office or using our convenient online scheduling tool.
How do you know if you are HIV positive?
The only way to know whether you have HIV is to undergo testing. HIV testing is a simple procedure that can be done on-site at Eastowne Family Physicians, PA. Sexually active patients should have HIV testing on a regular basis as part of their general health and wellness check-ups. In many cases, patients are completely unaware that they have HIV or even AIDS because the HIV infection doesn’t cause obvious symptoms during early progression of the disease. You can look and feel perfectly healthy and still be infected with HIV, so regular testing is very important.
When should you begin treatment for HIV?
It’s highly recommended that everyone who suffers from HIV begin a treatment plan as soon as they receive a diagnosis. Research studies indicate that antiretroviral therapy HIV treatment can be beneficial for all patients with HIV, regardless of the stage of the disease. HIV treatment with antiretroviral therapy can also greatly lower the chance of passing HIV to someone else. Though antiretroviral therapy can help patients at any stage of HIV illness, it’s even more effective if started early.
How can you avoid HIV drug resistance?
If HIV isn’t tightly controlled with medication, the HIV virus can start to replicate itself rapidly. This can result in virus mutations that aren’t as easily controlled by medication as the original virus is. This is known as HIV drug resistance. To avoid HIV drug resistance, it’s very important to strictly adhere to Dr. Ekwonu’s treatment regimen.
The typical HIV treatment usually includes a minimum of three powerful medications on a daily basis. The goal of treatment is to lower the HIV infection within the body to the point that it’s not detectable in lab tests (an undetectable viral load.) When there’s an undetectable viral load or a very low viral load, the chances of HIV drug resistance are low. Dr. Ekwonu will typically check your viral load every three to four months to make sure that the drugs are working as effectively as possible.
Dr. Ekwonu is highly skilled and experienced in treating HIV and AIDS, and he’s here to extend compassionate help to you. Use the online appointment tool to arrange a visit with Dr. Ekwonu at your convenience, or call Eastowne Family Physicians to make an appointment.