*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature L: Laxatives.

Treatment

While there's no cure for HIV, there are very effective treatments that enable most people with the virus to live a long and healthy life.

Emergency HIV drugs

If you think you've been exposed to the virus, post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) medicine may stop you becoming infected.

PEP must be started within 72 hours of coming into contact with the virus for it to be effective. It's only recommended following higher risk exposure, particularly where the sexual partner is known to be positive.

PEP involves taking HIV treatment every day for 1 month. It may cause some side effects.

You should be able to get PEP from:

sexual health clinics or genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics
hospitals - usually accident and emergency (A&E) departments

If you already have HIV, try your HIV clinic if the PEP is for someone you've had sex with.

Further information:

Terrence Higgins Trust: post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

If you test positive

If you're diagnosed with HIV, you'll have regular blood tests to monitor the progress of the HIV infection before starting treatment.

2 important blood tests are:

HIV viral load test - a blood test that monitors the amount of HIV virus in your blood
CD4 lymphocyte cell count - which measures how the HIV has affected your immune system

Treatment can be started at any point following your diagnosis, depending on your circumstances and in consultation with your HIV doctor.

Further information:

Antiretroviral drugs

HIV is treated with antiretroviral medicines, which work by stopping the virus replicating in the body. This allows the immune system to repair itself and prevent further damage.

A combination of HIV drugs is used because HIV can quickly adapt and become resistant.

Some HIV treatments have been combined into a single pill, known as a fixed dose combination, although these often cost more to prescribe.

Usually, people who have just been diagnosed with HIV take between 1 and 4 pills a day.

Different combinations of HIV medicines work for different people, so the medicine you take will be individual to you.

The amount of HIV virus in your blood (viral load) is measured to see how well treatment is working. Once it can no longer be measured it's known as undetectable. Most people taking daily HIV treatment reach an undetectable viral load within 6 months of starting treatment.

Many of the medicines used to treat HIV can interact with other medicines prescribed by your GP or bought over the counter.

These include some nasal sprays and inhalers, herbal remedies like St John's wort, as well as some recreational drugs. Always check with your HIV clinic staff or your GP before taking any other medicines.

Further information:

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature L: Laxatives. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
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