When I was 1st diagnosed, I took handfuls of meds, some that needed refrigeration. Many had potent side effects; nausea, sleep issues, hair falling out, dental problems, etc... They had me on a steroid for a while & I gained a lot of weight, most which I never lost. HIV & age crippled my metabolism.
In the mid-2010s, my doctors starting pushing for me to move on to newer meds. I was resistant, there weren't a lot of options & many choices lacked any way to back up if they failed. Slowly parts of my cocktail were altered or discontinued. Finally, it wasn't maintainable, so in 2017 I switched to Triumeq. I was on it until I moved on to Dovato 2 years ago. I went from a couple of dozen or more pills to a single dose daily.
Sooner than we might think, even the daily pill might be a relic. A few new daily options are being developed, but most are focusing on long acting options. My next med could space dosing out to weekly, monthly or even longer intervals. I'm not sure if I'd get those at the pharmacy or my medical provider.
The horror show that was HIV is mostly just scary stories for the younger generations. Even the idea of taking more than 1 med is foreign to most of them. Soon a daily pill could seem barbaric. It's a step forward & I should be happy. But progress like this always leaves wondering, what if...? I'll adjust, but I will be hesitant.
That's all for now, take care.
Cya...
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