What Should I Do If I Test Positive for HIV?
Testing positive for HIV
changes your life dramatically. Early medical attention and
treatment can be the first step to a longer life and
delaying the onset of AIDS. Leading a healthy lifestyle can
help prevent life-threatening conditions.
-
Practice
safer sex with partners and don't share needles.
-
See a
doctor, even if you don't feel sick. Monitoring and
appropriate medical action are the ways to slow the
growth of HIV and delay the onset of AIDS.
-
Seek
counseling to help deal with the consequences of your
result. Meeting with other HIV-infected people by
joining a support group can help to build confidence in
your ability to lead a healthy and fulfilling life.
-
Take a
tuberculosis and hepatitis C test. You could become
seriously ill if you allow these conditions to go
undetected.
-
Stop
smoking, drinking too much alcohol, and using drugs.
These substances can weaken your immune system and allow
the virus to duplicate more rapidly.
For more
information, call:
Free referrals
and information:
CDC
National AIDS Hotline
English (800) 342-AIDS (2437)
[24 hours/day]
Spanish
(800) 344-SIDA (7432)
(HIV and STDs)
[8 am-2 am EST]
TTY
(800) 243-7889
(Deaf and Hard of Hearing)
[Monday-Friday 10
am-10 pm EST]
Free
materials:
CDC
National Prevention Information Network
(800) 458-5231
1-301-
562-1098 (International)
P.O. Box 6003
Rockville, MD
20849-6003
Free HIV/AIDS
treatment information:
AIDS
Treatment Information Service (ATIS)
(800) 448-0440
Project
Inform
(800) 822-7422
Drugs
undergoing clinical trials:
AIDS
Clinical Trials Information Service (ACTIS)
(800) 874-2572
Social
security benefits:
Social
Security Administration
(800) 772-1213
(You also may request
a personal earnings and
benefit estimate statement to
help you estimate the
retirement, disability, and
survivor benefits payable
on your Social Security
record.)
To
obtain information on the Child Health Insurance
Program, please call:
1-877-KIDS NOW
(1-877-543-7669)
CDC
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention
Internet address:
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv
References
|
HIV/AIDS
Information