•  HIV/HAART-RELATED HEALTH ISSUES

Is Smoking More Dangerous for People With HIV
My partner, who was just diagnosed with HIV a month ago, has been smoking for about 20 years. How bad is it having HIV and being a smoker? How can I help him quit?


Will New HIV Meds Be More Lipid-Friendly?
Are there any data on whether the new or developing HIV meds, like tipranavir (Aptivus) and TMC114, affect cholesterol and tricyleride levels? I'm currently on Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) and my levels are extremely high, even though I'm taking lipid-lowering meds.


Fatigue After Heart Attack
I'm 45 and was diagnosed last year. My HIV doc started me on Combivir (AZT/3TC) + efavirenz (Sustiva, Stocrin). Within six months, my CD4 count was up from 99 to 238 and my viral load was down from 450,000 to undetectable. Everything was fine until April, when I had a heart attack. Two arteries were blocked, one 100% and the other 80%. I had angioplasty and stents placed in both arteries. Now, not only am I on the HIV meds, I am also taking a host of medications for my heart. I have absolutely no energy at all. My life basically consists of going to work each day and sleeping when I get home. The cardiovascular doctors tell me that I should be exercising, but it is all I can do just to keep working each day. I quit smoking and am eating better, but I still don't feel any better. I'll be seeing my HIV doc in two weeks; any specific questions I should ask regarding my extreme fatigue?


Impact of Surgery on HIV and HAART
I was hospitalized for two weeks due to complications from pancreatitis. While I was in the hospital, my HIV treatment was stopped, because my doctors felt the HIV meds were limiting the accuracy of their blood work. In a few weeks I will need surgery to correct these complications; I expect they'll have to stop HIV treatment again when that happens. What impact will the trauma of surgery have on my immune system, and how will these brief treatment interruptions affect my HIV?


Bactrim and Sunlight: A Real Risk?
The warning label on my bottle of Bactrim (an antibacterial drug often used to prevent or treat pneumonia) states: "Avoid prolonged or excessive exposure to direct/and or artificial sunlight while taking this medication." Why is this, and what can I do to protect myself if I plan a day outside?

•  HEPATITIS C TREATMENT

Worried About Hepatitis C Treatment Side Effects
My doctor says I'm in the acute phase of hepatitis C infection. I'm about to begin 24 weeks of treatment with Pegasys (generic name: peginterferon alfa-2a) + ribavirin, but I'm scared about the side effects. Can you offer me hope?

•  HIV TRANSMISSION

South African HIV-Positive Couple Having a Baby
I am 30 years old and living in South Africa; I've had HIV for nine years now, and have been taking Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) and efavirenz (Sustiva, Stocrin) for a year. My CD4 count is 415 and my viral load is 950. My husband and I are considering having a baby. Do you think it's safe for me to do so?


Safety of Doing Dental Work on HIV-Positive People
I'm a dental student who recently volunteered to treat HIV-positive people at the clinic in my Ivy League dental school. We haven't been instructed to take any extra precautions with our HIV-positive patients (like double gloving), and all of our instruments (even those covered in blood) are sterilized with instruments used on HIV-negative people. I assume my clinic knows what it's doing, but I just wanted to know what risks I, as the healthcare provider, face. Is there something I should do to give myself extra protection?

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