Our Specialties
Have Additional Questions?
1085 NE Gateway CT NE Suite # 190
704-666-1780
manager@cabarruspecialtyRx.com
Download Now!
Download Brochure
Personalized, Respectful Support for HIV Care
HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, affects the body’s immune system. Without treatment, HIV can progress to AIDS, the most advanced stage of the infection. With modern treatment, however, people living with HIV can lead long, healthy lives.
Cabarrus Specialty Pharmacy provides personalized medication support to help patients understand their treatment, maintain their routine, and work toward their health goals.
HIV Symptoms and Testing
Some people experience flu-like symptoms within two to four weeks after infection, including:
- Fever or chills
- Fatigue
- Sore throat
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Rash
- Muscle aches
- Night sweats
- Mouth sores
Others may have no symptoms for years. Symptoms alone cannot confirm HIV—the only way to know your status is to get tested.
Testing may be recommended as part of routine healthcare, during pregnancy, after a possible exposure, or more frequently for people with ongoing exposure risks. Because tests have different window periods, a healthcare provider can help determine which test and timing are appropriate.
HIV Treatment
HIV is treated with antiretroviral therapy, commonly called ART. ART reduces the amount of HIV in the blood, protects the immune system, and helps prevent HIV-related illness.
Treatment may include daily oral medication or, for eligible patients, long-acting injectable therapy. The appropriate regimen depends on factors such as:
- Laboratory results and viral load
- Other health conditions
- Potential drug interactions
- Previous HIV treatment
- Pregnancy or plans for pregnancy
- Personal needs and treatment preferences
HIV treatment is recommended for everyone diagnosed with HIV and should begin as soon as possible. ART controls HIV but does not cure it, so treatment must be continued as prescribed.
Understanding U=U
When ART reduces HIV to a level that standard laboratory testing cannot detect, it is called an undetectable viral load.
A person who takes HIV medication as prescribed and gets and keeps an undetectable viral load will not transmit HIV to a partner through sex. This is known as Undetectable = Untransmittable, or U=U.
Regular viral-load testing is essential to confirm that HIV remains suppressed. U=U applies specifically to sexual transmission and does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections.
