Medical
Taking your antiretroviral routine as it’s prescribed is very important. It controls the virus, protecting your whole body including your brain.
Starting an antiretroviral treatment regimen early and sticking to it is the best way to lower the chance of having memory and thinking issues later on. The treatment stops the virus from reaching the brain and helps decrease any swelling it might cause there.
It’s very important to take your HIV meds exactly as your doctor tells you. Missing doses or not taking them at the right times can make the treatment less effective.
Lots of conditions which affect the body, also can affect the brain. Illnesses like diabetes or cardiovascular problems can often impact blood vessels in the brain. Because of this, it’s very important that other health conditions are identified and you get the correct treatment.
Your overall physical health can affect how well your brain works, especially if you have conditions that affect the blood vessels in your brain, like diabetes and heart problems. Taking good care of these conditions can help keep your thinking and memory sharp. Handling these conditions well might mean you have to take specific medicines or change your lifestyle a bit.
Another important health condition which shows strong links to memory and thinking ability, is hearing. This is really important, especially for older adults. So it’s very important to get your hearing checked regularly and if you are hard of hearing to get a hearing aid.
The menopause can also cause issues with thinking and memory, with research finding problems with memory and concentration (and mood changes) to be the most reported symptoms. Your GP should be able to tell you if you have started the menopausal transition and they can talk to you about different ways of managing it to relieve symptoms.
It’s really important that other conditions are identified so the right course of treatment can be started – speak to a healthcare professional about this. If you have any health worries, talk to your GP or HIV care team.
Mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety, are particularly common in people with HIV, and can make thinking, memory and concentration harder.
Mental health conditions also often stop people from looking after themselves as well as they could, so it is really important that you speak to someone if you are struggling.
Taking care of these types of problems through therapies or medications is vital for helping your brain as well as your wellbeing. If you’re having a tough time, talk to a doctor about your mental health.
Other medications taken for different health conditions can also affect thinking and memory. If you take medication for other health conditions or take any alternative therapies it’s important to discuss these with your doctor.
Some medicines you might take for other conditions can affect your thinking and memory. Some medications can also interfere with with your HIV treatment and cause problems.
Be sure to tell your doctor and pharmacist about all the medicines you take, including over-the-counter drugs, herbal remedies, recreational drugs, as well as other prescriptions. It’s good to check for any possible issues with anything you take.
If you are worried about your thinking or memory, talk to your GP or HIV care team about it.