Old LY Site

By Ronald Bugarin (From ART First Dose Chronicles, Illustration by TJ Gellada Monzon) For newly diagnosed Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV), among their top concerns are the possible side effects that might come once they start treatment. These side effects may have an impact on their way of life, especially at work and their studies. In this article, we will try to tackle the different antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, their possible side effects, and how to handle these side effects so as not to affect the PLHIVs way of life. Antiviral Drugs Antiretroviral or ARV is an inhibitor drug that blocks HIV from attaching to cells of immunity specifically the CD4 cell (also known as T-cell or T helper cells) and prevents it from multiplying. It has to be taken daily to suppress HIV and prevent the decline of the body's natural defense caused by the virus . Below are the various ARV drugs and the possible side effects that may occur upon taking said component: ARV DRUG FOR MONITORING SIDE EFF...

By LoveYourself Communications In response to the impending community quarantine in Metro Manila on March 15, 2020, LoveYourself has innovated its antiretroviral therapy (ART) refill delivery system. Through the XPress by LoveYourself, clients enrolled in its treatment services can have their ART refills delivered to their doorstep. This ensures reduced risk for LoveYourself clients living with HIV to be exposed to COVD-19 by reducing the number of clients visiting LoveYourself Centers and eliminating the need to travel. Sign up for the service at go.loveyourself.ph/xpressrefill . Please be mindful of the following eligibility requirements: 6 months experience of ART (no dropping out of care in between). Must have a recent viral load monitoring result within 1 year of less than 1000 copies/mL (Undetectable Viral Load ) Good eligibility status in PhilHealth due to updated contributions. Experience no severe adverse effects of ART Have at least 12 days worth of remaining ART pills. NOTIC...

By Rael Bustamante and Ronald Bugarin According to the March 2018 HIV/AIDS & ART Registry of the Philippines (HARP) , there were 912 new cases of Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV) reported, most of which are young professionals aged 25-34. Attaining and maintaining financial security is a common goal among these up and coming men and women. But, some PLHIVs are discouraged from attaining financial security due mainly to discriminatory workplace policies regarding their condition or limited employment opportunities where some industries require that applicants and employees should be nonreactive / HIV negative . It will be beneficial for these PLHIV to have some form of assurance in having a secured life and future if only they are given a chance to apply for life insurance policy without discriminatory provisions. Currently, life insurance has morphed from the traditional compensation for a person’s dependents after death to a form of investment or savings on top of the tradit...

By Dun King Thousands of people, regardless of gender, have been infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in the Philippines. According to the HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines, in 2017 alone there were 11,103 reported cases of HIV positive individuals . However with the steady increase of cases in recent months , the cases has yet to reach a plateau. This increase can be an indicator of people slowly taking courageous action towards knowing their status. Despite the many campaigns aimed at normalizing HIV testing, many are still hesitant because of misconceptions regarding HIV . Because of this, it has been a challenge for People Living with HIV (PLHIV) to disclose their status , and entrust their story. However, as a mother Elena Felix, Nay Elena as people call her was able to receive overwhelming support from her family. Like many parents who strive to support their family Nay Elena, a mother of four, was an Overseas Filipino Worker (OFW).  She was working...