Drugs and Being HIV Positive ~ Living with HIV in the Philippines

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Drugs and Being HIV Positive

Posted by Pozziepinoy on 9:33 PM

Source: 100 Questions & Answers About HIV and AIDS, 2nd Edition by Joel Gallant, MD, MPH

HIV positive people often assume that drug use is bad for them because it lowers their CD4 count and increases their viral load, but that's not the reason to stay away from drugs. (I wish we could say that "good, clean living" would keep HIV under control, but life isn't fair, and the virus doesn't care what you do.) Still, there are plenty of other great reasons to stay away from drugs.

First, there are the medical dangers of the drugs themselves. Cocaine causes heart attacks and mental illness. Heroine injection can lead to serious infections of the heart valves, bones and joints. Methamphetamine can destroy your teeth, your brain, your relationships, your career and your life. All three are addictive. It's hard to cope up with too many dire warnings about the dangers of marijuana, but even it's advocates admit that regular use can make you dumb and lazy, and there's now some evidence that it could increase the risk of mental illness later in life. There is evidence that Aspergillus, a fungus that can cause dangerous infections in people with very low CD4 counts, can live in marijuana leaves and can be inhaled. (If you smoke dope and have a low CD4 count, some recommend microwaving the joint to kill the fungus. Please don't ask me which setting to use or for how long - those studies will never be done!)

Secobd, drugs can also interact with your HIV medications. Drug companies don't typically study interactions between their drugs and illegal substances. But there is evidence that people have been harmed by taking "club drugs" such as MDMA (Ecstasy) and ketamine, along with antiretrovirals.

Drug use can increase your risk of getting other infections or of spreading HIV to others. Being high lowers your inhibitions and clouds your judgment allowing you to take risks that you wouldn't otherwise take, putting you at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, including syphilis. Injection is especially risky, since it can spread HIV, hepatitis C, and other blood borne infections.

Finally studies show that active drug users are less likely to take ART correctly, putting them at risk of drug resistance and loss of treatment options. If you've got a drug problem, get treatment before you start ART. Don't wait until you've messed up and developed drug resistance.

Ultimately, the best reason to stay away from drugs is to keep yourself physically and mentally healthy so you'll have the upper hand against HIV infection.