Living with HIV

Live a healthy life with AllLife.

Read our articles below on living with HIV.

Life after your HIV diagnosis: the one week milestone.

Respectful HIV Language to use

Once I publicly revealed my status in early 2011, I realised how uninformed people were, and sadly, still are, about using appropriate language when speaking about HIV.

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HIV: My Nine Lives

A friend and I were chatting recently, and he jokingly said, after hearing about my bursitis in one hip and sciatica in the other, that I was busy using up my nine lives.

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HIV should NOT define YOU!

A diagnosis of HIV can be a life-changing event that can impact a person’s self-image, relationships, and overall well-being. It’s is important not to allow the virus to define a person’s identity.

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TREATMENT FAILURE – WHAT NOW?

My introduction to ARV treatment started four years after my initial diagnosis with HIV in 2004. Soon after, I was diagnosed with cancer in 2008. My CD4 count dropped to 203 cells/mm3 in approximately four years. This was the then-recommended level to start treatment

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HIV: Making it through the Festive Season

The festive season is a time when many people relax. People also usually consume more than their usual intake of alcoholic beverages. Alcohol affects your ability to exercise competent judgement. These poor decisions often lead to a loss of inhibitions. This can, in turn, then lead to unprotected intercourse.

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HIV Facts and Statistics

HIV facts and statistics are important to know. Educating yourself around HIV can further support your journey of living with HIV. HIV facts and statistics keep us informed about what is happening in the world around us.

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When Should You Start ARV Treatment?

Anti-retroviral treatment (ARV treatment) is freely available across South Africa, and provided to all people living with HIV, through both the public healthcare sector and private healthcare sector. Cindy Pivacic shares her story of living with HIV and Anti-retroviral treatment.

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Living with HIV: Substance Abuse

Living with HIV and substance abuse have been very closely linked. In this article, AllLife outlines the dangers associated with substance abuse and living with HIV. Cindy Pivacic shares more about the link between substance abuse and HIV.

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Living With HIV: Healthy Eating

When you are living with HIV, healthy eating plays a big role in helping you to maintain good health. Your nutrition plays a vital role in helping your body mitigate the effects of living with HIV. Cindy Pivacic shares her insights into her journey of healthy eating when living with HIV.

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Living with HIV: Coping Strategies for Living with HIV

When you are living with HIV, you will learn coping strategies for living with HIV. At AllLife, we provide support and life cover for people living with HIV. Our support, however, does not end at life cover. Our HIV support services help you as you navigate your journey of living with HIV. Cindy Pivacic shares more about her coping strategies for living with HIV.

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Living with HIV: ARV Adherence Tips

When you are living with HIV, it is important to ensure ARV adherence. ARV adherence is ensuring that you stick to your ARV treatment programme and take your medication at the exact time you are instructed to by your health care worker. Cindy Pivacic shares more ARV adherence tips in this article.

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Two months into supporting someone who lives with HIV.

Being part of someone’s life, whether as a colleague, friend or a romantic partner means that their HIV-positive status is also a part of your reality. Depending on when the person’s status was shared with you, you might still be feeling overwhelmed. If you’ve known for two months now then it should be settling in and starting to feel like something you can support him/her through.

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Your eating while on ARV treatment

Treatment adherence and healthy eating go hand in hand. What we eat and drink contains ingredients and additives which cause a variety of chemical reactions inside us. Your ARVs are digested along with your food.

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How ARVs save lives

The treatment of HIV infection as a chronic manageable disease, instead of a fatal one, has become a reality thanks to ART treatment.

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