Question
Can multi vitamins help to boost my immune system?
15 March 2012. Related: All topics, Changing treatment, South Africa, Supplements and herbs.
Which holistic treatments or herbal medicine is safe to take with Truvada and Aluvia. I am at stage 4. I have changed combinations throughout the years it works for a while then i get sick and become resistant to the drugs, so am starting to look for alternatives.
Are there a new drugs that i can change to after this regime? I just need something that will slow down the virus drastically for a longer period.
Is there any multivitamin that will boost my immune system?
Answer
In general, it is safe to take vitamins with your HIV medication. However, unless you have a vitamin deficiency, there is no reason to take vitamins. They will not improve your CD4 count or help fight HIV.
Herbal supplement and products can have interactions with your HIV drugs. Please ask your pharmacy or HIV doctor first before you take them. Again though, these will not help with your HIV.
What is your CD4 count and your viral load? Which drugs have you used before?
An alternative HIV drug might be a drug called darunavir, which is a protease inhibitor. I’m not quite sure whether it is available in South Africa, perhaps you can ask your doctor when the new drug is going to be available.
Multi vitamins, supplements and herbal remedies have no direct activity against HIV. Only HIV medication can help to improve your immune system. Please look at the link on vitamins and minerals.
Hi Laundrie, have you mentioned this to your doctor or pharmacist? Usually splitting pills is fine but to be on the safe side it would be a good idea to check.
Getting smaller pills may be difficult as it depends on the manufacturer and what is available where you are. This is a link about tips to help make swallowing pills easier: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/problems-swallowing-pills/
i having problems swallong the pill and im cutting it. is that going to be a aproblem in the future or is the alternative to get a smller pills
Hi Annah,
Please talk to your doctor about your child’s diet. This is important if she is very young. They can give the best advice on what food to give her.
But how is her HIV treatment going? What HIV meds is she taking? And please let us know how old she is.
My child is HIV & she does not eat well what can i do? she like to eat pap & milk all the time