• A person living with HIV who has suppressed viral load is someone whose viral load is below or equals to 1000 copies/mL.
• If his/her viral load is below 40 copies/mL, he/she is considered to have undetectable viral load, which means the person, although still living with HIV, virtually cannot transmit HIV to his/her partner(s).
• In other words, “Undetectable equals Untransmittable”, or “U=U”.
The rule of thumb in treatment is stringent adherence to ART. This also involves maintaining regular contacts with the doctor and ART team as they are the ones performing periodic check-ups on you. Therefore, make sure you stick to your treatment and consult with your doctor or ART team regarding your health and ART regimen.
As part of your ART, you’re expected to undergo viral load testing at month 6 and month 12 of your treatment. The results from these tests, along with consultation with the doctor, will give you a clear idea in regards to your viral load status.
Your doctor can arrange for subsequent appointments and viral load testing depending on your conditions.
• Although you are taking ARV, you aren’t cured of HIV. However, if you adhere to your treatment and achieve undetectable viral load, you won’t be able to transmit HIV to others.
• Make sure to check in with your doctor for counseling and support for matters dealing with your sex life and other aspects of your lifestyle.