Treatment

NOTE: This is intended as a general guide to managing opportunistic infections (OIs). It can’t substitute for a detailed discussion of each infection. Anyone dealing with one or more of these infections should consult with their doctor.

Preventing and treating OIs is not an exact science. It often requires some complex trial-and-error to figure out the best regimen for a person. If standard drugs fail, it may be necessary to try different experimental drugs. There’s often a gap between the drugs prescribed by doctors with large HIV practices and those prescribed by doctors with less experience. At times, people may need to bring experimental drugs to the attention of their providers who haven’t prescribed them before or do not know of their expanded access programs.

It can be challenging for some people to get the medications mentioned in this publication. Some are approved specifically for HIV disease; others are not approved for HIV but still may be prescribed for it. Most are available through clinical studies, expanded access or compassionate use programs.