How do I stick with treatment?

Sometimes, you might find that you are having a hard time making it to your sessions with the rehabilitation professional, or doing the homework they assign you.  You are not alone.  Below, we outline some challenges you may face in trying to stick with your treatment, and suggestions for overcoming them.

Feeling Unwell
Rehabilitation professionals consider HIV an episodic condition, which means that there are periods of feeling well and periods of feeling unwell.  Sometimes these periods can be weeks or months at a time, and sometimes it can be that you have more energy in the morning, but feel tired in the afternoon.  Feeling unwell could be related to physical things like pain or energy levels, or it could be related to mood.  If you have periods of feeling well and unwell in your life, you should share them with your rehabilitation professional.  They can give you suggestions for dealing with periods when you are feeling unwell, and may be able to tailor your treatment plan to take advantage of when you are feeling well.

Pain
When treatment involves physical activity, the treatment may cause pain.  This can cause some people to stop treatment, either because the pain is too intense, or because they fear that they are causing further damage1.  If you experience pain during or after your rehabilitation session, please talk to your rehabilitation professional.  They can determine if it is typical (that is, there is no chance of causing further harm) or they can modify the activity to make it safer and easier for you.  They will also recommend strategies to ease the pain.

Fatigue
Treatment can also leave you feeling more tired than before.  It might be hard to make yourself go to an appointment if you think you will be too tired to get through it.  Mention the issue to your rehabilitation professional.  They can modify the activity to make it easier, and/or give you strategies to fight fatigue.

Depression
One common symptom of depression is being unable to “get going” – to do what you want or need to do.  So it is not surprising that feelings of depression have been linked to challenges sticking with a treatment plan1. If depression is getting in your way, it is a good idea to speak with your rehabilitation professional.  They may have some ideas for working around the challenge, or they may be able to suggest another healthcare professional who may be able to help.

Memory
Some people may have trouble when it comes to things such as remembering their next appointment, or remembering what homework assignment they have been given.  If this is a problem for you, please discuss it with your rehabilitation professional.  Some things they might be able to do if you tend to forget appointments is to provide a reminder card with the day and time of your next appointment, or to call you that morning to remind you.  If you forget what you need to do as homework, they could give you a handout with your tasks clearly listed.  Also, they may be able to give you tips to help work around memory challenges, such as writing things down in a calendar or day planner.

1Jack K, McLean SM, Moffett JK, Gardiner E. Barriers to treatment adherence in physiotherapy outpatient clinics: A systematic review. Manual Therapy. 2010;15(3-2):220-228. doi:10.1016/j.math.2009.12.004.