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Complete Injectable LA ART
Patient Perspectives: My Experience Receiving a Complete Injectable Long-Acting ART Regimen

Released: July 27, 2023

Bernadette Sharp
Bernadette Sharp,
Activity Information

Activity

Progress
1
Course Completed
Key Takeaways
  • Switching to injectable long-acting antiretroviral therapy has worked well for my busy lifestyle and improved my quality of life.

Long-acting (LA) injectable antiretroviral therapy (ART) is one of the most exciting therapeutic advancements in the field of HIV treatment in years. The currently available agents are indicated for treatment-experienced people living with HIV as either an option for switching to a completely injectable ART regimen or an injectable option in addition to oral ART. As a woman living with HIV, I have found LA ART to be key to improving my quality of life and would like to share my story with you.

How It Started
The clinic in Melbourne where I seek my medical care was a site for a worldwide clinical trial for injectable LA ART. I enrolled in the trial in 2018 and started treatment in 2019. I was happy to be part of this trial because at this stage of my life, I had been taking oral medication for HIV for more than 20 years. I was starting to miss a few doses every month and was thrilled to have a new way to take my medication. It also was fulfilling to participate in a clinical trial that would ultimately make this new HIV treatment option available to a much larger group of people living with HIV.

Managing Adverse Events
In the early stages of receiving this new LA ART, I had to take pain medications right after I had the injections and again before I went to bed. On the day of the injections, I felt quite fatigued and was not capable of doing any physical activities. However, as time went on, I started to feel a lot better and stopped requiring any pain medications during the day (but would still take them at night before I went to bed). I felt a strong discomfort the day of the injections, but the day after, I felt back to 100%. As I continued to receive my scheduled injections, I started to feel a lot better the day of the injections and only had mild discomfort that did not require any pain medication; this was my body adjusting to this new form of HIV treatment. Fatigue and pain are relatively common adverse events associated with injectable LA ART, and now I have first-hand experience with how it starts and improves with time.

How It’s Going
For me, a woman living with HIV, injectable LA ART has greatly improved my quality of life. I no longer have to remember to take a tablet every day, and I do not have to hide 2-4 months of prescribed oral medication in my bedroom cupboard from family members who do not know about my status. For me, the process of receiving LA ART has become very easy, as I receive the injections every 2 months. Because I am seeing my doctor regularly, I have routine health checks along with my injections. My lab results on the injectable treatment have been excellent, as I have maintained virologic suppression. I am so pleased with this injectable treatment because it is very convenient for me. I have a busy lifestyle, and the injection schedule fits into my life perfectly. I plan to continue taking injectable LA ART because why would I change something that is working?

Your Thoughts?
How has the use of injectable LA ART affected your patients’ quality of life? Join the conversation by posting a comment.