Healthy Weight Loss

When weight loss occurs in an HIV-positive person, you must take care to ensure it does not develop into HIV wasting syndrome. Wasting syndrome can result in significant loss of weight and muscle mass in a short period of time, making the infected individual much weaker and unable to fight off potential infections. While weight loss associated with HIV infection can be difficult to stop, it is possible and can even be reversed if recognized and treated.

Instructions

1 Consult your doctor soon after the weight loss is noticed. Fluctuations in weight are common in HIV patients and can be caused by opportunistic infections or the loss of appetite often associated with antiretroviral treatment, so the doctor will likely want to monitor the weight loss to see if it continues.
2 Weigh yourself daily once weight loss has been noticed. This will enable you to keep track so your doctor can see whether there has been any further loss or fluctuations. If possible, take weight measurements in the early morning after using the bathroom but before eating so food in your digestive system doesn't cause incorrect measurements.
3 Modify your caloric intake to compensate for the additional energy your body uses to combat your HIV infection and the health problems that are associated with it. Instead of attempting to maintain a 2,000-calorie diet, try to consume between 17 and 20 calories per pound of body weight that you have. Should weight loss continue, increase this to 25 calories per pound.
4 Use the BRAT diet system if you begin to experience nausea and vomiting as a result of antiretroviral treatment or infection. The BRAT diet consists of bananas, rice, applesauce and toast, four foods that are relatively mild to the digestive system but that offer sufficient carbohydrates and vitamins to help combat weight loss.
5 Tell your doctor immediately if weight loss begins to accelerate or if nausea and vomiting begin to worsen as a result of your antiretroviral therapy. If you are having problems keeping medication down or are experiencing severe weight loss or wasting syndrome, your doctor may wish to alter your treatment regimen to help you combat it.
6 Discuss steroid therapy with your doctor if you are unable to maintain your weight through diet, exercise and regulation of your antiretroviral medications. Your doctor may offer one of several steroid therapy options such as human growth hormone or anabolic steroids in order to stimulate the production of muscle mass and combat wasting syndrome.

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