The first step is to get connected to HIV care, a doctor who specializes in caring for people living with HIV is in the best position to determine how often a patient should be tested. Typically, testing is done every 3 to 4 months when a person first begins HIV treatment. If viral suppression is sustained, your doctor may adjust testing to every six months.

For patients newly diagnosed with HIV, viral load testing is typically performed at the time of entry into care. Viral load testing is performed before starting a patient’s HIV treatment in order to provide a baseline by which to measure treatment response. An HIV specialist will then determine a testing schedule to measure the success of the HIV treatment. If treatment is successful, a person living with HIV can usually achieve an undetectable viral load within six months of beginning treatment. #ItStartsWithU

Find out more