Side effects can be tough to deal with. For some people, side effects are so bad they want to stop their medicine. But stopping medicine (called a treatment break or treatment holiday) or skipping doses can cause serious problems. Learn more now about treatment breaks and how they can harm your health.

Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before you change the way you take your medicines or stop taking them. You may be able to switch to a combination of medicines with fewer side effects.

Below are ways you can ease some of the more common side effects of HIV medicine.

Things you can do to help with side effects

Side Effect	What you can do
Feeling very tired (fatigue)	Try to go to sleep at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning Try to stay active. When you keep your body moving, it can give you more energy and help you feel stronger Keep easy-to-make food on hand for those times when you feel too tired to cook
Rash	Use very mild soaps or cleansers. Soaps made with oatmeal are a good choice Shower or bathe with warm, not hot, water Put on sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun Avoid bubble baths or after-bath products. They can make the rash worse
Diarrhea	Eat a diet called BRAT—bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast Eat foods with a lot of fiber, such as oatmeal, grits, creamed wheat ceral, and soft bread Try to avoid milk and milk products, such as cheese, ice cream, and yogurt. Also, avoid greasy foods, such as french fries or fried chicken. They can make diarrhea worse Drink lots of water. This helps stop your body from losing too much fluid (getting dehydrated)
Dry mouth	Rinse your mouth with warm water Suck on sugarless hard candy or ice chips to cool your mouth and keep it moist Talk with your healthcare provider about medicines that can help
Headache	Rest in a quiet, dark room with your eyes closed Place a cool washcloth over your eyes Take a warm bath Try to avoid foods and drinks that may cause headaches. Many products that cause headaches contain caffeine, such as coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate. Also, try to avoid red wine, citrus fruits (oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes), nuts, onions, vinegar, and hard cheese
Hair loss	Try not to do things that can damage your hair, such as using a hair dryer, dyeing or perming it, or getting cornrows Try to manage the stress in your life. Stress can make hair loss worse
Feeling sick to your stomach (nausea) and throwing up (vomiting)	Eat a diet called BRAT—bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. It helps stop nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea Keep dry crackers by your bed. When you wake up in the morning, sit up, eat some, and wait for a few minutes before you get out of bed Drink caffeine-free tea, such as chamomile, ginger, and peppermint Sip cold ginger ale or other caffeine-free soda After you vomit, drink clear broth, caffeine-free carbonated drinks, or juice. Eat gelatin or popsicles. You want to get fluids back in your body Try to avoid hot, spicy, and greasy foods or foods with a strong smell Talk with your healthcare provider about medicine that may help
Weight loss	Drink energy shakes (nutritional supplements) that are low in sugar. You can buy them at the grocery store or pharmacy If you are losing weight fast, talk with your healthcare provider right away. Tell him or her if you have nausea or vomiting, have just started a new medicine, or have other health problems

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