HIV and Infectious Disease Doctors in Houston

There are a few reasons you would be searching for a HIV or infectious disease doctor. One reason is that you could be moving to Houston from another city where you currently have a medical professional guiding you. You could also be newly diagnosed with HIV and your current doctor suggested that you find one that can help you raise your T-Cell count or lower your viral load. Searching for this type of doctor is not an easy task because you want to make sure you have one that is gay-friendly and knows what you are going through. Some people do not search for one at first because of the stigma associated with the virus in general.

The biggest tip we can give you before going in for an HIV test is to make sure you have insurance for over a year or so first. Check with your insurance policy and find out when HIV or other things such as cancer will be covered after you start your policy. If you feel your insurance will not cover you and you may have HIV then find a doctor that will give you a discreet test with a number or code that they will use. There are government programs available for those without insurance but you do not want to take the risk and put too much trust in your insurance company. Research online to find the best doctors to get your body back to healthy.

DR. JOSEPH CLAYTON GATHE JR, MD

Dr. Gathe is located near Montrose. He is Board certified in Infectious Disease and Internal Medicine. He also has a Fellowship in the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American College of Physicians. He has a 9.5 Avvo rating, which is considered Superb. Dr. Gathe speaks Spanish, Vietnamese and English. Since Dr. Gathe is an Internist and Infectious Disease Specialist, he will probably provide Physical Exams, Well Visits, Aids & HIV Prevention as well as Aids & HIV Treatment. To contact Dr. Gathe’s office you can call (713)526-9821 or 1-800-522-2573.He is located at 4900 Fannin, Houston, TX, 77004.

DR. JIEJIAN LIN

Dr. Jiejian Lin is an Infectious Disease doctor and is located in the downtown area of Houston. She has an 8.1 Avvo rating, which is considered excellent. She speaks Spanish as well as English. Since she is a Board Certified Infectious Disease Specialist and Internist, she will most likely provide Aids & HIV Prevention as well as Aids & HIV Treatment. To contact Dr. Jiejian Lin’s office you can call (713)757-7475. She is located at 1315 St. Josephs Pwy Ste 1710, Houston, TX, 77002.

HIV Treatment 

Because the healthcare professionals have been able to obtain more information about HIV treatment than previous years, treatment of HIV has improved greatly. By combining various medicines, you may be able to accomplish the treatment goals set by you and your doctor. Your doctor will collaborate with you as well as your caregivers while you are being treated.

By having this partnership, you will have the ability to obtain the most benefit from your HIV therapy. If you have previously received HIV medications, you need to ask what treatment options are available for you. Be sure to discuss how the current medications are working for you. Despite the fact that HIV is unable to be cured, it can be treated.

Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy or HAART

Generally, doctors will suggest you consider the use of HIV medications from two or more classes to assist in fighting the the virus. A HAART treatment plan may be recommended for you. HAART combines three or more medicines from no less than two different classes of medicine that is used to treat HIV.

Two of the important HIV treatment goals that will be discussed between you and your doctor are:

1. Your doctor will want to ensure that your viral load remains as low as possible.
2. Your doctor will also make sure that your CD4 cells are increasing.

Decreasing the Viral Load

How much HIV you have in your system is your viral load. It is of the utmost importance to decrease your viral load. One of the main goals is to reduce your viral load to the point that it is undetectable on your blood test. Your doctor will order blood tests regularly to check your viral load. It is extremely important to note that if it is at an undetectable range, you are not cured of HIV, and you still have the ability to pass HIV to others.

Raising How Many CD4 Cells You Have 

Another very important goal of the HIV treatment is to raise how many CD4 cells you have. These cells are a kind of white blood cell that is in your body and helps to fight infection. Blood tests to determine this level will also be ordered regularly by your doctor. A high CD4 cell count does not mean that you are cured of HIV. You could still contract infections or any other conditions that occur with HIV infection. 

Resistance Testing

Resistance testing is a test that is done when there is an increase in the viral load. This test determines whether the HIV has been able to become resistant to some of the medication that is being taken.

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