Hi! I’m Zahid Somani, owner of The Village Pharmacy. I have worked as an HIV Pharmacist for over 20 years, and I’ll be writing this blog. I’ll talk about HIV medications and other health topics that can help you and others living with HIV, feel great and be healthy every day.

Taking charge of your health includes having medical professionals that you trust, and who are experienced in HIV. Having an HIV Pharmacist as part of your team is really important.

You probably see your Pharmacist more often than your doctor, so having a good relationship with them can help you navigate the day-to-day health issues you’re dealing with. 

Here are the top four ways an HIV Pharmacist can help you achieve better health:

First, an HIV Pharmacist can help prevent interactions.

HIV medications can interact other drugs, such as those for high blood pressure or cholesterol, and even with over-the-counter products like allergy medications. They can also help identify if your HIV drugs interact with common foods and supplements. 

Second, an HIV Pharmacist can help ensure you take your medications every day.

An HIV Pharmacist knows that taking your medication regularly can have a huge impact on minimizing your viral load and prevent complications, viral resistance and even treatment failure down the line.

While we have many safe and effective medications for HIV now, it is not unlimited. A good HIV Pharmacist can help you with adherence tools like weekly pill packs, blister packs and smartphone apps that help you fit taking your pills everyday, into your busy life. 

Third, an HIV Pharmacist can help you manage side-effects.

Sometimes, my clients diminish the side-effects they’re experiencing, and just deal with them.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, and you don’t have to suffer.

An HIV Pharmacist can talk to you about how you take your HIV medications to reduce the severity of side-effects. If needed, an HIV Pharmacist that is knowledgeable about the range of HIV drug regimens, can work with your doctor to change the medications you’re on, so that you can continue treatment safely. 

Fourth, lifestyle choices can impact your overall health.

Having a relationship with your HIV Pharmacist that is open and non-judgemental is so important, especially when it comes to conversations about use of supplements, alcohol and recreational drug use, and sexual habits. 

Communicating with your pharmacist is good for your health.

In the end, finding a pharmacist you can communicate with in an open and trusting way will benefit you and your health.

If you’re looking for a new pharmacist, I am available for consultation by phone or in person Monday to Saturday. You can also follow us on Facebook for useful info on HIV and your health.

Thanks, and stay tuned on this blog for new posts. If you have any ideas about topics you’d like to see me cover, please get in touch. I’d love to hear from you. Zahid.