If you test positive for HIV, the sooner you take steps to protect your health, the better. Early medical treatment and a healthy lifestyle can help you stay well. Prompt medical care may delay the onset of AIDS and prevent some life-threatening conditions. There are a number of important steps you can take immediately to protect your health:
• See a doctor, even if you do not feel sick. Try to find a doctor who has experience treating HIV. There are now many drugs to treat HIV infection and help you maintain your health. It is never too early to start thinking about treatment possibilities.
• Have a TB (tuberculosis) test done. You may be infected with TB and not know it. Undetected TB can cause serious illness, but it can be successfully treated if caught early.
• Smoking cigarettes, drinking too much alcohol, or using illegal drugs (such as cocaine) can weaken your immune system. There are programs available that can help you reduce or stop using these substances.

There is much you can do to stay healthy. Learn all that you can about maintaining good health. Call the CDC National AIDS Hotline to get additional information, order publications, and obtain referrals to local, state, and national resources that may be useful to you. The Hotline numbers are 1-800-342-2437 (English), 1-800-344-7432 (Spanish), and 1-800-243-7889 (TTY). You also can order publications and get referrals from the CDC National Prevention Information Network (operators of the National AIDS Clearinghouse) by calling 1-800-458-5231.