No one knows my HIV status. If you have roommates or visitors and don't want to take medication in front of them, it may help to keep a bottle of water by your bed so that you can take your pills in privacy. At the workplace, you can also adjust your lunch or break schedule to ensure privacy. Someone with a high viral load has a great risk of damage to the immune system. If a cocktail is discontinued, it is sometimes recommended that all the drugs in that cocktail be stopped, rather than just one to two drugs.
Drug resistance can limit some treatment options for the future.
You may be tempted not to take your meds when you feel well, and end up doing so only if symptoms come back. This behavior greatly increases your chances of developing resistance to your meds. Once you go off meds, your viral load can rise substantially since there would no longer be anything to limit virus reproduction. I have to take care of my ill relative. When caring for a loved one who is very sick, it is important not to ignore your own needs.