FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

GENERAL SERVICES

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Appointments are required. We do not accept walk-ins.

Do you accept walk-ins or do I need an appointment?

We currently do not accept walk-ins, but accommodations for same day appointments are available.

What should I expect at my first visit at Apollo Wellness?
Our Apollo Wellness Providers will conduct a comprehensive wellness exam and will also request for labs to be completed, including HIV testing, which will be done at our location by one of our Apollo hosts.
Do I need to switch my primary care provider to Apollo to receive HIV care?
It is optional and up to you! You can switch your PCP to one of our Apollo providers who can take care of your primary care needs to keep your healthcare seamless and all under one roof. However, you do not need to switch your PCP to utilize our HIV services. But, if you do have an HMO insurance plan, your PCP will need to send in a referral and authorization to Apollo Wellness do we can see you.

HIV TESTING AND PREVENTION

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Who has increased risk for HIV?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends regular HIV testing is recommended for:

  • Men who have sex with men (MSM)
  • People who have more than 1 sexual partner since their last HIV test
  • Transgender people who have sex with men
  • People who have had a sexually transmitted infection (STI)
  • People who use injection drugs
  • People whose sexual partners fall into any of these categories
What is PrEP?
PrEP stands for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and is for people who do not have HIV but are at risk. PrEP is prescribed as a daily pill or an injectable that is 99% effective and protects you from HIV transmission.
How often will I need to get tested for HIV on PrEP?
On the daily pill, you will need to get tested every 3 months at our Apollo Wellness Clinic. With the injectable, you will need to get tested ever 2 months. Currently, Apollo only offers PrEP in the daily pill.
What is PEP?
Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is a HIV prevention medication for HIV negative individuals who have a recent HIV exposure. PEP must be taken within 78 hours of exposure, but taking it sooner is highly encouraged is possible. If prescribed PEP, you’ll need to take it daily for 28 days.
How can HIV infection be prevented?

The transmission of HIV infection can be prevented through multiple ways. Some of these ways include:

  • Monogamous relations between uninfected partners
  • Consistent and correct use of male or female condoms
  • The use of PrEP taken by individuals who are not infected with HIV
  • The use of antiretroviral therapy for individuals living with HIV and who have an undetectable viral load
How can injecting drug users reduce their risk of contracting HIV?
For injecting drug users, the use of new needles and syringes that are disposable or properly sterilizing needles and syringes before reuse.

HIV TREATMENT

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Appointments are required. We do not accept walk-ins.

Are there any symptoms of HIV?
Some individuals may experience a fever-like illness immediately after infection due to the creation of antibodies to HIV in one’s body. This can take place between one to two months after the infection has occurred. However, the HIV infection itself does not cause any symptoms but a person who has been infected can transmit the virus to another person. The way to determine an HIV infection is to take an HIV test.
What do I do if I am newly infected with HIV?
The Apollo Wellness Team will remain dedicated to your health and will guide you through new treatments that allow people living with HIV to live long, healthy lives. Our providers and staff are well-knowledgeable on these antiretroviral treatments and will make sure you receive the treatment therapy and management that will work best for you. Additionally, we will connect you with trained counselors to provide counselling, as needed.
How do antiretroviral medicine work?
HIV lives by replicating itself in infected cells and is then able to travel within the body to infect other healthy cells. Antiretroviral medications slow down this replication of HIV in infected cells, which slows the spread of the virus within the body. Here are three main antiretroviral medications as provided by UNAIDS:

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors: HIV needs an enzyme called reverse transcriptase to generate new copies of itself. This group of medicines inhibits reverse transcriptase by preventing the process that replicates the virus’s genetic material.

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors: this group of medicines also interferes with the replication of HIV by binding to the reverse transcriptase enzyme itself. This prevents the enzyme from working and stops the production of new virus particles in the infected cells.

Protease inhibitors: protease is a digestive enzyme that is needed in the replication of HIV to generate new virus particles. It breaks down proteins and enzymes in the infected cells, which can then go on to infect other cells. The protease inhibitors prevent this breakdown of proteins and therefore slows down the production of new virus particles.