Antivirals induce many significant side effects and reduce the quality of life for People Living with HIV (PLWHIV). The management of side effects is crucial to maintain the patient’s quality of life and adherence to treatments. The patient-physician relation is essential when managing side effects as it influences the experience for the PLWHIV. This grounded theory analyzes the patient-physician relationship in context with side effects. In the greater Ottawa/Gatineau area, 50 PLWHIV have participated in a semi-structured interview to share their experience with side effects. Four categories were highlighted with this analysis: healthcare model, medical power (central category), strategies and impacts. Results show that physicians are in a monopoly position when taking charge of PLWHIV, who then develop mechanisms of selfpreservation against medical authority. Patients must also develop their own strategies to overcome side effects. Nevertheless, a conflictual relation between patient and physicians may cause multiple devastating effects for the PLWHIV (isolation, withdrawal and distress).