Re: Please help me to understand about CD4 and Viral Load

[Guest guest]

Dear Rocky,

Ref: Your message " Please help me to understand about CD4 and Viral

Load "

If we knew when you were infected that would solve this problem.

There is a tendency for the viral load to shoot way up(spike) right after

getting infected, and then your own t-cells battles the infection.

Later, the viral load drops way down even though it keeps on

gobbling up t-cells. This dormancy period is quite long. As a PLWHA, since you

are now below the 200 threshhold for t-cells, and do qualify as an AIDS patient,

it is probably prudent to take anti virals. However, remember that for both

viral load and t-cells(CD4), and also CD8 counts, you would do better if you

look at the logarithmic levels of the changes, rather than the absolute numbers.

Here is a tip for you from another AIDS patient.

Numbers are fine, but the main thing is how you feel, and keep your weight up.

Cheers, PS/ Do take a doctors advice.

Priyadarshi Datta

e-mail: <thurpu@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

For India the two most important things to do if you are engaging in

sexual activity is to understand how HIV is transmitted and how easy

it is to protect yourself from that infection.

If you are wondering about whether you are already infected don't

wonder too long because the earlier you find out the better you

longevity.

Early detection is vital and at that stage viral load is not that

important because it will be all over the place.

What you need is an accurate CD4 count and then some lessons in

survival.

If you end up loosing too many cd4 cells ie less than n200 then you

might need anti retroviral treatment but even that can kill you if

you dont know how to manage toxicities.

Regular CD4 testing is therefore the best indicator and if the

number is high then the infection is relatively recent and you have

the best chance of learning a survival strategy.

Viral load is the test that determines whether the treatment

associated with anti retrovirals is helping you or not working. It

can also be an indication of a state of equilibrium when good immune

function behaviours gets you body into a state of creative tension

to be able to hold the virus replication in check.

Happy to field any specific questions from individuals because even

though the disease is better understood the lives of the individuals

affected is so varied that a tailor made approach to survival is

critical and will be different for every single person infected.

Geoffrey

E-MAIL: <geoflowd@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Thanks for being kind enough for clearing the doubt about taking the ART. I have

started taking the treatment just one week back and trying to cope up with the

sleep hangover. Anyways I hope that I will soon learn to live comfortably with

it.

Dear forum, one thing bothers me very much and that’s - being the HIV+ lately I

have started reading a lot of about HIV / AIDS in Newspaper and hearing on TV

news. There has been a lot of news about its main causes of transmission and

medication. Unfortunately, there’s no news article to spread this awareness

amongst mass that HIV / AIDS is dreaded but with proper medication, one can live

life more than 20 years, that too the healthy life.

This will help in mitigating the stigma attached to it. Hope this esteemed forum

will help to spread this news simultaneously so as to enhance the acceptability

of the PLWHA.

Rocky Lucknow

e-mail: <rocky_doon@...>