POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => I Just Tested Poz => Topic started by: pursuit on April 28, 2014, 02:23:58 am
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Hi all, I am 36.y.o male living in Indonesia. I just tested positive exactly a month ago and am still in a very depressed mode. I have no plan to tell anyone about this, ever, as the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS here is unbearable.
I was tested reactive on Anti HIV using 3 different reagen (compounds?) on 29th March, then on the 1st April I tested my CD4 (412 and 22% - result came in a week). On the 2nd April I tested CD4 in a different hospital, the result came in less than an hour (373 – no percentage given). Viral load (RNA) was checked later that week and came in at 16900.
I met a counselor and a doctor and they both suggested me to start HAART soon. I recalled they mentioned Truvada as the first line treatment for me. I haven’t made any decision on treatment until now, still trying to let the feeling sink in and to read/absorb everything in this forum.
My question is, do I still need a WB Test to confirm? And what are the genotype test and their importance before starting HAART? I believe such test is not exist in my city but after my first meeting with the doctor, she checked my blood for SGPT, Creatinin, GDS (not sure what it is), Haemoglobin, PCV, Leukosit and Thrombosit – all came back with “normal”. I am wondering if genotype test is similar to this or not.
I am glad I found this forum, the learning lesson so far has been extraordinary. Yes it has been excessively consuming my time, and I hope the reading would slow down once I am totally settled with my HIV status. I hope to hear from anyone. There are many more questions running through my mind at the moment, but as other member have put it elsewhere in this forum, I have to take one day at a time.
Thanks and cheers ….
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More informed poster might chime in with better answers, but since I am in your time zone, I'll take a crack at answering some of these questions.
If you have any viral load, I am pretty sure that is an iron clad confirmation that you're infected as it measure the amount of virus in your blood per milliliter. So a western blot is probably not necessary if it hasn't been done already.
The genotype test is a test done to identify what if any drug resistances your strain of the virus has. Usually this is done before prescribing a drug regimen to make sure you get prescribed the right drug. The genotype test is not similar to the other tests you mention, as those measure the health of your kidneys, liver, etc.
I hope this helps. Things might seem bleak and scary now, but it gets better. Take care.
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You must have a WB to confirm that you are HIV positive . Once you have that confirmation then you can discuss other test and treatment if need be . Best of luck and welcome to the forum .
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Xasxas and Jeff, thanks for your response.
If you have any viral load, I am pretty sure that is an iron clad confirmation that you're infected as it measure the amount of virus in your blood per milliliter. So a western blot is probably not necessary if it hasn't been done already.
I am becoming more confuse now in regard to the need for having WB Test even though my Viral Load is showing up some number. WB Test is extremely rare in my country, I definitely have to travel to the capital and only 1 hospital offer this test.
Anyone can shed some more light please? Thanks
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HIV tests are actually testing for the antibody to the virus and not the virus itself. When you get an HIV test and test positive, there is a chance for a false positive. The western blot test is considered definitive, and used for confirmation as a standard practice.
Viral load tests are generally not tests used to determine HIV status. However, as a viral load test is testing for the virus itself rather than the antibody, I cannot see why it would not be considered equally definitive.
Here is a link to the U.S. FDA website talking about using a viral load test for the purpose of diagnoses. (note it is from 2006)
However, even it suggests that a follow up WB or antibody test is recommended.
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/HIVandAIDSActivities/ucm124430.htm (http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/HIVandAIDSActivities/ucm124430.htm)
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Thanks for the info pittman. Will get my hands on WB.....