POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Questions About Treatment & Side Effects => Topic started by: zach on January 12, 2011, 11:22:22 am
-
Just read this article, and it gets me wondering. Is there anything I can do to help raise my CD4 count? Its gone up, and I'm thrilled, but I wasn't diagnosed until it was at 8 anyway. As I understand things, Atripla only has a direct impact on VL, which has gone undetectable (yeaaa!!) but it doesn't actually do anything for CD4. I try to eat well, take vitamins, and get plenty of exercise. In truth, I feel healthier than I have in a long time. But my count is still below 200, and that does scare me a little. And the way I read this article, the longer it stays low, the more risks I face later.
http://www.aidsmeds.com/articles/hiv_cd4_discordant_1667_19733.shtml
-
Time is a great healer. You initial rise is very good considering. I have a friend who started treatment with CD4 of 11 and 7 years later his CD4 is over 600. Not everyone gets this kind of excellent result, but from 8 to 158 in a few weeks is a good start eh?
Like the beanie :-)
- matt
-
for some people too, reaching such a low nadir means that they will never recover very much either. Just think too that the damage that has been inflicted on your immune system has probably been happening for 5 to 10 yrs, so an overnight turnaround is often quite unlikely.
I had cd4 counts as low as 5, 7, and 12. It took over 15 yrs to get above and stay above 200 consistently. However hanging between 175 and 245 for most of that time, I haven't been back in the hospital in 13 yrs, nor sick with much besides an occasional cold and/or fever. it took 17 yrs to reach 300. I've just now, 18 yrs later, had two consecutive counts over 300 (a whopping 311 and 308).
Getting UD is the most important part. Once the level of HIV is reduced so that it isn't doing such terrible constant damage to your immune system, your immune system can recover - plus it can, even weakened, actually return to working like normal on the issues you might have. A little immune system is better than none. ;) In the long run, though being above 400 or 500 is really nice, it's not really about how many tcells you have (well, once you're over 200),but about how well they work. ;)
-
Like the beanie :-)
- matt
got it in peru, chicks dont seem to impressed with it, oh well
-
got it in peru, chicks dont seem to impressed with it, oh well
It's not because of the tam my man.... it's those suspenders. ;)
-
??? those are carhartt overalls sir, i love em, you're right though, chicks don't like those either
on topic, over on "the body", i read about interleukin 2 being used to increase cd4 production, but that was from 2003 so may be quite dated... just trying to nose around and see if there is anything that will help, not really expecting a magic bullet
-
??? those are carhartt overalls sir, i love em, you're right though, chicks don't like those either
Nevermind me Zach, I was just messing with ya... I thought maybe you was a fireman or something, in which case the ladies love.
-
As far as I personally know, the whole diet-exercise-vitamin thing is about all one can do. Otherwise, it is just a matter of waiting it out as your body claims back ground. Unfortunately, I have also always been told that the lower your counts when you start treatment, the faster they will tank if you go off meds.
I do know, however, that there isn't any particular need to go over the top with the supplements (as some around here are prone to want to do). Generally, a regular ol' multivitamin will do the trick. There are actually some supplements that aren't good for those of us with teh AIDS. I'd check with your doc before gobbling down anything exotic.
-
Zach,
I recalled some discussions about LDN and did a quick search.
Below is what I found.
No, I am not a doctor nor do I portray one on TV. :o
In no way am I suggesting one use this medication, all I am stating is that I have found to share for discussion.
Hoover and Dr. T
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/ldn_and_hiv.htm
In Brief
Since the mid-1980's, low dose naltrexone (LDN) has consistently demonstrated a markedly beneficial effect in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. There are a score of such patients who, even today, continue to successfully use only LDN. When combined with HAART, LDN has shown itself to be an absolute preventive for lipodystrophy, as well as a synergistic therapy that diminishes viral breakthroughs and bolsters the restoration of CD4 cell levels.
-
I'd check with your doc before gobbling down anything exotic.
i won't be going that route anytime soon, not really into alternative medicines, medicinal cannabis however ;) is a whole nutter story
-
i won't be going that route anytime soon, not really into alternative medicines, medicinal cannabis however ;) is a whole nutter story
And there's nothing wrong with that, trust me. When my numbers were similar to yours I suffered from constant nausea... nothing helped more than a quick toke off even the worst strains of weed.
-
Hi,
putting things in the perspective of timeline and based on all the thing I have read on hte issue, you do NOT qualify for
immunologic non responder, on the contrary, i'd say you are responding very well (all things considered)
It is too early to even worry about that.
You'll be doing fine...
Eric
-
thanks guys, it's just been something kind of on my mind, i've got my first post diagnosis cold and feeling a little jumpy
i'm not disappointed with my numbers at all, damn near brought a tear to my eye when i went undetectable, still, not ready to give up and die just yet, and ready to do whatever i can or should to stay healthy
-
Time is a great healer. You initial rise is very good considering. I have a friend who started treatment with CD4 of 11 and 7 years later his CD4 is over 600. Not everyone gets this kind of excellent result, but from 8 to 158 in a few weeks is a good start eh?
Like the beanie :-)
- matt
Simple answer is what Matt has stated. Things take time, and you will need patience. BUt I think your doing well !
I also started with a low t-cell count with 16, in 2003, this was also after 18 years of being HIV positive.
Here's how I've progressed since that time:
MONTH/YEAR
10/03---CD-4- 16 VIRAL LOAD--500,000 PERCENTAGE <4% ( From October of 03)
12/03---CD-4- 48 VIRAL LOAD- <50 PERCENTAGE--- 4%
1/04-----CD-4- 76 VIRAL LOAD--155 PERCENTAGE--6%
2/04-----CD-4-87 VIRAL LOAD--89 PERCENTAGE--5%
3/04-----CD-4- 125 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--6%
5/04-----CD4--139 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--7%
6/04-----CD4--150 VIRAL LOAD--150 PERCENTAGE--6%
8/04-----CD4--199 VIRAL LOAD-- 96 PERCENTAGE--8%
11/04---CD4--253 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--8%
2/05----CD4--239 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--7%
5/05----CD4- 213 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--7%
8/05----CD4--333 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--7%
11/05--CD4--328 VIRAL LOAD--166 PERCENTAGE--8%
2/06---CD4--279 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--10%
5/06---CD4--350 VIRAL LOAD--288 PERCENTAGE--11%
7/06-- CD4--322 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--10%
10/06-CD4--286 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE- 11%
1/07---CD4--332 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE-- 12%
4/07--CD4---380 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--14%
8/07--CD4--366 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--13%
11/07--CD4-295 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--12%
1/08--CD4-303 VIRAL LOAD--<50 PERCENTAGE--10%
4/08--CD4-379 VIRAL LOAD---<50 PERCENTAGE----12%
7/22/08 CD4--327 VIRAL LOAD < 48 PERCENTAGE---12
10/13/08 CD4--323 VIRAL LOAD < 48 PERCENTAGE 12%
1/15/09 CD4 --331 VIRAL LOAD <48 PERCENTAGE 12%
4/14/09 CD-4 --295 VIRAL LOAD <48 PERCENTAGE 13%
7/14/09 CD-4--352 VIRAL LOAD <48 PERCENTAGE 12%
10/19/09 CD-4 355 VIRAL LOAD <48 PERCENTAGE--14%
12/2/09 CD-4 - 392 VIRAL LOAD < 48 PERCENTAGE 13%
2/22/10 CD-4 -- 320 VIRAL LOAD <75 PERCENTAGE 15%
6/2/10 CD4--365 VIRAL LOAD < 75 PERCENTAGE --14%
9/13/10 CD-4 -- 292 VIRAL LOAD < 75 PERCENTAGE 15%
Blood test results from 12/13 10 Will be received next wednesday on January 19th, 11
Take care of yourself------Ray
-
Zach,
I recalled some discussions about LDN and did a quick search.
Below is what I found.
No, I am not a doctor nor do I portray one on TV. :o
In no way am I suggesting one use this medication, all I am stating is that I have found to share for discussion.
Hoover and Dr. T
http://www.lowdosenaltrexone.org/ldn_and_hiv.htm
In Brief
Since the mid-1980's, low dose naltrexone (LDN) has consistently demonstrated a markedly beneficial effect in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. There are a score of such patients who, even today, continue to successfully use only LDN. When combined with HAART, LDN has shown itself to be an absolute preventive for lipodystrophy, as well as a synergistic therapy that diminishes viral breakthroughs and bolsters the restoration of CD4 cell levels.
Despite your disclaimer.....
LDN for HIV/AIDS = psuedoscience
http://getbetterhealth.com/low-dose-naltrexone-medical-revolution-or-pseudoscience/2010.05.13 (http://getbetterhealth.com/low-dose-naltrexone-medical-revolution-or-pseudoscience/2010.05.13)
-
getting back to you zach.. ;D
patience, patience and patience.
It took a long time for my cd4 to go up, years in fact. Don't buy into (literally) miracle cure/supplement crap; talk with a licensed nutritionist that specialized in HIV, talk with a counselor, take care of yourself (I know, it's sometimes hard to do).
above all in the meantime while you are waiting for your body to "recover" keep doing what you are passionate about!
-
quack