Blipping Crazy

[rainydaysandmondays]

Hi All! Well I've been positive for about 4 years now and have never really dealt with it head on!  My husband has recently left me and my latest labs smacked in face again with the reminder.  I have been undetectable for almost four years ago, but a year and half ago I had a viral load blip of 95, after three months went back to UD.  6 months ago I was still UD, then today I look at my labs and my viral load is at 34, but my cd4 went from 619 to 956 and %from 34 to 35! Since my husband left me, I engaged in destructive behavior and had a couple risky sexual encounters! I know it was dumb on my part, but now I'm worried current increase could be reinfection or superinfection!  Just need some thoughts to calm me down! Alone with my status here...

[CaveyUK]

Your latest VL 'blip' shouldn't worry you. Aside from being very small, in some quarters it would still be classified as UD (ie. < 50 copies).

Looking at your other numbers, you have seen a big rise in CD4 and a rise in your CD4%, which is all good. I'm not really sure why this has worried you

[zach]

the ARV meds you take act as both PrEP and PEP

i seriously doubt you need to be concerned with superinfection

but you do need to get hold of the self destructive behavior, knock it off

two small blips in four years, fantastic increase in CD4 count

you're letting fears get the better of you, everything is ok

[rainydaysandmondays]

Thank you Zach and Caveyuk, just no support system makes it difficult sometimes

[MahmoudK]

the ARV meds you take act as both PrEP and PEP

Is this actually proven to be right?

[BT65]

Is this actually proven to be right?

If the op is on Truvada then yes, it is proven. That is why doctors are prescribing it for PeP and PreP. 

[terrymoore]

Hi,
Where i live, UD is anything under a VL of 40 since the tests can`t detect less than that. So based on that, you have not had a "blip" - Hurray!! :-)
I am similar to you, and get really paranoid over anything that is not perfect. Even though my VL is UD and my CD4 over 1200, i always stress over the smallest condition. This time i have noticed a rash/bites and am so stressed - what is this from? is it cancer? Syphilis? Super-infection??

I recently asked my doc re Super-infection and he told me,as BT65 and Zach mentioned, that the pills I take (Truvada and Edurant aka Complera) act as PreP and PeP. He said that only in a case where the partner had a strain that is resistant to BOTH pills, would there be a chance of getting super-infected, AND, according to him, it is so rare that practically i should not be concerned with. He said, if anything,  i should be much more concerned of getting other STD`s which are so much more common and easier to get.
I guess that our mind plays tricks on us and stresses us out for now reason. The best thing to do i guess in a case like that, is get support (this forum is great for that!) and if that does not help, go see a doctor and get their professional opinion. That always seems to help me. Good luck!

[rainydaysandmondays]

Thanks, had doctors appointment yesterday, and he said that there is nothing to worry about, that he isn't concerned, because of my numbers and trend.  I let my mind go places and I tell myself to stop, but I start googling every last scenario...and it's over from there.  I really appreciate the advice on this site....it has gotten me through many lonely scared nights....

[terrymoore]

Hi Again,
Don`t feel like you are the only one that goes through that. I too freak out every time i have the slightest "thing" - all the worst case scenarios run through my mind. In fact, i am going through a weird episode right now and am POSITIVE it is all HIV related... :-)

[EUINAU]

I just want to say, stop worrying about what you have no control of. I do not know your situation but I want to share a little story to just say love yourself more

I was infected and diagnosed 3 years ago, my ex partner is still negative. We've split up 12 months ago.

I didn't go through any issues after finding out as I was diagnosed during seroconversion and hospitalised for a week and I had the best nurse and doc to put my mind in ease.

I have however lost my job and my partner decided to call it a day at the same time.

I decided to travel and have been on the road for the past 13 months now.

I found that self love and living in the moment, i.e. Power of NOW is very important.

I am single and I am happiest I have ever been. I am currently setting up my own Life Coaching Practice and writing a book about my past 12 months and path to Freedom in me

Love yourself first, enjoy the moment, enjoy the sunrise and sunset and the day in between. Thats all we know we have.

I have learnt most things we worry about never happen, so why waste the energy?

Have a beautiful day, love yourself first and keep smiling!

[timmm55]

the ARV meds you take act as both PrEP and PEP

Is this actually proven to be right?

I've never heard it quite put that way, but yes it is.
It's the other way around in reality,  as antiviral drugs were established first, and the drugs in PrEP were taken from that. PrEP is ART minus one drug for Negative people.

In discordant couples  it's been proven time and again for TasP studies (Treatment as Prevention) in the Partners Study, the Swiss Statement, Opposites Attract and many others.

Similar results for PrEP studies. But if a Negative person develops HIV (in the window period for example) they then need to take ART in it's full form.

Still, if a partner is HIV POZ and on anti-virals it doesn't confer any protection to their NEG partner above and beyond their activity. The negative partner is still at risk to any outside source. There were 4 people in the Partners Study who acquired HIV, but not from their partner! That was determined genetically.
I wondered about that! Did they (the Negative person) think they had acquired protection also???

[timmm55]

Hi All! Well I've been positive for about 4 years now and have never really dealt with it head on!  My husband has recently left me and my latest labs smacked in face again with the reminder.  I have been undetectable for almost four years ago, but a year and half ago I had a viral load blip of 95, after three months went back to UD.  6 months ago I was still UD, then today I look at my labs and my viral load is at 34, but my cd4 went from 619 to 956 and %from 34 to 35! Since my husband left me, I engaged in destructive behavior and had a couple risky sexual encounters! I know it was dumb on my part, but now I'm worried current increase could be reinfection or superinfection!  Just need some thoughts to calm me down! Alone with my status here...

None of your spikes and blips could have caused HIV transmission.

Back in 2012 undetectable was <200 and no transmissions occurred at that level (see Partners Study).

https://www.poz.com/article/transmission-zero-25241-4476

I've seen/heard negative people throw out blips and spikes as a reason not to trust Undetectable people. As if the spikes could go to 500 VL. They use the same logic for semen and other bodily fluids....they too many not be exactly the same as their blood VL yet it follows closely.

Kaiser Permanente tests to <40. I've had a <48. So I guess it was a blip! I have 1232 T-cells, 1300 prior to that. Usually around 1200 with a high of 1600.

Based on that I don't sex is "risky" at all, without a condom. In terms of STDs yes, but not HIV.