Acute infection followed by low viral load

[planonstaying]

I was infected in 12/06. I got tested 1/13. I had started having swollen gland at Xmas and my DR ordered thyroid functions and an ultra sound since it was enlarged. I asked for an HIV test. I got the courage to get it on 1/13. I was starting to feel real fatigued and the glands were worse.  On 1/29 I found out I was positive.  I wont tell you how bad my ex DR muffed informing me but he couldn't of handled it much worse. I had continued to get  sicker in Jan. My  neck and underarm glands were  huge and tender. i had  bone numbing fatigue and  was missing a ton of work and i had developed a bad sore throat  and my tonsils had gotten swollen as well on one side. It was not likethe flu. I missed about 25 working days  from 1/1- 3/1. For the most part I would work a  half a day if i made it in. I have never felt sicker in my life and had assumed i was far along
I had a blood draw when the symptoms were a little better and  they had cleared entirely  about 10 days after  it.  I was been told by several people my symptoms were classic for  an acute infection. My Dr who is like no other DR i  have ever spent  saw spent an hr  talking to me about the devastating emotional issues i was experiencing before even looking at my labs.  No one expected my labs. She  hyposized and it made sense to me that the reason i was so sick so fatigued so long might of had to do with the amount of energy I was using fighting the infection and reigning it in for the moment but that  we would never really know

That said. i have seen  this is a real active board. I was wondering  if other people  who through  some accident of the universe  were able to bring their viral load to low levels at least over the short term  remembered if the acute  phase was real bad and lasted longer than  average like  mine.

 I will never know how high I spiked and wonder if  whatever was going on inside me     that gave me unusual  numbers in March   effected  how high i spiked  in Dec/Jan

As to the future  no one  knows =)

[milker]

Hi Plan,

welcome to the forums

If you have issues with the way your doctor treats you, you should change. It is VERY IMPORTANT to have a close relationship and trust with your doctor. Also, it is important that you get an infection disease specialist for the HIV part.

Not everyone will experience the same symptoms, but feeling like shit and getting other infections at the same time as your seroconversion is not uncommon. Your numbers are pretty good, and it's very possible that your body fought really hard to achieve those, which is good news.

I'm sorry that you tested positive, but you seem to be starting well, if I may say.

Milker.

[BT65]

Hey Plan:
     When I seroconverted back in '88, I had a gland that swelled out the size of a baseball!  I also had like a really bad bronchitis and sinus thing going on.  The doctor at the time was so misinformed, he told me it was just my sinuses.  I knew that wasn't right, as I've had problems with my sinuses all my life and a gland had never swelled out that big. At that time they didn't do viral loads.  Anyway, it eventually cleared and two months later I went into treatment.  (In Feb. '89).  They did an HIV antibody test and it showed antibodies to HIV. Two days later, my first husband died.  So, to answer your question, yes I had an extremely sick period when I seroconverted. 
     Glad to have you aboard!  Just watch out for the crazies, like me.
Peace-
Betty

[planonstaying]

If you have issues with the way your doctor treats you, you should change. It is VERY IMPORTANT to have a close relationship and trust with your doctor. Also, it is important that you get an infection disease specialist for the HIV part.

Oh I fired him. He called to have me come in over my results on a Friday, then discovered it was too late and put it off till Monday  . I pretty much knew the deal at that point . When I got there Monday he waited till the entire staff was gone and called me into his office . He then told me  how much better my cholesterol was, my thyroid functions were OK   and  the Ultra sound looked  good but there were some potential cysts to watch .  I WAS STARTING TO THINK I AM OK . Then he told me I was HIV Positive   rambled something about living positive  and   told me the name of a clinic...then  that he didn't have a phone number for them but he couldn't treat me for this . I didn't leave the house for a week after that.  I ended up going to a local agency  my Union Employee Assistance program  referred me too and they gave me the name of  a DR. and a number for the Clinic I was looking for.  I have never  met a Dr. I felt more comfortable with. Sometimes  just the right person is put in our path at just the right moment. I am not required to have a primary care Dr by my Ins  so She's it now and i cancelled my last apointment with the old one when his office called

Ty fir the welcome and  I am an information junkie  you will see a lot of me

[Moffie65]

Welcome to the family here.

To answer the question about the intensity of your seroconversion illness; yes, many people have very intense infection responses.  This is usually due in part to the health/condition of your immune system to start with.  Those with really good immune systems, often have very difficult first infection responses, and yes, your own system drives the viral load down to very low numbers the first time.  Also, there is every expectation that if you take very good care of your health, you might be able to fight off the need for medications for some time also. 

Unfortunately, like Milker said above, all of us are different, all of us have different immune responses, and once the bug is ours and has our own dna inside of it, then all bets are off, and our individual response to it will be dependent on our own bodies' response on a cellular level.

You will learn there are loads of things you can do to help stay strong and keep your immune system in fine condition, but in the end, none of us can really give you any idea just how the future will be. 

Love,