--- Quote from: lincoln6echo on September 06, 2012, 01:49:13 pm ---CD4 = 360 VL = 6, 383,000
I think I'd rather just get it over with and go on meds...it's going to happen sooner or later..
--- End quote --- if you're certain that you are in the initial stages of infection, then your doctor should and might very well counsel you to wait until another test because in another few weeks your cd4s will rise and your viral load will plummet. Please note the area in that graphic from weeks 6 -12 - that's the 2 month to 3 month mark which you suspect you might be in. Depending on the next test results (remember I said it's about the trends not the one-off test), you might very well be able to go without meds for another 5ish years. While currently the science is being studied about people being immediately put onto meds, that is not yet the guidelines. Also depending on what country you live in, what the guidelines are and what your access to meds is (especially this!!), you might not be put on meds yet (or even allowed to).
You should probably wait to see what your doctor says, see if you have access to meds, and see what another test shows before moving forward with any decision - especially if you were recently infected.
Jmarksto:
lincoln;
As letherman said, sorry you had to come here, but welcome. This is a great site for information and support.
As my diagnosis is relatively new (June) I totaly understand your feelings of discouragement, anxiety, etc. -- I have had, and to some degree still have, similar feelings. I think your feelings are natural. My experience over the last few months has been that the feelings of discouregment and anxiety have diminished significantly as I have read, learned, and had time to process -- it gets much better.
With regard to starting treatment -- I think leatherman has good advice, wait for your next test, take some time to learn about the process and options, and talk to your doctor.
One thing that has helped me with the anxiety is seeing a counselor - which it sounds like you are in the process of doing.
Again, welcome,
JM
lincoln6echo:
Thanks guys...and yeah J, looks like we are in the same boat. I'm sorry.
Hearing that me VL is over 6 mil is sending my head spinning.
Leather, I know it's not about one off numbers, but as you said trends..but still. It creeps me out that I have something in such quantity in my system.
mecch:
--- Quote from: lincoln6echo on September 06, 2012, 01:49:13 pm ---Thanks again for the info.
SO..got the call with my results today.
CD4 = 360 VL = 6, 383,000
I can safely say, at least I know why I feel like shite.
Even the nurse said a VL like that was very high.
I see my Dr on Sat. I think I'd rather just get it over with and go on meds...it's going to happen sooner or later..
discouraged.
--- End quote ---
I had viral loads like that at serocoversion. Probably what your doctor will explain is just what has been explained here. There is no clear "best action". Both options are good! Not bad. You either wait a month, or two, to see what your body is going to do. That's the ONLY way to know what your set point might be. Or, if its an option in your country, start HAART right away. But actions have advantages and disadvantages.
You are afraid your body won't knock down that high viral load. Its pretty rare that people have rapid progression. I was one of those rare cases. Just means, I got identified in seroconversion and the docs whatched the viral load for a few months and said, well, genetically I lost that crap shoot and I had to start meds. So within 4 months of infection. In retrospect, it would have been good if I started right during seroconversion, but thats knowledge that is only attained too late - in retrospect. I felt like crap those 4 months but that's the way the cookie crumbles. Its not like i got AIDS in four months, but one does "feel" viral loads in the millions.
I just followed the doctor's advice and experience and that was fine too. My big lesson was maybe that - that as long as you have good doctors, its just as well to do what they say. They aren't going to put you in danger, they are always trying to juggle the factors to get the best result for you, and they know more than I do about all this stuff.
You can get tested again in 4 weeks and see where you are. Maybe your immune response is going to kick in. Its really a one month at a time situation for you, at the moment. Or, start now. The HAART will knock it all down - guarantee, each life cycle of the virus produces a huge cut in viral load, so you'll be down to thousands very quickly. Then again, the next step is undetectable and hard to predict how long that takes but it will happen that's for sure.
Sorry you had to join the HIV+ group but it is what it is.
spacebarsux:
Hi Lincoln, sorry you tested poz.
Understandably your head is spinning with a variety of feelings, fears and concerns. Just breathe, relax. This feeling will pass. You will be ok.
As for your CD4 and VL, it is typical/normal to have a sky-high viral load at seroconversion, as you are presently experiencing. Most people are not lucky enough to be diagnosed this early and therefore never really find out the peak their VL reached at this initial stage of infection.
It is also a matter of course for the VL to significantly fall and level out in the coming months (as depicted in Leatherman's graph). I think I can safely say that nothing is going to happen to you in the next few months-(unless you fall under the some extremely unlikely and rare group of ultra-rapid progressors).
Just relax, don't overthink things. Discuss your options with your doctor. Whatever you decide (whether to go on meds now or wait a while), you'll be ok in the longrun.